Peter Sands is a British banker who served as the CEO of Standard Chartered from 2006 to 2015. He has an educational background that includes degrees from Oxford University and Harvard University. During his tenure as CEO, Standard Chartered's headcount nearly doubled and over 90% of its profits came from fast-growing emerging markets in Asia. The bank weathered the economic downturn far better than its competitors and announced its seventh successive year of record profits in 2009. Sands stepped down as CEO in 2015 after nine years in the role, one of the longest-serving chiefs of a major Western bank. He now holds positions at Harvard and advises the UK Department of Health.