BBVA USA’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Talent & Culture Executive Rosilyn Houston was named today to American Banker’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking list, marking the fifth consecutive year she has been recognized by the outlet.

In an interview with ‘La Linterna’ de COPE, BBVA’s Group Executive Chairman said that the EU funds to face the health crisis represent “a great opportunity”. In his opinion, if invested “productively in long-term growth and combined in combination with structural reforms”, they can help tackle key problems of the Spanish economy, such as structural unemployment. “We also need to invest in education, focusing on the world of the future: the digital world, the world of data and addressing the transition to a more sustainable world, socially and environmentally.”

The world of work and professional environments are in the midst of a full blown transformation process, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown. According to Ophelie Richard, BBVA global head of Talent Acquisition, “the value of assigning workstations to specific individuals based on their hierarchy within the organization has been completely redefined.” And this, in her opinion, “opens up great opportunities, from hiring employees regardless of their geographic location to workstation virtualization.”

BBVA Executive Chairman Carlos Torres Vila has described the European recovery plan (Next Generation EU) as “a landmark opportunity for Spain.” He asserted that “if the aid is complemented by appropriate reforms, Spain could put an end to its elevated structural unemployment, which has hovered above 16 percent over the last four decades, while laying the foundations of an economy based on green and digital growth, a data-driven economy.”

In what has been a steady flow of awards from Greenwich Associates, BBVA USA was recently recognized by the financial industry research firm for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As companies across the globe struggle to find a balance between protecting the health and safety of employees and maintaining an efficient and effective workforce, BBVA is using its highly visible leadership team to meet that challenge with frequent transparent updates.

BBVA USA Indirect Auto Executive Melissa Sacher was named to American Banker’s Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next. Now in its second year, the list recognizes the accomplishments of women age 40 and under in the banking industry.

BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., a Sunbelt-based bank holding company (BBVA USA), reported today a net loss of $124 million for the second quarter of 2020 compared to earnings of $160 million in the second quarter of 2019. Included in the second quarter 2020 results is a substantial increase in provision for credit losses, well in excess of net-charge-offs, that reflects the ongoing adverse macroeconomic environment and corresponding forecasts given the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent impact to certain segments of the loan portfolio.

Thanks to the bank’s efforts to anticipate impairments related to the COVID-19 in 1Q20, BBVA earned €636 million in the second quarter, doubling the underlying profit from the first quarter. This quarterly figure is on top of extraordinary provisions of €644 million due to the pandemic. In a complex environment, BBVA has once again demonstrated the strength of its operating income, which grew 17.6 percent at constant exchange rates, and its outstanding ability to generate capital. In the first half of the year, net attributable profit excluding one-offs was €928 million (-57.8 percent yoy in constant euros). Including the U.S. goodwill adjustment –recorded in 1Q20– the bank swung to a €-1.16 billion loss between January and June.

BBVA was selected as the best bank in Latin America in 2020 by Euromoney magazine. It was also named the region’s best bank for sustainable finance for the second year in a row. The publication also recognized BBVA as the best bank in Mexico and Argentina.

Simple, a subsidiary of BBVA USA, today announced the addition of Carrie Roso to the company’s corporate leadership team. Roso will serve as Director of Marketing for the fintech.

BBVA USA announced today that it has begun the process of reopening its branch lobbies, originally closed in mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BBVA USA today announced the addition of Dale Kahil to the Commercial Banking – Emerging Companies team in the Houston market, providing another key team member to the group’s growing operations.

Twelve months ago, BBVA announced the worldwide unification of its brand and logo. A year later, the deployment of the new brand is well-entrenched across the Group’s footprint in both its physical and digital assets.

The BBVA USA Houston market, in line with its emphasis on employee development, has promoted Estefanía Gallardo from Relationship Support Specialist to Commercial Relationship Associate.

BBVA USA has funded approximately $3.3 billion small business loans in less than 60 days, processing more than 22,000 applications and impacting approximately 360,000 jobs through its efforts in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the bank announced today.

BBVA USA announced today it awarded $600,000 to Feeding America®, a nationwide network of food banks. The organization will distribute funds to food banks across the bank’s geographic footprint.

The ‘RRSSalud’ project is researching the dynamics and types of fake news regarding coronavirus on social networks, thus helping to alleviate the negative effects of this health crisis. Coordinated by the researcher Ramón Salaverría, the initiative is part of the BBVA Foundation’s 2019 program to assist scientific research teams in economics and digital society. One of the first conclusions of the study has determined that one-third of current fake news stories refer to the health crisis contain health or scientific content.

BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., a Sunbelt-based bank holding company (BBVA USA), reported today a net loss of $2.2 billion for the first quarter of 2020. Included in first quarter 2020 results is goodwill impairment (non-cash charge) totaling $2.2 billion reflecting the drastic change in macroeconomic conditions and forecasts brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Excluding the impact of this non-cash charge, the adjusted net loss¹ for the quarter was $52 million, further reflecting the abrupt decline in interest rates and higher provision expense necessary to reflect the economic and business disruption caused by the pandemic.

BBVA posted a recurring profit of €1.26 billion in 1Q20 (+6.4 percent yoy), driven by the highest operating income in ten years (+14.1 percent), and boosted by a good performance of revenues and a containment in operating expenses. Following front-loaded provisions of €1.43 billion related to the COVID-19 crisis, BBVA earned €292 million in the first three months of the year. Including the goodwill adjustment at the U.S. unit, the bank registered a €1.79 billion loss in the quarter.

Carlos Torres Vila, Group Executive Chairman:

As part of Turkey’s national solidarity campaign, BBVA’s franchise will donate 200 ventilators to the Turkish Ministry of Health.

Saving lives and preventing the collapse of intensive care units (ICUs). That is the priority for Spanish hospitals (and those around the world) during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent report by the Gregorio Marañón University Hospital in Madrid, which analyzed one of the non-invasive ventilators from China (Yuwell 730), concludes that “its use is expected to delay or even prevent the need to transfer patients to the ICU, and therefore help to relieve their saturation.”

BBVA USA today announced its commitment of more than $3.7 million to support organizations that are providing community support in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The funds are earmarked for a combination of community support, including a distribution of $1 million in rapid response funding.

BBVA’s has increased its initial €25 million commitment to €35 million to be used in to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the countries within its operating footprint. BBVA Group Executive Chairman Carlos Torres Vila recently explained that the bank must “step up” and use everything in its power and all its resources “to save lives, alleviate the economic impact, and help others overcome these difficult times.”

“The effects of the pandemic are devastating. Along with the irreparable loss of human life, both the virus and social confinement are contributing to a severe economic dilemma that cuts across society, including such susceptible segments like SMEs and the self-employed. At BBVA, we want to be as close to our customers as possible. Mitigating the socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is crucial,” explained Lidia del Pozo, Director of Community Investment Programs at BBVA. During a webinar entitled ‘Responsible Banking during the COVID-19 Crisis,’ organized by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), representatives from financial institutions from around the world shared their strategies for addressing the pandemic and its impact on society.

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.

BBVA Group is staying ahead of the crisis with a global remote working plan that protects customers and employees alike. It has also ensured continued, uninterrupted operations for both consumer and business customers by strengthening digital access to its full suite of services. To contain the spread of COVID-19, BBVA has significantly reduced the number of employees working in its branch offices.

BBVA USA is providing additional assistance across its footprint to those who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, including new offers for consumers and small businesses, and specialized benefits for employees.

The Group is to donate €25 million to combat the coronavirus outbreak across its footprint. This week, BBVA will deliver an initial batch of medical equipment, respirators and surgical masks, worth approximately €3 million to Spanish health officials.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise is launching new measures to protect the health of employees, customers and society, while tackling the possible economic challenges generated in Turkey by coronavirus.

Garanti BBVA, BBVA’s Turkish unit, has implemented a series of proactive measures to address the coronavirus pandemic, currently affecting 176 countries in the world. Garanti BBVA considers the health of its employees’, their families’, and society at large as its most important priority.

As millions of Americans face the prospect of being quarantined — either self-imposed or medically necessary — all of us are looking for creative ways to accomplish our daily chores and activities.

BBVA Group’s executive chairman referred to the Cenyt case at the 2020 Annual General Meeting, which was held on March 13, 2020. This is a transcript of what he said at the meeting.

After naming a new CEO to take over its Houston market to start the year, BBVA USA has now announced that it has appointed Dee Hunt as its new Houston Global Wealth Executive.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç recently visited the U.S. operations of BBVA in a homecoming of sorts. As the President and CEO of the global financial services company’s U.S. subsidiary in 2017 and 2018, Genç is highly familiar with the bank’s U.S. operations, and the team was glad to welcome him back for a series of meetings meant to encourage the market as they begin the execution phase of the bank’s new 5-year strategic plan.

BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., a Sunbelt-based bank holding company (BBVA USA), reported today a net loss of $331 million for the fourth quarter of 2019. Included in fourth quarter 2019 results is goodwill impairment (non-cash charge) totaling $470 million. Excluding the impact of this non-cash charge, adjusted net income¹ for the quarter was $139 million, a 29 percent decrease from the $196 million earned in the fourth quarter of 2018. Return on average assets and return on average tangible equity¹ for the fourth quarter of 2019 were (1.37) percent and (14.46) percent, respectively. On an adjusted basis, return on average assets¹ was 0.58 percent and return on average tangible equity¹ was 6.09 percent.

• 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.

In its latest Spain Economic Outlook report – presented today by Jorge Sicilia, Director of BBVA Research and Chief Economist of BBVA Group, and Rafael Doménech, Head of Economic Analysis – BBVA’s research unit upheld the scenario it forecasted three months ago, which envisages a slowdown in Spain’s domestic GDP growth rate to 1.6% in 2020 from the 1.9% rate measured at 2019 year end. For 2021, a slightly more favorable international environment could result in a slight uptick in growth, with rates reverting to the 1.9% range. According to BBVA Research, this scenario would drive the creation of 600,000 jobs over the 2020-2021 timeframe, driving the unemployment rate down to around 12.5 percent, in average, in 2021.

BBVA USA has appointed Jorge Unda as Chief Investment Officer of its asset management units. In his new role, Unda will be responsible for overseeing the asset management functions of both the bank’s Asset Management & Trust division and those of BBVA Wealth Solutions, Inc., a registered investment adviser affiliate of the bank.

BBVA USA today announced the appointment of Carin Marcy Barth as the newest member of BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc. Board of Directors.

BBVA is a large company with lots of stories to tell – so many that four year ago, bbva.com was born. The platform serves to give life to the countless things that a group with a 160 year history and a presence in over 30 countries does.

Sustainability is a core part of BBVA’s strategy. This strategy encompasses the bank’s Pledge 2025, which is founded on three pillars: 1) to secure €100 billion for green financing, sustainable infrastructure projects, social entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion. In the 18 months prior to and through June 2019, the bank had already secured €22 billion, close to 20 percent of its goal; 2) to manage environmental and social risks in order to mitigate direct and indirect impacts. BBVA will place an internal price on its CO2 emissions, which will be factored into its decision-making processes. All this will contribute to the bank’s goal of being carbon neutral in 2020; and 3) to engage with all stakeholders in order to collectively advocate for sustainable development within the financial industry. In 2019, the bank spearheaded the initiative that resulted in the Principles for Responsible Banking, and it signed up to the banking sector’s Collective Commitment to Climate Action.

• 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.