José Luis Elechiguerra, a chemical engineer, born in Mexico and with more than 12 years of experience at BBVA, recently took on the role of the Global Head of Engineering and Organization at the BBVA Group.

Recently arrived from BBVA USA where he was in charge of the Client Solutions area, Elechiguerra has accepted the responsibility of being the technological enabler for the bank’s strategy. The way he sees it, without technology it is impossible to talk about sustainability, or helping customers make the best financial decisions, or any other objective set by the BBVA Group. His greatest challenges include consolidating the global application development platform, continuing to explore the potential of cloud computing, helping to make data available to be a smarter bank, and further developing the agile work model so that it expands across the entire organization.

All of this, while continuing to watch the major digital competitors and fintech companies in the rearview mirror – from whom he has learned that banks must be faster in responding to customers’ new demands, as Elechiguerra explains in this interview.

BBVA’s Shanghai branch has closed its first corporate loan in the Chinese currency renminbi (RMB) with Toyota Motor Finance China. The loan is a short term working capital loan to support Toyota’s corporate activity in the country. The transaction represents an important milestone for BBVA as it is the first one that the bank executes in the local currency after obtaining its renminbi licence in China.

Asia has become the world’s fastest growing economic region of the 21st century and currently plays a critical role in the global supply chain. According to figures provided by BBVA Research, between 2011 and 2021 the region generated 60 percent of global economic growth and one in every two million dollars of investment. And this contribution is expected to increase to 65 percent between 2017 and 2027. This growing trend is driving the global presence of Asian multinational companies as well as the expansion of global multinationals into Asia, where 43 percent of the 5,000 largest companies of this type are currently present. The region represents an important export center and a very attractive domestic market.

In 2015, the European Parliament passed the new digital payment services directive, more commonly known as PSD2. The directive laid the groundwork for the emergence of the open banking concept: a solution to allow contextualized access to banking services, wherever and whenever needed. The regulatory framework set forth by PSD2 has driven a true transformation of the financial sector itself and changed how financial services are viewed.

As part of its work around helping people better understand their financial health and make better financial decisions, BBVA USA recently launched BBVA Insights in its online banking and mobile banking app.

The telecommunications company Orange has become the first operator in Spain to incorporate Bizum into its means of payment. BBVA was the institution that provided the contractual and technological framework to make this possible. As of this week, all Orange customers of the Orange, Jazztel and Amena brands, regardless of their banks, will be able to carry out certain transactions with this payment method that´s faster than a card and that complies with PSD2 requirements.

BBVA has selected the Chilean bank Bci as its ally in Chile to provide payment and collection services, also known as cash management. Thanks to this alliance, BBVA’s global clients with a presence in Chile will be able to carry out this transaction with BCI through BBVA’s global channels.

Pressure to get on board with remote working, adapting to the changes in a market revolutionised by the pandemic, and dealing with customers who have new and urgent needs. Startups have faced unprecedented challenges in 2020, but their digital DNA has helped them make fast decisions to handle these tests.

The repurchase of shares is one of the ways that companies have to pay shareholders. It consists of buying a package of its own shares, normally on the open market, and amortizing them (eliminating them) with the aim of raising the price of the remaining ones.

Once the pertinent regulatory authorizations have been obtained, BBVA Allianz Seguros – Allianz and BBVA’s new bancassurance joint venture that was announced in April this year – will begin to operate in Spain. BBVA Seguros has contributed around 1.18 million insurance policies to the new company, representing approximately €300 million in premiums issued by the end of 2019. The new company combines BBVA’s distribution capacity in physical and digital channels with Allianz’s innovative knowledge to develop simple, digital non-life insurance.

Users without a bank or credit card can easily receive a new password by logging on to Garanti BBVA Mobile with their new ID.

El Corte Inglés and BBVA have signed an agreement to include Bizum as a payment method for the online purchases customers make on both El Corte Inglés’ website and app. The bank collaborated with the distribution group by providing the contractual and technological framework to allow the company to add this new PSD2 adapted payment system, reducing the average time to make a purchase compared to card payments.

BBVA has developed Global Commercial Cards, a solution which allows companies to have greater control of employees’ use of commercial cards simplifying the processes of expense submission and approval.

BBVA USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Madrid-based BBVA, today announced it is offering a digital Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) through its website, powered by Prosper, a leading online marketplace for consumer loans. Prosper’s digital HELOC platform, which was developed to simplify the process of applying for and obtaining a HELOC, is now available to BBVA USA customers in select states via the BBVA-branded version of the platform.

BBVA expands its market activity with ‘Quantitative Investment Strategies’ (QIS), a business which focuses on the design, manufacturing and distribution of investment strategies that materialize in self-created indices intended for end investors. The organization will debut this new line of business with the launch of its first index ‘Solactive BBVA ixESG Global Leaders Index’.

BBVA strengthens its solutions for small and medium sized enterprises across its footprint, thanks to a strategy that prioritizes the relationship model, product distribution and the use of technology as a competitive advantage. BBVA was recently recognized as the best global bank for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) at the 2020 SME Finance Forum Awards.

In the last twenty years, Garanti BBVA has distributed more than 135,000 million free airline miles for Miles&Smiles credit cards holders, which is enough to travel the world a million times.

BBVA remains committed to this global network, participating in a new pilot project with which it has managed to integrate payments from the SWIFT gpi network with the U.K.’s national instant payment system. Progress that makes it possible to break away from the time zone restrictions in the process, going one step further in the exploration of this kind of payment.

Quality Funds, BBVA’s platform specialized in international funds, was named the best pan-European platform specialized in investment funds, according to the prestigious 2020 report by Platforum.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the financial industry and consumers have been well-chronicled in traditional and social media alike. Banking may never be the same moving forward, in many different ways. That could also include an expedited disappearance of cash, a mode of payment that was already on the decline. 

BBVA in Switzerland has launched a new online platform in record time, targeting prospective customers who are interested in opening an account. They can now confirm their identity over a video call and digitally sign the contract required to open the account.

Propel Venture Partners, the independent venture capital fund backed by BBVA, is celebrating its fourth anniversary of business this year. In this interview, Propel Partner Jay Reinemann, explains in the entity’s journey in these years and what are its next challenges. “The fintech sector is only going to expand and innovate faster and faster,” says Reinemann. “It’s a great time to be working in this industry.”

Commercial banking veteran Orlando Castañeda has been named BBVA USA McAllen City President, where he will lead all Commercial operations in the market.

BBVA has certified as green three non-recourse factoring operations from the wind turbine manufacturer Nordex. Closed in 2019 for approximately €265 million, the operations will deduct invoices from wind turbine supplies that the Germany company will provide the builder of various wind farms.

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.

MAPFRE has strengthened its life-savings insurance product portfolio with the launch of Unit Linked Valor Activo III. The product is linked to the performance of the Eurostoxx index and to a BBVA social bond. The bank will devote the proceeds to fund social projects. With this new operation, BBVA is supporting the Spanish insurance company’s efforts in broadening its sustainable commercial offering.

The 2019 syndicated loan market in Spain remained stable compared to 2018, primarily due to available liquidity —from banks and and institutional investors— in an environment of historically low interest rates. In addition, the European Central Bank has has all but ensured that interest rates will continue to hover in negative territory, given expectations for inflation over the next three years.

Since they were first launched in January 2019, this new generation of cards has distributed millions of air miles, which translates into hundreds of thousands of plane tickets. Shop&Fly card holders can fly to any destination in the world with the airline they choose, paying the taxes with the card.

For the second consecutive year, Global Finance magazine has recognized BBVA’s treasury and cash management services, naming the bank as the Top Treasury and Cash Management Provider in the Southwest for 2020.