Santander opens rep office in Seoul

Banco Santander now has a Seoul office to serve as liaison between Korean corporate and official institutions and Grupo Santander’s global network. It will also provide support to Santander clients doing business in Korea.

William Duane has been named to head the representative office. Mr. Duane joined Santander in 1993 and has been with the Group in Venezuela, France and Spain.

"Banco Santander’s Representative Office will enhance the Bank’s ability to respond to inquiries from Korean and global institutions, both corporate and official, about the products and services the Santander Group offers to customers around the world," Duane said.

Santander has been making its presence felt in Asia-Pacific in the past two years, opening or expanding offices or branches in Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Sydney. Santander also expanded its operations in Hong Kong to create a regional business banking hub.

Jose Manuel Varela, the head of Banco Santander’s strategic project to develop its Asian presence, said: "Santander is organically expanding its presence in Asia to better reflect our leadership positions in Europe and especially Latin America and the rapidly growing trade and investment relations between those regions and Asian markets."