JPMorgan Chase has expanded Marianne Lake’s responsibilities, naming her head of the bank’s overseas consumer banking arm and strategic growth unit in a move that solidifies her status as a potential successor to CEO Jamie Dimon.
The shift comes after Sanoke Viswanathan, who previously led JPMorgan’s international consumer and wealth management division, announced plans to leave in September to become CEO of data firm FactSet. Lake, who already runs JPMorgan’s sprawling U.S. consumer bank serving more than 84 million Americans, will now oversee the bank’s fast-growing international consumer operations.
JPMorgan’s global consumer banking push has gained traction, adding over 2.5 million customers in the UK and laying plans to enter continental Europe. Dimon and President Daniel Pinto said in a memo that Lake’s expanded role reflects her leadership skills and the division’s growing strategic importance.
Viswanathan, a 50-year-old longtime JPMorgan insider, also oversaw the bank’s international private banking and workplace solutions arms. Dimon praised him as a key architect of JPMorgan’s overseas growth. His departure signals a notable shift as the bank navigates leadership succession and global expansion plans.
Lake, who has worked at JPMorgan for nearly 25 years, has long been seen as a leading contender to eventually replace Dimon. The 69-year-old CEO has said he plans to stay on for several more years, possibly moving into an executive chairman role.
The promotion comes at a pivotal moment for JPMorgan as it grapples with global economic turbulence, evolving customer demands, and the challenge of balancing innovation with risk. With Lake’s expanded remit, analysts say JPMorgan is signaling stability at the top and preparing for an eventual leadership transition that could shape the next chapter for the country’s largest bank.
