Rodrigo Echenique informed Banco Santander's Board of Directors of his decision to retire from his executive duties, effective 1 January 2019, once the legal integration of Banco Popular is complete. Mr. Echenique, who joined Banco Santander in 1988, will leave Banco Santander's Executive Committee and resign as chairman of Santander Spain, but will remain on the Group's Board as Vice Chairman and member of the Appointments Committee. Keiran Foad is appointed new Group Chief Risk Officer (CRO), while Jose Maria Nus will take up new strategic responsibilities reporting directly to the Executive Chairman. Mr. Echenique will remain in his current roles until 31 December 2018, with the exception of the Innovation and Technology committee. The Board of Directors of Banco Santander, in its meeting of 25 June 2018, also agreed some changes in the configuration of the Board and its committees to more efficiently assign tasks and to continue to meet best international practices in terms of corporate governance. Among these changes is the appointment of Belen Romana as a member of the Executive Committee of Banco Santander and the composition of the Board's Committee for Responsible Banking, Sustainability and Culture, created in March, which will be chaired by independent Board member, Ramiro Mato. The Board of Directors also agreed to appoint Keiran Foad as the Group's new Chief Risk Officer (pending regulatory approval), taking over from Jose Maria Nus. Jose Maria Nus will focus his talents on supporting and advising Executive Chairman Ana Botin on strategic projects related to risk. In addition, the Restructuring area, led by Javier Garcia-Carranza, will report directly to Mr. Nus who will remain a member of the Boards of Santander Spain and Santander Brazil and will coordinate the Group's directors' work on the Boards of the different subsidiaries. Keiran Foad joined Santander UK in 2012 and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial sector globally. Since March 2017 he has been Deputy Chief Risk Officer of the Group. He was previously CRO and a member of the Executive Committee of Santander UK.