Letter from the Chair

After a year of intense work, the results of which are now being presented in this report, we are excited to start a new chapter in 2026 with the grand opening of Faro Santander, the cultural centre that will occupy the Bank’s former headquarters on Paseo de Pereda in the Cantabrian capital. The premises have been transformed by David Chipperfield, a prestigious architect known for his defence of sustainable urban development and community service.

We have spent the last several years working to make it a welcoming public forum where people from every walk of life can enjoy creativity, knowledge and sharing ideas. The centre’s programme, which mirrors our institutional values, will combine art, technology and education, aspiring to be a vibrant hub of cooperation with local organizations and communities.

We trust that our dedication to this project, together with our agreement to manage the Gelman Santander Collection, will make this new space a beacon of culture and driver of economic and social growth in the region. We are proud to contribute, along with other institutions, to making Santander a culture-centric city.

At Fundación Banco Santander, we will maintain our commitment, first and foremost, to supporting individual and social progress through programmes and initiatives that provide access to education and employment, in partnership with universities and other institutions focused on professional development and training.

I would like to close this letter by remembering the late Princess Irene of Greece, who served as our Honorary Trustee for so many years. We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones, and we will never forget Her Highness’s exemplary work at the helm of her charitable association Mundo en Armonía (World in Harmony). 

Rodrigo Echenique Gordillo

Chair