Chairman and CEO
René F. Jones is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of M&T Bank, a community focused banking franchise with over $200 billion in assets* and a network of 1,000+ branches across the eastern U.S.
Under his leadership, the company’s 21,000+ employees take active roles in the communities they serve, providing capital for transformative projects, partnering with small businesses, volunteering their time, and working to make communities stronger and more resilient.
Early in his 30-year career at M&T, René helped develop and lead many of the key functions of the finance division before being named Chief Financial Officer in 2005. Later, he was promoted to vice chairman, where he oversaw the growth of the company’s wealth and institutional businesses. Since becoming CEO in 2017, the company has grown steadily, nearly doubling in total assets to become the 14th largest U.S.-based bank.
René participates in several organizations to help advance the banking industry, including the Bank Policy Institute, where he serves as vice chair, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he serves as a director. He is also active in the community, serving on the boards of ACV Auctions, Boston College, and the Pan-Mass Challenge, as well as on the advisory council of the University at Buffalo.
Born and raised in Ayer, MA, René holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He began his career in accounting at the Boston-based office of Ernst & Young, and later at a private equity firm, and went on to earn an MBA from the University of Rochester. In 1992, he joined M&T as part of the Executive Associates Program.