Standard Chartered appoints Harwood-Jones Europe & UK CEO

By Milan Rojan

Standard Chartered has announced changes to its Europe leadership team, appointing Margaret Harwood-Jones as Chief Executive Officer for Europe and the UK in a newly created regional role aimed at strengthening the bank’s operating model and supporting future growth.

Mandy DeFilippo, Chief Executive Officer, US and Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Standard Chartered, said: “These senior appointments reinforce our commitment to create a more efficient and more connected organisation under a single strategic vision, delivering seamless execution in support of our clients’ growth ambitions in Europe and the UK.”

Effective from 1 September 2026, Harwood-Jones has been tasked with overseeing the bank’s operations across 11 European markets, bringing together responsibility for both Europe and the UK under a single leadership structure. The role has been created to improve regional alignment and deliver advisory, risk management, financing and transaction services for Corporate & Investment Banking and Wealth & Retail Banking clients.

Margaret Harwood-Jones, incoming Chief Executive Officer, Europe and UK, Standard Chartered, said: “Europe and the UK are core to our global strategy, and there is significant opportunity to accelerate growth, leveraging our unique cross-border capabilities and platform. I look forward to working with our teams to build on our strong foundations and deliver long-term value.”

Harwood-Jones has joined the position from her role as Global Head of Financing & Securities Services (FSS), where she led the transformation of the business, expanded the bank’s custody franchise across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and spearheaded its digital asset custody proposition. She has previously held senior leadership positions at BNP Paribas and HSBC.

The appointments have followed Standard Chartered’s continued expansion in Europe, including the opening of a representative office in Switzerland, a new Luxembourg entity providing digital asset custody services and a representative office in Brussels, reinforcing the bank’s long-term growth strategy across the region.