Wells Fargo Names Jim Johnston Regional President for EMEA

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) today announced that Jim Johnston, a 28-year veteran of the company, has been named the new regional president for its Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA) operations effective January 2012, pending regulatory approval. He succeeds Ken Petrilla, who will be assuming the role of head of Global Banking Alliance Services in San Francisco. Johnston will be based in London and report to Richard Yorke, head of Wells Fargo’s International Group.

Jim Johnston, incoming Regional Vice President for Wells Fargo's EMEA Region (Photo: Business Wire)

"Throughout his career, Jim has been an extraordinary asset to Wells Fargo and has consistently demonstrated tremendous leadership,” said Yorke. "I’m confident Jim has the expertise to successfully coordinate our operations and represent Wells Fargo as we continue to strengthen our capabilities and serve our customers doing business in this very important market.”

As regional president, Johnston will work with other Wells Fargo business leaders to serve commercial, corporate and financial institution customers in the EMEA region leveraging the company’s global network and expanded capabilities. He will also represent the interests of Wells Fargo to bank regulators, government officials, central banks, and financial institutions throughout the region. With 12 offices and more than 450 team members, Wells Fargo provides trade finance, payments, foreign exchange, credit, asset management and a broad range of additional services for corporations and financial institutions operating in EMEA.

Most recently, Johnston served as executive vice president and chief credit officer responsible for credit and risk for Wells Fargo’s Government & Institutional Banking and Wholesale Counterparty Credit groups. With 31 years of commercial banking experience, Johnston joined Wells Fargo in 1983 and has held various positions in the company’s Wholesale Banking group, including senior credit officer for the Energy, Gaming, International and U.S Corporate Banking groups and loan supervisor for Northern California Commercial and Technology Banking group. He received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University in International Relations and a master’s degree from the University of Kent in the UK.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo International Group serves small businesses, corporations, financial institutions, multilateral organizations and individuals with a wide range of international solutions from more than 30 global locations, including branches in Hong Kong, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo and the Cayman Islands.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

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