Runi Mehta

Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking, Santander Bank N.A.

Biography:

Runi Mehta is a relationship manager in Santander Bank’s Commercial Banking division. She is based in New York City where she is responsible for managing and growing her portfolio of middle market banking clients in the NY market. Mehta has more than 12 years of experience in banking, lending and relationship management. Prior to joining Santander in the U.S., she served at Santander Bank in London, Citibank and ICICI Prudential in India. Mehta holds an MBA degree from Symbiosis University, India and an undergraduate degree from Fergusson College, India. Mehta is a member of the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Council, which is dedicated to raising funds for the arts, theatre and music. She has also assumed the treasurer role for the North American Chilean Chamber of Commerce, an organization that aims to foster business between the U.S. and Chile. Mehta is on the SFNET Young Professionals committee, and is also a member of Santander’s Women Employee Network affinity group. A New York City resident, Mehta loves travelling and enjoys the arts and theatre.

What do you enjoy most about your work as a relationship manager?

The best part of the relationship manager role is being able to learn about different industries and businesses, and getting to be a part of their continued success. I take a partnership approach with the businesses I support, and their evolution and expansion provides opportunity to deliver meaningful value-added solutions. I enjoy forging new relationships and connections, which is vital to the role. As a relationship manager, I’m required to stay current not only on the industries and companies that I support, but also on the global macro environment since most of my clients have exposure to international markets, which can be extremely dynamic. There is continuous learning in my role and no two days are alike, which definitely keeps things interesting.

What advice would you offer to someone just starting out who wants to be a difference maker in their organization?

Work hard, but also work smart. Success is not only linked to performance and diligence, but also to “perception,” and they are both closely intertwined. Show the willingness to take on additional responsibilities, participate in intra- organizational events, and network with colleagues across different business units. This will put you in a better stead for the next role. Seize an opportunity when it is presented, even if you are not a 100 percent ready. For me, some of the best opportunities have come when I least expected them. While it is good to have a well-defined goal, it is acceptable to deviate from it in the short term and take a different route to ultimately get to your long-term goal. Do not be scared to ask questions and voice opinions; for me confidence comes for being prepared. I have learned there is no such thing as being “over-prepared.” This also ties back to building your personal brand and identity in the organization.

Lastly, while we all know it is important to be a team player and have a positive mental attitude, there will inevitably be moments of confusion and frustration at work. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a “personal board of advisors” during such times.

How do you balance work/personal time?

It is extremely important to pause and hit “reset,” and I strongly believe in taking time out for yourself and your family. I practice yoga and meditation! I love traveling and try to get away for a weekend or extended vacation a couple of times a year –– nothing rejuvenates like getting a break from the city. Easier said than done, but consciously forcing yourself to switch off and steer clear of the cell phone when you can will do wonders to improve your personal quality of time. Decompressing is key to a healthy lifestyle, which reflects in improved productivity and efficiency at work.

How can commercial finance organizations attract and retain women to increase gender diversity?

Gender diversity is a focus area at most organizations and this is particularly true at Santander under the leadership of Ana Botín, Group Executive Chairman of Banco Santander. I am proud to say that Santander ranks first in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index which measures the importance of gender equality in each firm’s internal statistics, employee policies, support and commitment on gender matters in the communities in which it operates. I believe that some of the initiatives that can attract female talent, and have been effective at Santander, include increasing the number of women in the succession planning pipeline, improving diversity and women representation on boards, forming women-centric affinity groups, mentorship sessions and talks by women in power. Additionally, improved maternity, paternity and adoption policies and flex working environment go a long way towards attracting and retaining women talent. At Santander, I have been fortunate to work with strong women leaders, including my Commercial Banking colleagues Ellen Marshall, regional head of middle market banking for New York and New Jersey, and Laura Fazio, head technology, media and telecommunications banking. Both Ellen and Laura are highly respected in the industry, and focused on highlighting women and women-related causes.