Modernising legacy systems: How Santander achieved seamless digital transformation

When it comes to managing complex financial products at scale, Santander Consumer Finance is one of the UK’s leading independent automotive finance providers — and a business that refuses to stand still.

Recognising the limitations of legacy back-office systems, Santander launched a multi-year programme to modernise its technology stack. Their ambition? To build a robust, future-ready platform capable of supporting a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape and growing customer expectations.

Watch the video below to learn how Santander successfully replaced a complex legacy system, migrated over 450,000 live agreements, and created a platform ready to support future growth.

Rebuilding momentum in a long-term programme

Like many long-running transformation programmes, Santander’s initiative faced natural fatigue. Though the legacy system remained stable and functionally effective, the pace of regulatory change and customer expectations made it clear that transformation was critical.

To ensure the programme was set up for success, Santander invited Credera to conduct an independent review. The goal was simple: assess whether the current approach was fit for purpose and, if not, refine the strategy.

Strategic course corrections for success

The review confirmed that Santander was on the right path — but some key adjustments were needed. As such, Credera recommended several enhancements:

• Strengthening programme structure to unlock the full potential of the existing team

• Removing bottlenecks by augmenting capacity in targeted areas

• Sharpening engagement with functional and stakeholder groups across the business

These changes helped Santander reenergise delivery and improve overall programme velocity.

Delivering in two phases

The transformation rolled out in two major phases. First, the team delivered the capability to originate new business on the new platform. Then came the complex task of migrating over 450,000 live customer agreements — without disrupting service.

Thanks to rigorous planning and over 250 million data reconciliations, the migration went smoothly. The result? Zero disruption for customers and operational teams.

Real benefits across the business

Post-migration, Santander now operates from a single, unified platform. This has translated into faster service, greater consistency, and significantly reduced training time for staff — from two weeks to just two days. The new system has also streamlined internal operations, giving teams more time to focus on delivering value to customers.

Today, Santander has a modern, scalable platform ready to support its future ambitions - and the agility to stay ahead in a fast-moving market.