Valley Bank Welcomes Sanjay Sidhwani as Chief Data & Analytics Officer

In a strategic move to bolster its data-driven capabilities, Valley National Bank, a subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp (NASDAQ:VLY), proudly announces the appointment of Sanjay Sidhwani as its inaugural Chief Data and Analytics Officer.

Sidhwani, a seasoned professional with a rich history in banking and financial services, will be at the helm of the bank’s data strategy. His responsibilities will encompass a broad spectrum, including overseeing enterprise data architecture, data platforms and services, data governance, data risk, and promoting data literacy. Furthermore, Sidhwani will be instrumental in enhancing the bank’s advanced analytics capabilities, aligning them with the bank’s strategic objectives.

Russ Barrett, Valley’s Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, stating, “Sanjay brings a wealth of experience in driving digital transformation and harnessing the power of advanced analytics to produce tangible business outcomes. In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, data and analytics are pivotal in shaping our business strategies. We are confident that Sanjay will play a crucial role in fortifying our data-driven culture.”

Before joining Valley Bank, Sidhwani showcased his prowess at Santander Bank NA, where he served as the EVP of Data and Analytics. His role at Santander was pivotal in leveraging actionable business intelligence to derive profound customer insights. Sidhwani’s illustrious career also includes significant analytics leadership stints at KeyBank and GE Capital/Synchrony Financial.

Educationally, Sidhwani boasts a BS in Engineering, specifically in Mechanical Engineering, from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. He further honed his skills with an MBA in Marketing and Operations Research from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Beyond his professional and academic achievements, Sidhwani is also a board member of the Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County, CT, underscoring his commitment to community service.

This appointment underscores Valley Bank’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge data and analytics into its core operations, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of the banking industry’s digital transformation.

“Today, data and analytics play a significant role in the way we develop and manage our business strategies and Sanjay will have a major impact in building our capabilities and data-driven culture.”

Russ Barrett, Valley’s Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer.