Ellen Marshall and Santander Help Companies Expand Internationally While Growing Communities at Home
Based in New York but looking to open a checking account in Sao Paolo? Or London? Or Warsaw? For many businesses, that seemingly simple process is more complicated than one might think.
A local bank with a tremendous international reach is needed for growing companies, according to Ellen Marshall, regional executive of Middle Market for New York and New Jersey for Santander Bank’s Commercial Banking division, and it offers the best of both worlds to its clients. A 30-year banking industry veteran, she was named to run the region consisting of New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey in July 2017.
“Even in my short time here, I’ve been so impressed at the number of times we’ve been able to help—just with helping to open a checking account in Brazil, or in London, or Poland. Our services can be as simple as that or as complex as working on a company’s capital or treasury needs with our global partners,” Marshall says.
The bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A., which operates in 10 core markets in Europe, Latin American, and the U.S. The Boston-based U.S. bank has more than 650 branches, 2,100 ATMs, and 2.1 million customers that are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
“At Santander, we have local teams that provide a personal touch, with global resources through Banco Santander. Many companies are thinking about expanding globally, or just want competitive information. We are locally oriented and encouraged to make quick decisions,” Marshall explains. “But when our clients or prospects need products or help in expanding business abroad, we have the capabilities and significant strength in Europe and Latin America. We can help them grow in those markets.”
Banks have struggled with assisting companies to grow globally in the past, she notes.
“We have boots on the ground in these places, and we’re a well-known bank in Europe and Latin America,” with branches around the globe, she notes. In addition, there is much more coordination and interaction among the various international divisions. Marshall recently met with the senior banking group from Mexico as well as Puerto Rico.
Santander’s personal approach as a full-service provider at all stages of a company’s financial life cycle makes Marshall and her group trusted advisors to their clients, she adds.
“My team delivers the Bank to our clients,” she observes. “We operate with the idea of what the client needs, and that we should always be thinking of what is best for the client.”
Joining Santander was something of a homecoming for Marshall, who had been with Sovereign Bank (later acquired by Santander) more than a decade ago.
“I’d always maintained friendships here and watched what had been going on, as a competitor. So I knew the Bank fairly well, and was so impressed by the incredibly high-quality executive team recently recruited by Scott Powell, our CEO, and an outstanding U.S. board,” she says. “The opportunity here is to build the U.S. Bank under the umbrella of an incredible global brand. Santander is widely considered one of the best retail and commercial banks in the world. Our Group Executive Chairman of Banco Santander, Ana Botín has been named the most powerful woman in business outside the U.S. by Fortune, and has done an amazing job leading the Bank.”
That global strength dovetails well with Marshall’s significant experience in the apparel industry, a sector Marshall is looking to grow. The Bank recently hired executives with expertise in the industry to increase its reach.
“We have a number of different industries we cover and apparel is certainly a focus for us,” Marshall notes.
Marshall’s group generally focuses on the middle market, working with clients of up to $2 billion in operating revenue. Their clients, however, are a particularly diverse group, also including food and beverage, logistics businesses that support the movement of goods in the region’s ports, transportation, business services, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers/distributors, and more. Given the recent venture capital investments in New York City, technology and digital media companies also are an exciting opportunity, she says.
“It runs the gamut. We are focused on companies where we can have a long-term relationship and provide the services they need, which extend far beyond traditional banking to foreign exchange, treasury management, trade services, and interest rate derivatives, among others,” she explains. “Many of these are mid-sized, but we see the potential for a lot of growth.”
The debut of the Treasury Link service late last year enhanced Santander’s online platform for commercial and business banking clients, offering a streamlined management hub that allows cash flow management from receipts to payments to liquidity. Electronic payment capabilities will ease domestic and global wires in a range of currencies.
Equally important is Santander’s commitment to its communities. Last year, the Bank announced its $11 billion, five-year “Inclusive Communities” plan, geared toward lending, community development, and charitable giving in the Bank’s Northeast footprint, comprising residential mortgage loans for low- to moderate-income families, small business lending, community development lending and investments, and charitable contributions.
“We serve a number of communities in this region, so we will be involved in that effort as well,” Marshall says.
Part of those plans include opening new branches, in low- to moderate-income communities. Santander’s efforts are already underway, with new branches in Brooklyn and the Bronx, and its first ever Lending Center in Brooklyn.
“Our clients are expanding and hiring,” she notes. “We’re seeing a lot of activity, so we’re quite busy. We partner with our leasing group to assist our clients with their equipment needs. The optimism among clients and prospects is good, and it’s a good time to be a borrower, while rates remain low.”
With new products and capabilities, Santander’s Commercial Banking division is focused on adding talent to find and service new clients, offering a global reach with the local point of view.
“We have a very personal client-centric approach, but at the same time we’re part of a very large, very strong global bank,” Marshall explains. “That’s a very unusual combination, and that’s what makes us special.”
Ellen Marshall
New York/New Jersey Regional Executive
Santander Commercial Banking Middle Market
212-692-2519
emarshall@santander.us
santander.us
Add Comment