Carmen Alonso is Global CEO of Santander Asset Management, a role she has held since July 2026. She brings more than 30 years of international experience across asset management, private markets, corporate finance and investment banking. Internal SAM materials identify her as Global CEO and date the start of her financial-sector career to 1996.
Prior to joining Santander, Carmen was Partner and CEO for Europe & Middle East at Patria Investments. Previously, she spent almost a decade at Tikehau Capital, where she led the firm's activities across the UK and Iberia and was responsible for investment strategies spanning Private Equity, Private Debt, Real Estate and Capital Markets.
Earlier in her career, Carmen held senior roles at Morgan Stanley, GSK, HVB, Merrill Lynch and UBS, building extensive experience across leveraged finance, corporate finance and capital markets. Her international career has taken her across London, Madrid, Zurich, New York and Boston, giving her a broad global and multicultural perspective.
Carmen holds a BsBA in Finance and International Management from Boston University, an MBA from Babson College, and completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is also a founding member of LEVEL 20 Spain and serves on Room to Read's UK Advisory Board.