Ben Merritt joins Santander as head of mortgage trading

Santander UK has appointed Ben Merritt as head of mortgage trading, with responsibility for leading the execution of Santander’s mortgage strategy.

His role oversees the trading performance across the mortgage portfolio, with key priorities including developing the lender’s retention strategy, strengthening customer relationships, and supporting long term portfolio value. 

Ben has over 20 years of experience in financial services, with the last 15 spent working within the mortgage industry. Prior to joining Santander, he was director of mortgages at Yorkshire Building Society and executive director at Accord. 

David Morris, head of homes at Santander UK, said: “I am delighted to welcome Ben to the team. He brings a huge amount of experience, most recently at Yorkshire Building Society where he covered both intermediary and direct brands. 

"We kicked off the year with our updated Broker Pledges, followed by the launch of ‘My First Mortgage’ – making us the only major lender to support customers above 95%. We have even more ambitious plans for the rest of the year, and I know Ben’s expertise will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our mortgage proposition and deliver clear value for our broker partners and customers.”

Ben Merritt commented: “I’m excited to bring my experience from the past 15 years to Santander and find ways we can develop its mortgage offering for its new and existing customer base. The moves Santander has made in the last year have not gone unnoticed, with a particular focus on our broker market and I’m looking forward to showcasing how Santander’s products can truly help their clients on their homeownership journey as we move through 2026.”