John R. Ciulla is chairman and CEO of Webster Financial Corp. and chairman, president and CEO of Webster Bank, a commercial bank with more than $80 billion in assets and one of the dominant financial institutions in Connecticut. He joined Webster in 2004 as senior vice president for middle market banking and later served as chief credit risk officer before being named CEO in 2018 and chairman in 2020.
During Ciulla’s tenure, Webster has undergone a major expansion. In 2021, the company completed a $10.3 billion merger with New York-based Sterling Bancorp, creating a larger Northeast regional bank and shifting the company’s headquarters to Stamford while maintaining a significant presence in Waterbury. The combined institution significantly expanded Webster’s geographic reach and business lines.
The bank, founded in Waterbury in 1935, recently marked its 90th anniversary. Today, Webster operates nationally through businesses including commercial banking, consumer banking and health care financial services, including HSA Bank, a major provider of health savings accounts.
In early 2026, Webster agreed to be acquired by Spain-based Banco Santander in a deal valued at about $12.3 billion. The transaction, expected to close in the second half of the year pending regulatory approvals, would make Webster part of Santander’s U.S. operations while maintaining Stamford as a key corporate hub. Ciulla is expected to lead Santander Bank’s U.S. banking unit following the acquisition.
Before joining Webster, Ciulla worked at The Bank of New York, where he most recently served as managing director. Earlier in his career, he practiced law in New York with the firms McDermott Will & Emery and Hughes Hubbard & Reed.
Ciulla has also held several industry leadership roles, including completing a three-year term on the board of directors of the American Bankers Association in 2025.