SAO PAULO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Brazilian retailer Americanas SA on Friday chose longtime banking executive Sergio Rial to be its next chief executive, effective Jan. 1.

Rial, already the chairman of the boards of both lender Santander Brasil and fuel distributor Vibra Energia , is set to take the helm at Americanas on the first day of 2023.

He will replace Miguel Gutierrez, who had been leading the company for more than 20 years. (Reporting by Peter Frontini; Editing by Christian Plumb)