Handelsbanken has appointed Anton Romare Keller, currently the group's Chief Information Officer, as the next chief executive of Handelsbanken plc, its UK subsidiary, in a move that continues the Swedish bank's tradition of promoting from within to run its most important international market. The change marks one of the most significant leadership shifts in the group's UK business for years.
Romare Keller will join the UK business as CEO-elect on 1 October 2026 and assume the chief executive role at Handelsbanken plc after receiving regulatory approval, the group said. He succeeds Mikael Sorensen, who is retiring towards the end of 2026 after leading the UK operation.
LEADERSHIP HANDOVER IN THE UK
The staggered timetable, with a period as CEO-elect before formally taking the reins, is designed to allow for a smooth handover and to accommodate the regulatory approvals required for senior banking appointments in the United Kingdom. UK regulators typically scrutinise both the experience and the fitness of candidates for such positions before approving them to take up the role.
Handelsbanken plc is one of the group's largest units outside Sweden, operating a branch-based relationship banking model in the UK. Romare Keller inherits a business that has been repositioning its network in recent years while continuing to emphasise long-term customer relationships and conservative credit standards.
Sorensen's retirement closes a chapter for the UK arm, which has been a strategic focus for Handelsbanken as it seeks to combine local decision-making with the group's disciplined approach to risk and capital. His successor will be expected to build on that legacy while continuing to adapt the UK franchise to a changing competitive and technological landscape.
ACTING CIO NAMED IN STOCKHOLM
To backfill the vacancy at group level, Handelsbanken said Henrik Ageback will take over as Acting Group Chief Information Officer from 1 August 2026, providing continuity across the bank's technology and change agenda while a permanent successor is considered. The interim appointment is intended to avoid any hiatus in leadership of the group's technology function.
The technology portfolio has become an increasingly central part of Handelsbanken's operations, with the group investing in digital services and platform modernisation alongside its branch network. Continuity at the top of the IT organisation is regarded as important for keeping those programmes on track.
Romare Keller's move from a group technology role to running the UK bank underlines how central technology expertise has become to leadership positions at large European lenders. His experience overseeing systems, data and change initiatives at group level is expected to inform his approach to the UK business.
Taken together, the appointments give Handelsbanken a clearer line of sight over both its UK leadership and its group technology function through the autumn, with the formal transfer of power at Handelsbanken plc contingent on the completion of regulatory checks. The changes were announced as part of a broader update on senior management arrangements.
For UK customers and staff at Handelsbanken plc, the leadership handover is presented as a planned transition rather than a strategic pivot, with the emphasis on continuity of the bank's relationship model. Romare Keller's arrival is expected to be phased carefully around the retirement of Sorensen towards the end of 2026.