Last year, Santander made a significant push towards its future by injecting its global operations with a fresh wave of IT expertise, bringing its total tech team to a formidable 27,500. This strategic move is part of the Spanish banking behemoth’s ambitious digital overhaul, which has impressively transitioned 95% of its systems to the cloud.
The bank’s recruitment drive wasn’t just about adding numbers; it was a targeted effort to onboard specialists across a spectrum of tech disciplines. From cloud computing and cybersecurity wizards to data scientists, DevSecOps experts, AI innovators, software developers, enterprise architects, and product management pros, Santander left no stone unturned.
With 400 positions still up for grabs, Santander’s recruitment campaign extends to its UK operations, underscoring the bank’s commitment to harnessing top-tier tech talent. “Our aim is to draw in the crème de la crème of technology aficionados to bolster Santander’s mission of morphing into the premier open financial services platform, while fast-tracking our digital metamorphosis,” the bank articulated.
This recruitment spree surpasses Santander’s initial ambitions set back in June 2020, when it unveiled plans to augment its global IT team by 3,000 as a cornerstone of its €20 billion digital and tech transformation over four years.
A pivotal aspect of Santander’s digital strategy is its wholehearted shift to the cloud. A milestone was reached in May 2022 when the bank disclosed that 80% of its operations had migrated to the cloud, with an eye on achieving full cloud integration by 2023. Remarkably, this entailed relocating 200 servers to the cloud daily.
Leveraging its proprietary Gravity platform, Santander is meticulously transitioning its legacy systems to the cloud, boasting more than 95% completion to date. “By the close of 2024, we anticipate most of our core banking services globally to be operating on Gravity,” the bank shared.
Gravity isn’t just another piece of software; it’s a game-changer for Santander. It facilitates dual processing, allowing the bank to test new features in real-time without halting business operations. This cloud migration isn’t just a technological upgrade—it’s a transformative step that promises swifter access to data, streamlined processes, and quicker product launches, sometimes in mere hours. Moreover, it’s poised to deliver more frequent app updates, enhanced products and services through real-time analytics, and substantial cost savings, including a dramatic 70% reduction in energy expenses.
In essence, Santander’s strategic bolstering of its tech workforce is more than just expansion—it’s a clear signal of the bank’s commitment to leading the charge in the digital banking revolution, setting a new standard for innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in the financial sector.
