JPMorgan Will Appoint New Head of Human Resources

The bank will elevate a long-term executive to oversee human resources and its operating committee in 2027.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in People

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a solid granite architectural column next to a glass facade, representing corporate institutional structure. — Mark O'Donovan will transition from his role in international consumer banking to lead human resources at JPMorgan Chase starting in January 2027. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Mark O'Donovan will transition from international consumer banking to lead human resources at JPMorgan Chase starting in January 2027. He will succeed Robin Leopold, who has led the department since 2018.

Why it matters

The change in leadership signals a high-level shift within the bank's internal management structure at the operating committee level. Maintaining leadership continuity during such transitions is critical for managing institutional culture and long-term organizational stability.

Mark O'Donovan brings 30 years of tenure to the HR role, succeeding Robin Leopold, who served for 16 years. This transition includes the appointment of Daniel Llano Manibardo as the new CEO of international consumer banking.

The players

JPMorgan Chase

A global financial services firm and the largest bank in the United States by assets.

Mark O'Donovan

A long-term executive with 30 years at the firm transitioning to lead human resources.

Robin Leopold

The departing head of human resources who has led the department since 2018.

Jamie Dimon

The CEO of JPMorgan Chase and a central figure in the firm's strategic management.

Daniel Llano Manibardo

An executive stepping into the role of CEO of international consumer banking.

The details

Mark O'Donovan will relocate from London to New York to join the firm's operating committee. Daniel Llano Manibardo, currently based in Germany, will step into O'Donovan's former role as CEO of international consumer banking. Manibardo will report directly to Troy Rohrbaugh as part of this broader executive reorganization.

September 29, 2026: The executive leadership changes were announced via an internal memo from CEO Jamie Dimon.
January 2027: Mark O'Donovan will begin his tenure as the new head of human resources.
Q1 2027: Robin Leopold is scheduled to retire from the company after 16 years of service.

Market Landscape

This transition marks the end of the leadership cycle established by Robin Leopold in 2018. It reflects a standard executive succession pattern within major financial institutions as they rotate veteran leadership to oversee core human capital operations.

Operators should observe how such deep-tenure leadership shifts impact the firm's internal policy consistency and hiring standards. Evaluate your own succession planning timelines against the multi-quarter transition windows used by large-scale institutions.

The takeaway

Large firms often utilize multi-quarter windows to ensure institutional knowledge transfer during executive turnover. Operators should audit their internal succession timelines to ensure similar continuity for key roles as they plan for the 2027 fiscal year.