Board of directors

Margaret Willis, Chair

Margaret has over 40 years’ experience in financial services, having held a number of senior roles. She was CEO of Unity Trust Bank and prior to that she undertook roles within HSBC in the UK, US and Canada. She was a member of HSBC European executive and risk management committee and diversity council. Her board experience included HSBC Securities and Global Asset Management, Canada. She returned to the UK in 2012 to lead HSBC Wealth Management Europe.

Board committee memberships
Board Remuneration Committee
Board Risk and Compliance Committee
Board Nomination Committee
Board Credit Committee (Chair)

Maureen Laurie, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Board Remuneration Committee

Maureen Laurie’s background is in international financial services, news and the public sector, having held senior HR roles for Reuters, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Barclays International and Private Banking, London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE), Euronext NV/NYSE Inc and the British Council. She has also served as a Non-Executive Trustee Director and Independent Governor for London Metropolitan University; Independent Non-Executive Director and Remuneration Committee Chair for the Cooperative Bank Plc, and as an elected Trustee Director for Reuters Pension Fund Limited.

Board committee memberships
Board Remuneration Committee (Chair)
Board Nomination Committee
Board Risk and Compliance Committee

John Ellacott, Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Board Audit Committee

John Ellacott worked at KPMG for 33 years, including 21 years as a Partner, before retiring in September 2017. At KPMG, John was primarily an auditor, but also provided advisory services covering strategy, regulatory transactions and listings both in the UK and internationally. John specialised in the financial sector and has worked with many of the UK’s leading banks and building societies. John was a Governor of Giggleswick School and has also served on the regional board of the Prince’s Trust.

Board committee memberships
Board Audit Committee (Chair)
Board Risk and Compliance Committee
Board Remuneration Committee

Agneta Lilja, Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Board Nomination Committee

Agneta Lilja started her career in Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ.) in 1981 and during her time in the bank has held senior positions as Head of Handelsbanken International as well as an area manager in the Bank’s Stockholm region. Between 2010 and 2019 she has been a member of Handelsbanken AB (publ.) senior management, as Head of Central Infrastructure, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director.

Board committee memberships
Board Nomination Committee (Chair)
Board Risk and Compliance Committee

Mikael Hallåker, Non-Executive Director

Mikael Hallåker has worked for the parent company Svenska Handelsbanken since 2001 and was the Chair of the Board for Handelsbanken plc from November 2018 to April 2025. Mikael held variety of senior manager and Board roles with Group and Group subsidiaries such as Chair of Handelsbanken Fastigheter AB(property company), Chair of Stadshypotek AB (mortgage company), Handelsbanken Liv AB (life insurance) and Chair of Handelsbanken Markets Securities Inc. (small broker-dealer in NY). Mikael is also a member of the Handelsbanken Group's pension fund and the Group's pension trust.

Board committee memberships
Board Risk and Compliance Committee
Board Audit Committee
Board Credit Committee

Mikael Ericson, Independent Non-Executive Director

Mikael has over 35 years’ experience in financial services across different organisations. He has led and advised banks through many strategic issues, having held a number of executive positions in the UK and Europe, being Head of International Banking at Danske Bank and CEO of Carnegie Investment Bank. During his time as CEO and President, Mikael also helped establish Intrum AB as the world’s leading debt collection and credit management company.

Amongst other Board positions, he is Chairman of Lyvia, which is a leading European technology partner covering the full value chain from digital design and strategy to software and tech development. He is also Chairman of Protium, a green hydrogen energy services company.

Board Committee Memberships
Board Risk and Compliance Committee
Board Audit Committee
Board Remuneration Committee

Patricia Jackson, Independent Non-Executive Director

Patricia has 30 years’ experience in senior leadership roles supporting banks and other institutions in the development of their risk practices, capability and processes, both as a consultant and a non-executive director. Between 1994 and 2004 Patricia was the Head of the Financial Industry and Regulation Division of the Bank of England and in 2004 she became partner and Head of the Banking Risk Practice and EMEIA Risk Governance lead between 2013 and 2017.

Patricia started her career as non-executive director in 2008 and was a member of the Lloyd’s of London Franchise board from 2017 until 2020 where she chaired the risk committee. She currently holds non-executive director positions as Chair of the Board of SMBCNikko Capital Markets and Chair of the Risk Committee of a sister company SMBC Bank International, the European hub of SMBC.

Board committee memberships
Board Risk and Compliance Committee, Chair
Board Audit Committee
Board Nomination Committee

Mikael Sørensen, Chief Executive Officer

Mikael Sorensen was appointed CEO of Handelsbanken UK in September 2016. Before joining the UK, Mikael worked in numerous roles and regions across the Handelsbanken Group, including Branch Manager and Regional Area Manager in Denmark, General Manager in Poland, and as CEO in the Netherlands from 2007 to 2016. He has been a member of Handelsbanken’s Group Senior Management since 2013.

Board committee memberships
None

Martin Björnberg, Chief Financial Officer

Martin Björnberg joined Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ.) in 1989. Martin started working in the Bank’s branch operations as an account manager before moving to IT and business development operations where he led improvement and efficiency programmes for the Bank’s retail processes. Between 2002 and 2017 Martin moved on to hold senior management positions in one of the Swedish regions. He was also Head of HR for the Swedish Regional banks unit in Stockholm.

Martin has held his current position of Chief Financial Officer for Handelsbanken’s UK operation since April 2017, with a short break between 1 December 2021 and 1 March 2022. Martin sits on the Board of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, a not for profit organisation, aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and businesses within the Swedish-British business community.