BBVA’s entire branch network in Spain is now operational after the bank reopened the last of the branches that had closed because of the COVID-19 health crisis. The branches will follow strict safety measures, and BBVA is relying on its appointment system—a service that was already available to customers but which is more important than ever—to encourage compliance with health guidelines and provide a better customer experience by cutting waiting times. BBVA Chairman Carlos Torres Vila visited a branch in Madrid to see how employees are handling this phase of the pandemic.

BBVA’s recurring revenues (net interest income and net fees and commissions) grew strongly during the first quarter and the operating income was the highest of the past ten years. Also, the attributable profit absorbed the provisions established to anticipate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. According to BBVA Group Executive Chairman Carlos Torres Vila, “the recurrence of our profits before provisions and our solid capital and liquidity position allow us to face the crisis from a position of strength and to front-load in this first quarter the provisions to hedge against the impact of the pandemic”.

Garanti BBVA founded SALT in 2011 as an autonomous non-profit entity devoted to the dissemination of culture and the development of independent and sustainable content production environments.

As developments with COVID-19 continue to evolve, so does our approach to conducting business safely. At BBVA, we are taking a number of proactive steps to help ensure your access to banking services, while protecting the health and safety of you and our employees.  During this difficult time, we have implemented measures, announced offers and provided resources to minimize the impact on you and your banking needs.

The health crisis caused by the advance of coronavirus in Spain has put businesses and employees to the test. Recommendations and restrictive measures put in place by the government have all but brought commuting to a standstill. BBVA has adopted these measures in record time thanks to the protocols established in its continuity plans and its commitment to flexible work schemes, which has allowed the bank to continue providing the best service while ensuring the health of both its employees and customers and clients.

YouTube started publishing its Ads Leaderboard list in 2017, to showcase the best performing and impactful advertising campaigns on its channels. The streaming giant has just released the list of ads that garnered the best results in Turkey in 2019, and, once again, Garanti BBVA’s campaigns rank high on list. The list is drawn up based on a number of factors, including the number of organic and paid plays, viewing time and the full playthrough ratio of each ad.

The BBVA Annual General Meeting will be held in Bilbao next Friday, March 13. The shareholder meeting (or AGM) is one of a company’s primary corporate governance vehicles. During the meeting, the company’s owners (the shareholders) ratify decisions on topics determined by law and by the corporate bylaws. The AGM includes particular features that are established by corporate law.

Garanti BBVA’s Cash Management service portfolio has been recognized by Global Finance magazine as the best in Turkey. The bank’s Cash Management model, personalized customer solutions, product diversity and market share as some of the key aspects cited by the publication in its assessment.

For the tenth consecutive year, Garanti BBVA was presented the award for the Best Trade Finance Bank by Global Finance magazine. This award confirms yet again Garanti BBVA’s experience and leadership offering its clients unique solutions in the trade finance field.

Carlos Torres Vila, Group Executive Chairman:

• Building Up: BBVA USA announced its involvement in a new 60-story, multi-use tower in downtown Austin.
• Enhancing Answers: BBVA USA announced that it was one of a few firms to beta test Yext Answers, a new search product for websites.
• Delivering Cheer: The BBVA Foundation teamed with its nonprofit partners to spread holiday joy to families participating in its financial education program.

Garanti BBVA Securities assumed the sole financial advisory services role in the largest power plant sale in 2019 in Turkey. The recently announced deal consisted of the sale of Zorlu Rüzgar to renewable energy company, Akfen Yenilenebilir.

Garanti BBVA participated alongside other leading Turkish organizations in the recent Internal Communication Summit organized by HR Magazine. BBVA Garanti director of Talent & Culture Sibel Inal Kaya shared her expertise and insight into best practices, outlining the key elements for effective internal communication management.

BBVA’s Turkish unit has been singled out as the country’s ‘Most Admired Bank’ by business journal Capital. The study is sponsored by T-Systems and conducted by ZENNA Research according to objective research principles.

• Appointments: BBVA USA promotes Dillan Knudson to Houston CEO and Jon Rebello to Austin CEO; the bank also appoints personnel in various business units.
• Entrepreneurship: BBVA USA announces the overall winners for two of the bank’s small business initiatives.
• New Campaign: BBVA USA rolls out its biggest broadcast and digital marketing campaign in a decade.

Ryan Companies, Page and BBVA USA announced today their plans to build a 60 floor multi-use project in the Central Business District (CBD) of Austin, Texas.  The project, located at 311 and 321 West 6th Street, will have 60 floors inclusive of office, residential and parking.

BBVA’s Turkish unit earned top honors in the Enterprise Transformation and Security & Fraud categories at the Finance Technology Awards hosted by IDC Turkey as part of the IDC Finance Summit 2019.

BBVA USA announced today that it has appointed Fernando L. Crespo as Global Wealth Relationship Manager in its Miami office

BBVA USA announced today Murat Kalkan will be responsible for the bank’s mortgage and home equity business across the U.S. including mortgage and home equity originations, servicing, secondary marketing, and portfolio management.

BBVA today testified before the Central Investigating Court number 6 of the Spanish National High Court. The declaration, that will continue at a later date, is yet another example of BBVA’s commitment to full cooperation with the judicial authorities, to whom it has provided documents since the onset of the case, proactively sharing the information obtained from the forensic investigation, carried out by Garrigues, Uría Menéndez y PwC.

• Sustainability: BBVA USA becomes a founding signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking, joining 130 banks worldwide committed to sustainability.
• Open Platform: BBVA Open Platform CEO Abhishek Gupta discusses the benefits of open banking and Banking-as-a-Service.
• Industry Recognitions: BBVA USA Chief Talent & Culture Executive earns Most Powerful Women in Banking recognition, and BBVA Net Cash USA Mobile app wins for best mobile and online experience.

BBVA’s regional advisory board members gathered for their seventh annual meeting in the auditorium of BBVA’s headquarters in Madrid. Antonio Garmendi, Chairman of the Confederation of Employers and Industries in Spain (CEOE), and Carlos Salazar, Chairman of Mexico’s Business Coordinating Council (CEE) were invited to attend as guests. This year’s meeting included participation from advisory board members from across Spain and a delegation of advisory board members from BBVA Mexico. Carlos Torres Vila, BBVA’s Executive Chairman, inaugurated the session, which also included presentations from BBVA CEO Onur Genç and Cristina de Parias, Head of BBVA Spain.

• Community Investment: BBVA and the Montrose Center, along with Houston community leaders, break ground on an affordable, LGBTQ-affirming independent senior living center.
• Retail Banking: BBVA USA Retail Banking Head Çağri Süzer highlights why branches and digital are complementary forces for the bank.
• Small Business: BBVA and the Houston Dynamo announce their annual small business contest.

Emilio Ybarra, the former co-chairman of BBVA, has died. He was 82.

Statement from BBVA chairman Carlos Torres Vila at the opening of the course organized by the Spanish Association of Financial Journalists (APIE) at the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

BBVA’s new brand  has now been rolled-out across all the countries within the bank’s footprint. The process of deploying the new corporate image will continue for the next six to twelve months, reaching all channels, both physical and virtual, and all customer touchpoints.

BBVA Group Executive Chairman Carlos Torres Vila underscored the Group’s strong commitment to Mexico today. Speaking at the bank’s annual Meeting of Regional Advisors, he noted that the Group has made considerable investments in the country, while sharing its expertise and talent, always focusing on the goal of creating opportunities for Mexican companies, families and its society as a whole. “Mexico has grown with BBVA, and BBVA has grown with Mexico,” he said.

BBVA formally presented its new brand identity and logo, following the announcement to employees on the coming change two months ago.

BBVA names David Puente as global head of Client Solutions, replacing Derek White. Ricardo Martín Manjón will become the new global head of Data.

Garanti has renewed its sponsorship of the Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF). The agreement recently signed between Garanti Bank CEO Fuat Erbil and TBF President Hidayet Türkoğlu extends the sponsorship for three more years.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç continues his tour across the Group’s operating countries. After his visit to Spain and Mexico, last week he found himself in Turkey. During his visit to Garanti Bank, Genç was able to witness  firsthand the digital transformation progress that has been made by one of the bank’s leading digitization franchises, led by Fuat Erbil.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç, is still embarked on his tour across the different geographies in which the BBVA Group operates. After Spain, his next stop was Mexico, where he met with the BBVA Bancomer team, led by Eduardo Osuna.

Over the course of the work sessions, Onur Genç had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the business plans of BBVA’s Mexican franchise and discussed the countless milestones achieved by the bank in its transformation journey, with an ever increasing portfolio of digital products and services for private customers, corporates and public administrations. “What you have achieved as a team in Mexico is simply marvelous. In all metrics, BBVA Bancomer’s has done a wonderful job. You’re leading the way towards transformation,” he said.

Global Finance selected Garanti Bank as the Best Trade Finance Bank in Turkey for the 9th year in a row. The magazine – one of the world’s leading financial publications – recognized the bank’s experience and leadership in foreign trade financing.

Spain was the first stop in the tour BBVA’s new CEO is taking across the different markets where the Group operates.

Onur Genç met with those in charge of BBVA Spain, as well as the different multidisciplinary teams working on the development of next-generation digital products and services. “I was able to see first hand the commitment and dedication of the entire BBVA team in Spain. They are pioneers in many of the projects the Group launches,” he said.

BBVA Compass has appointed banking industry veteran Heather Sanchez as its new Ontario City President, where she will lead the market’s commercial banking operations and manage the local advisory board.

BBVA’s international expansion began in the mid 1990s. Today, with operations in more than 30 countries, the bank’s geographic diversification represents one of the great accomplishments of Francisco González’s twenty-year tenure as executive chairman, and is a key factor in the Group’s repeated positive results.

Francisco González was greeted warmly by the auditorium at Ciudad BBVA in Madrid where he was bid farewell with applause and a standing ovation. The bank’s executive chairman was interviewed by his successor, Carlos Torres Vila, in a memorable conversation that the Group employees could follow from more than 30 countries. After 22 years at the helm of the bank that has become BBVA, Francisco González declared that “with much effort,” the legacy he leaves behind is “a bank in solid financial shape, an extraordinary project, and an absolutely exceptional team.”

The BBVA Group today named Javier Rodriguez Soler as CEO for BBVA Compass and country manager for the Group’s U.S. operations, following the appointment of Onur Genç as BBVA Group CEO. The appointment will provide continuity to the execution of the bank’s current strategy and continue the strong momentum the bank has built in the U.S.

The Board of Directors of BBVA today approved the appointments of Carlos Torres Vila as Group’s executive chairman, and of Onur Genç as CEO. The Board also approved a new organizational structure, thus completing the succession plan that ensures the continuity of BBVA’s transformation strategy, following the departure of Francisco González.

BBVA Compass Investment Services has named Randall Bond as its new Chief Fiduciary Officer, where he will lead all trust and fiduciary operations for the newly-formed group. He will be based out of Houston.

BBVA Compass has appointed banking veteran and experienced industry leader Che Goff as its Corpus Christi City President, where he will lead all commercial, small business and Global Wealth operations in the area.

Intrama, a Spanish consulting firm, presented “VariableD 2019” during FactorW, a diversity event held in Spain. “VariableD 2019” is the third edition of the annual report that the consultancy prepares to assess progress in diversity matters within Spanish businesses. BBVA is included in this year’s Top30 list of businesses that are working harder and better to improve on this area, through the development and implementation of inclusion policies. This recognition attests to the bank’s commitment to offer equal development opportunities to all its employees and find more efficient ways to solve its customers’ needs.

BBVA executive chairman Francisco González attended this year’s meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Bali (Indonesia). He commented that resulting from today’s digital revolution, “ultimately there will be more wealth and prosperity for the whole world, and I hope less inequality; less difference between the have and have-nots.” Francisco González’s remarks come from what will be one of his last international meetings ahead of handing over the baton to Carlos Torres Vila, after December 31.

Because safety is our top priority, many BBVA Compass branches along the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast were closed on Oct. 10 due to Hurricane Michael. Below are the branches’ current status. We will continue to provide any updates as they become available. Online Banking and the BBVA Compass Mobile Banking app are still available, and you can also call us at 1-800-COMPASS.

After ten years with BBVA Group, the last three and a half as CEO, Carlos Torres Vila is expected to replace Francisco González as the bank’s executive chairman on January 1, 2019. We spoke with Carlos about his vision and future plans for the Group.

A traditional debate that ensues when banks are expanding internationally revolves around whether it is preferable to run branch offices or set up subsidiaries. Subsidiaries are associated with decentralized models where banks adapt to the local environment, both from a business and regulatory point of view. The model that uses branches characterizes banks with a more centralized structure, where decisions are made by the parent company.