About Santander

Santander is already one of the largest and most successful financial Groups in the world. We also have the ambition and drive to be the best. The best bank for our customers and our investors, and the best employer for our people.

How do we plan on achieving that? Well, we've delivered consistently strong financial results at a time of unprecedented upheaval in both the global and UK markets. This financial stability, following the key acquisitions of Abbey, Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester, has enabled us to become the most efficient* personal finance service provider in the UK, defined by a range of the most innovative and best value-for-money products on the market. We're positive about the future.

Of course, these impressive outcomes are down to one thing: our people. As our business grows and improves, the opportunities for our people will do the same. Working together, we aim to deliver exceptional service from exceptional people, inspired and motivated by strong teamwork, market-leading benefits and incentives packages, and a commitment to support and nurture them as they deliver their personal best, every day.

Our vision and aims are clear, and we will achieve them by earning and keeping the trust of the public and our stakeholders. Recognising the impact our business makes on the community and environment, we aim to make a wholly positive contribution, treating all with honesty and fairness.

^{* Source: Internal analysis of cost:income ratio of main UK peers(2) based on published results for June 2010.}

Santander history

Santander UK plc

Since entering the UK market in 2004, Santander has embarked on a strong programme of acquisition and integration, allowing us to broaden our range of products and improve profitability across the business, contributing to sustainable organic growth. As we develop a working culture which encourages and actively rewards innovation, we look to a future where the creativity and integrity of our thinking will cement our strong position in both the UK and global markets.

• November 2010. Alliance & Leicester was rebranded as Santander.
• August 2010. Santander agreed to purchase the parts of the banking businesses of the Royal Bank of Scotland which are carried out through its RBS branches in England and Wales, and by its NatWest branches in Scotland.
• January 2010. Abbey and the branch network of Bradford & Bingley rebranded as Santander.
• 2010. We now share 13% of the mortgage market, a 10% savings and deposits share and a 10% branch market share comprising 1,300 branches nationwide.
• October 2008. Acquired Alliance & Leicester.
• September 2008. Acquired Bradford & Bingley's retail branches and savings business.
• November 2004. Entered the UK market with the acquisition of Abbey National plc.

Santander Group

Santander holds a unique position in international banking, with a solid base of recurrent retail commercial banking and a high degree of geographical diversification, which guarantees a positive future.

• 2010: We're the fourth largest bank in the world by profits and eighth by stock market capitalisation. We have around 15,000 branches, more than any other international bank, and around 100 million customers.
• 2009: Our net ordinary profits were over EUR 8.9 billion, 1% more than the previous year, and we distributed more than EUR 4.9 billion in dividends to our shareholders.
• 2004-08: The significant acquisition of Abbey in the UK created the opportunity to acquire Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester.
• 1950s-1990s: Growth continued; maintaining our strong retail focus with a prudent approach to lending, maintenance of sensible capital ratios and spreading risk across geographical areas
• 1857: Santander opened for business in the Spanish city of the same name