Lloyds adds to Spanish colony at the top table

THE Spanish influence at the top of Lloyds Banking Group has continued with two executives lured from rival Santander to follow their UK boss Antonio Horta-Osorio who becomes Lloyds chief executive in March.

Juan Colombs has been appointed chief risk officer, succeeding Carol Sergeant who will leave the group at the end of January.

Colombs will report initially to chief executive Eric Daniels and is currently executive director of the risk division at Santander UK. He has more than 23 years of experience in a range of risk, control and management roles in areas including corporate banking, investment banking, retail distribution and risk.

The group has also appointed Antonio Lorenzo as director of its wealth and international division. He is chief financial officer and head of the wealth management division of Santander UK. Truett Tate, group executive director, wholesale, has had interim responsibility for the wealth international business since February in addition to his other duties.

The new recruits will be members of Lloyds' executive committee and both appointments are subject to Financial Services Authority approval.

Sir Win Bischoff, chairman of Lloyds, said both would "make a valuable contribution" to the bank's senior management team.