N26, the European digital bank, appointed Mike Dargan as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective from the beginning of April 2026. Dargan, who currently serves as a Group Executive Board member at UBS Group AG, will succeed co-founder Maximilian Tayenthal and interim co-CEO Marcus W. Mosen.
The appointment remains subject to regulatory approval by the German financial regulator, BaFin.
A seasoned banking veteran
Dargan brings over 25 years of leadership experience in financial services and technology to the Berlin-headquartered neobank. At UBS, where he served as Group Chief Operations and Technology Officer, he led major global digitisation initiatives aimed at improving customer experiences.
His career history spans several major institutions. Before joining UBS in 2016, Dargan was Chief Information Officer for Corporate and Institutional Banking at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. He also held senior roles at Merrill Lynch, including Managing Director and Head of Corporate Strategy across Asia and Europe, and began his career at Oliver Wyman.
“I am incredibly honored to begin this next chapter in my professional life,” said Dargan. “N26 has been a pioneer in digital banking with a strong foundation and a forward-looking strategy, and I’m excited to work with the team to help write the next phase of its journey.”
Founders step back
The leadership transition marks a significant moment for N26 as it moves into its second decade. Co-founder Maximilian Tayenthal expressed confidence in handing over the reins, citing Dargan’s unique blend of banking and technology expertise.
“Valentin Stalf and I founded N26 in 2013 with a vision to change banking for the better,” Tayenthal said. “As we look to the next decade, I am confident to step back and put N26 in the very capable hands of Mike. Beyond his extensive experience combining banking, technology and digital transformation, he is also fully committed to the N26 vision.”
Dr. Andreas Dombret, chair of the N26 Supervisory Board, thanked the founders and the interim leadership team, welcoming Dargan’s appointment as a strategic move to build on the bank’s legacy. “Mike brings deep industry expertise, a strong leadership track record and a clear vision for the evolution of the business as N26 enters its next chapter,” Dombret noted.
N26 currently operates in 24 markets across Europe, processing over €140billion in transactions annually with a team of 1,500 employees. The bank has raised close to $1.8billion from investors since its inception in 2013.