Santander Private Banking has appointed Gordon Dow as the new managing director of its UK arm, recruiting him from Royal Bank of Scotland, where he had been director of private banking and advice.

Subject to approval from the UK regulator, Dow will join Santander on 3 January 2012, assuming responsibility for the Spanish giant’s UK on and offshore private banking operations, including Santander Private Banking in Jersey, and Alliance & Leicester International in the Isle of Man. These businesses have a staff of around 300.

Santander is set to acquire two of RBS’ private banking centres next year and Dow is to oversee the integration of the RBS clients and staff brought in under the deal. Reporting to Pedro Alonso, director of segments and retail integration, Dow is also specifically charged with developing Santander’s private banking onshore proposition

In another recent senior hire, at the end of October Santander Private Banking in Jersey named Paul Clifford as head of investment products. Clifford previously worked at Ashburton, a Jersey subsidiary of FirstRand Group, and was responsible for the company’s wealth management business.

In September the same business unit named Jonathan Williams as head of intermediaries, Simon Hayward as head of treasury and Doug MacKenzie as head of private banking operations.