Verónica Incera (BBVA CIB): “South America has become a growth hub with its own identity within our global strategy"
With South America undergoing a transformation that demands decisive investments in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, technology and mining, BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) is committed to being the strategic partner of corporations and institutions. Its offering combines innovative and sustainable financial solutions with close, hands‑on support. This is underscored by Verónica Incera, Head of CIB for South America and Argentina, who highlights the bank’s commitment to supporting its clients’ internationalisation with high‑value advice and a clear focus on their specific needs.
For BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB), South America now plays a central role in its global strategy. As Verónica Incera, Head of CIB for South America and Argentina, explains, the region not only complements the bank’s international presence in Europe, North America and Asia, but has also become a growth hub with its own unique identity. The timing is crucial: the investment needs across infrastructure, agriculture, technology, renewable energy and mining point to a structural transformation, where energy transition and sustainability are now essential requirements.
In this context, Incera highlights BBVA CIB’s role as a catalyst for economic development, providing sophisticated and sustainable financial solutions to both local and international clients. “Our ambition is clear: to support our clients in their investment and expansion projects, offering not only financing but also strategic advice that makes a real difference,” she states.
A model that combines local presence with global reach
The bank’s strategy in the region combines the proximity of local teams with the reach of its international network. BBVA CIB is present in the main South American markets: Argentina, Brazil, Chile (through a representative office), Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, with a dedicated team of nearly 600 professionals. This capillarity, combined with global coverage, allows the bank, in Incera’s words, “to be where our clients are, understand their specific challenges and, at the same time, offer them the full strength of our network in New York, London or Madrid.” This dual approach, she adds, has positioned BBVA CIB as a leading partner both for multinationals operating in the region and for major local companies with international ambitions.
Verónica Incera, Head of CIB for South America and Argentina
The product offering reflects this vision: innovation in structured finance, capital markets and transactional solutions, alongside expert advisory in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and equity capital markets (ECM) transactions. “It’s not just about closing financial deals,” Incera explains, “but about becoming the strategic partner that supports the client throughout their entire growth cycle.”
Recent progress confirms the strength of this strategy. BBVA CIB posted sustained growth in South America in the first half of 2025, driven by a diversified business model and its ability to meet client needs even in uncertain environments. The relaunch of operations in Brazil, with an expanding team, enhances regional coverage, while a flagship transaction in Argentina, the acquisition of Telefónica Argentina by Telecom Argentina, underscores the strong product capabilities the bank offers its clients.
Challenges and opportunities in the new economic cycle
Incera also acknowledges that the region faces challenges. “South America faces macroeconomic volatility, fragmented regulatory frameworks and geopolitical tensions. But at the same time, it presents extraordinary opportunities in energy transition, food security and digital economies. Our mission is to rise to those opportunities, providing stability, expertise and long‑term value‑added solutions.”
"Our mission is to rise to those opportunities, providing stability, expertise and long‑term value‑added solutions"
Looking ahead, the roadmap is clear: strengthen the bank’s presence in key markets, expand its high value‑added product offering, such as project finance, sustainability‑linked financing, corporate debt and advisory services, and reinforce its transactional banking capabilities in an increasingly digital environment. To achieve these objectives, the bank maintains a strong commitment to talent. “We are strengthening our teams and fostering collaboration with global specialists to offer increasingly comprehensive service. We are committed to attracting and developing the best local talent, because our teams are what make the difference in our day‑to‑day relationships with clients,” Incera emphasises.
She also highlights the bank’s role in connecting international capital with high‑impact local projects, facilitating investment into strategic sectors and continuing to drive the digitalisation of corporate banking. These pillars, alongside sustainability and talent, define the path for a region poised to play a leading role in the new global economic order.
Incera concludes with an optimistic outlook: “In the coming years, BBVA CIB in South America will continue to support the region’s structural evolution with an agile, specialised and globally connected offering, while also contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable society. Our purpose is simple yet ambitious: to always stand by our clients as a trusted partner, and to grow alongside them in this new chapter for the region.”