Chairman of Banco Santander Meets with NYU Study Away Students in Shanghai

On Saturday, April 19th, NYU study away students in Shanghai met with Banco Santander Chairman Emilio Botín at the Shanghai World Financial Center for breakfast and a Q&A session. The meeting gave NYU students the rare opportunity to learn from an elite banker at one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Banco Santander has been working with New York University for the last decade, providing scholarships for over a thousand students to study away. They have also sponsored students and faculty visits to NYU facilities in Accra and Abu Dhabi and developed a bi-lingual Spanish-English writing program with NYU.  

The meeting continues a six year tradition of the Chairman meeting with NYU study away students while in Shanghai for the Formula One Races. During the meeting, Emilio Botín emphasized, “what we are doing is not charity, it is an investment. We are investing in the future leaders of the world.”

When asked for career advice by one student, the Chairman exclaimed, “Work for Santander!” Emilio Botín then asked students to send their CVs to members of his staff, elaborating on the bank’s intent to gradually enter the Chinese market. “We need Chinese speakers right now. There are only about 300 of us in China, so send us your CVs.” The NYU experience not only gives students an incredibly academic understanding, but also the opportunity to meet and eventually work for some of the top companies in the world.