Rosilyn Houston will join Santander Holdings USA (SHUSA) as chief human resources officer, effective Aug. 2. Houston will report to Tim Wennes, CEO of SHUSA and Santander Bank.

In this role, Houston will oversee and provide strategic direction for the teams and programs within Santander US human resources, including HR service delivery; diversity, equity and inclusion; talent acquisition; learning and development; HR information systems; total rewards; HR business partners; and employee relations.

“I am very pleased to welcome Rosilyn to Santander, and I am confident that the wealth of experience she has in HR strategy and branding, culture development and recruiting, developing and retaining talent in the financial services space will help us further elevate our employee experience and Santander’s employer brand,” Wennes said. “I look forward to partnering with Rosilyn as we continue to grow the U.S. business, work to be a best-in-class employer of choice and advance Santander’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the organization.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining Santander at such an exciting, pivotal time for the organization,” Houston said. “With tremendous opportunities for growth ahead, it’s critical that Santander has the right strategy for advancing its dynamic, ambitious, engaged and diverse workforce while continuing to grow its rich culture. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead these important initiatives.”

Houston will join SHUSA from BBVA USA, where she served as U.S. head of talent and culture and was responsible for providing leadership in recruitment and staffing, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, corporate culture, workplace premises and services, internal communications, payroll administration and compliance with all employment-related legal and governmental regulations and requirements. She began her banking career as a part-time teller while attending college and went on to hold various front-line and leadership positions for BBVA USA’s retail bank, including managing in the environments of north Texas, California, Alabama and Florida.

Among her accolades, Houston has twice been named by American Banker as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking and was recognized by Black Enterprise as one of the 300 Most Powerful Corporate Executives in America.

Houston is also a supporter of her local community, where she provides volunteer leadership for the American Heart Association and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and serves on the executive board for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.