John R. Ciulla is Chief Executive Officer of Santander Bank, N.A. He is responsible for the strategy, performance, and long-term growth of the business.

Before joining Santander, John served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Webster Financial Corporation and Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Webster Bank. During his tenure, he held several leadership positions, including Chief Credit Risk Officer, and guided the company through a period of significant growth and transformation, including its merger with Sterling Bancorp in 2021.

Earlier in his career, John was a Managing Director at The Bank of New York and practiced law in New York as an associate at McDermott Will & Emery and Hughes Hubbard & Reed.

An active leader in the banking industry, John completed a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Bankers Association in 2025. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America and previously represented the Boston Federal Reserve District on the Federal Reserve System’s Federal Advisory Council from 2019 to 2021.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Williams College, a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.