[6][7] Sants joined the Research Department of the stockbroking partnership Phillips & Drew in 1977, and from 1978 to 1983 he was the Senior Analyst responsible for Food Manufacturing and Overseas Traders sectors.

In January 1988, Sants returned to London where he became responsible for the worldwide coordination of research for the UBS investment banking operation.

[10] In December 2012, it was announced that Sants would take up the position of Head of Compliance and Government and Regulatory Relations with Barclays Bank from January 2013.

[3] On 15 October 2013, Barclays announced that Sants was taking three months' sick leave as he was suffering from "exhaustion and stress",[11] and he resigned from the bank on 13 November 2013.

[4] In July 2015, Sir Hector Sants joined Oliver Wyman, the international management consulting firm, as a Partner and Vice Chairman.

[12] In November 2015, Hector Sants led a review for the British Bankers Association (BBA) into the competitiveness of the UK banking industry.

[13] In September 2016, Sir Hector Sants co-led a research commissioned by TheCityUK on the potential impact of Brexit on the financial sector.

[14] Concurrently with his main career, Sants has held non-executive directorships at organisations including the Securities and Futures Authority (no longer extant as such), the London Stock Exchange and LCH.Clearnet.