Santander to cut 1,900 jobs in the UK

Abbey.gifSantander, the financial services giant, is cutting 1,900 jobs in its UK businesses which consists of Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley. The jobs are expected to go next year as part of a programme to save £180m by the end of 2011.

The cuts will represent 8% of its UK workforce and focus on back office and operational roles and head office sites. It is not known at this stage if it will effect staff in marketing departments.

It will also be transferring operations onto Santander’s proprietary IT platform, as well as duplicating back office and support functions across the business.

Antonio Horta-Osorio chief executive of the combined UK business says: “Santander is committed to its branch network in the UK, reflecting its status as one of the world’s leading retail banks, with the largest international retail branch network in the world. The combined UK business now has nearly 1,300 branches which we expect to maintain or slightly increase in the near term.”

At the beginning of the month Abbey brand and communications director Keith Moor was appointed to a wider UK group role, following its acquisition of rivals Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester (MW December 4).

Moor now handles marketing across all three brands, overseeing the overall group marketing function.

In November, Santander called a review of its media accounts. Carat, the incumbent on the Abbey and Alliance & Leicester businesses, has been invited to take part in the pitch.