Lara de Mesa is Global Head of Sustainability at Santander since 2018. Reporting to the Head of Strategy Exec., Chairman’s Office, she leads the function that sets the Sustainability strategy and goals across business and support units; internal criteria and methodologies; leads external engagement within the sustainability fora and prepares sustainability disclosures.  

Lara is co-chair of the UNEPFI Global Steering Committee and of the Principles of Responsible Banking 2030 Core Group, IIF Sustainable Finance Steering and EBF CSO roundtable. She is also Non-Executive Board of Fundación Santander Portugal and Inclusion Financiera – Túlo México. 

Prior to her current role, Lara was Head of Public Policy at Santander and partner of the consultancy firm Analistas Financieros Internacionales. She is IE faculty member on Sustainability and has attended seminars in Cambridge (Sustainability), Harvard (Leadership) and MIT Sloan (Innovation). MSc in Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE, UK). Advanced Studies Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Complutense University, Madrid.