2020 will be another exemplary year for the environmental, social and governance (ESG) bond market, with issuances expected to reach record levels, and the potential for innovative new structures in this growing asset category, BBVA Global Markets Research analysts say.

Corporate and investment banking focus its activity on financing the development of enterprises and corporations and catering to their investment needs. Wholesale clients – which can be anywhere from different-sized companies to financial institutions or institutional investors – require more sophisticated financial products, either because of their size or the nature of their activity. In this guide we take a look at eight basic concepts that will help you understand the fundamentals of this business.

Beachbox Hotelco has become the first company in Spain’s hospitality sector to sign a sustainable project finance loan to finance the construction of the Six Senses Ibiza hotel. BBVA served as sustainable coordinator in the €55 million syndicated loan for the financing of the project. BBVA and Caixabank will each contribute 50 percent of the funds.

BBVA launches ESIConnect, a new platform for portfolio, securities and fund service in order to give coverage to investment firms and their customers in the framework of the advisory and discretionary portfolio management services the investment firms provide them.

BBVA reaffirms its commitment to the fight against climate change and responsible banking with the expansion of its framework for sustainable transactional products, which was published at the beginning of the year. With it, the bank seeks to make different sustainable financial solutions available to a greater number of clients.

BBVA is expanding its range of sustainable products. Starting on December 2nd, the bank will begin selling sustainable financial contracts. BBVA will invest the amount obtained from customers in companies that are considered sustainable based on certain criteria for inclusion, which will determine the green, social or sustainable nature of the investment.

Luisa Gómez Bravo, currently BBVA’s Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) — the bank’s wholesale banking department — has an extensive track record in banking. After graduating in law and business administration at ICADE in Madrid, she worked for several years in London for American investment banking firms and in 1998 she moved to BBVA. Since then, she has held various management positions at the bank, and at the end of 2018, she was appointed head of the investment banking unit.

She is passionate about broadening her professional experience by taking on new challenges that arise each day. “I like spreading this enthusiasm and ambition to the BBVA CIB team because I believe that we have a great culture of leadership and an enormous capacity to take on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” she says.

Luisa demonstrates this same passion in her personal life. She enjoys spending the weekends with her husband and four children, ensuring she gets as much quality time with them as possible.

BBVA has been named sustainable finance bank of the year by international magazine LatinFinance. The publication recognized the bank’s performance in the region, notably the experience, creativity, and drive demonstrated by its teams as they promote sustainable finance.

As of September 2019, BBVA stood at the top of the Spanish financial and corporate bond issues league tables published by Bloomberg. “The secret to being involved in so many bond issues is the bond value chain and teamwork,” said Regina Gil, Global Head of Credit at BBVA.

Transaction banking is a unit within Corporate & Investment Banking that covers the needs of companies and institutions in terms of managing their liquidity and the related risks. It also encompassess the financing of international trade, custody services and working capital needs. Transaction banking is a fundamental business for banks due to the recurring incomes and the potential to retain clients and boost loyalty.

BBVA and Pestana Hotel Group have reached a new milestone in the sustainable finance market, issuing the world’s first green bond in the hotel industry, according to the International Capital Markets Association’s (ICMA) Green Bond Principles. The €60 million bond has a maturity of 6 years and was placed among professional institutional investors.

Each individual can play a part in the fight against climate change, to one degree or another. With small, daily gestures, it is possible to contribute to the conservation of the environment. Large corporations, through different debt instruments, bonds, and even specific transactions, also play a role in supporting this campaign, a campaign that concerns every corner of society. More specifically, what impact do businesses have on the environment, and what can they do to offset it?

Within the different types of sustainable loans, Revolving Credit Facilities (RCF), the already known financing product, have become increasingly popular in recent months. Today we know that this type of product can also be sustainable, but what exactly is a Revolving Credit Facility?

The markets have an endless supply of opportunities. Every investor’s dream is to know how to identify and take advantage of them. In order to do so,  real-time information on everything taking place in the stock market and access to the analyses of different experts is paramount. If you also have useful tools to design an investment strategy, multiply it at no additional cost, and manage the risks, it is much easier to make the right decision. All of this is possible with BBVA Trader, the trading platform for customers and non-customers.

Sustainability is a concept that we are hearing more and more frequently because it poses a growing concern for society as a whole – for both individuals and companies. Sustainability refers to satisfying current needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs, while striking a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and social well-being. This is a guide to explain the most common acronyms we come across when talking about sustainable finance.

Grupo Piñero, a Spanish group dedicated to the vacation industry, closed a bilateral sustainable financing deal with BBVA. The bank acted as the sustainability coordinator. The agreement involves a €20 million revolving credit facility (RCF), which is aligned to the tourism company’s firm commitment to holistic and long-term strategic sustainability.

Based on the exponential growth of the issuance of green, social and sustainable bonds in the past 12 months, it is fair to say that we are no longer talking about a passing fad, but rather a phenomenon that is here to stay. More companies, as well as investors, are incorporating ESG (Environmental, social and corporate governance) objectives in their investment agendas. BBVA Global Markets Research discusses the ESG bond market, its volumes and main topics in their report ‘ESG Bonds: Key topics and trends for 2019 and beyond – Getting the harmony right’.

BBVA served as sole sustainable agent in the first syndicated revolving credit facility in Latin America, signed with Fibra Uno, a strategic client for the bank. The transaction is also the first sustainable transaction by a real estate business in the region and the first facility to be arranged in accordance with the ‘Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles’ in Latin America. BBVA was also the joint bookrunner and lead arranger in the transaction, which involved a  total of 11 banks.

CIE Automotive wanted to benefit from BBVA’s experience and advice in its first sustainable financing with a commercial bank. The international industrial group formalized an €80 million bilateral sustainable loan with the bank.

Atlantic Copper, with the support of BBVA, has made its debut in the sustainable financing market by drawing up of two bilateral financing deals worth a combined total of €44 million. This activity confirms both companies’ strategic commitment to become aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.

The agribusiness company COFCO International has signed the first syndicated sustainability-linked facility arranged by a  Chinese corporate with the help of BBVA. The financing is for a total of $2.1 billion comprising three tranches – a 1-year revolving credit facility (RCF), a 3-year RCF and a 3-year term loan – each tied to sustainability criteria.

BBVA is consolidating its leadership in Europe’s green financing market by signing a EUR 25 Mn bilateral green loan with Katoen Natie, a Belgian logistics and engineering company. This transaction represents an important landmark as it is the first green financing closed in Belgium by BBVA. Furthermore, BBVA is not only acting as lender but also as advisor on their Sustainable Finance Framework. The loan is in favour of a subsidiary of Katoen Natie for an innovative industrial recycling plant which will result in the recycling of chemical residues while also recovering materials and producing energy for neighboring industries.

How is the electricity market changing with the arrival of renewable energy? How will green energy and its marketing evolve? Are companies advancing in the transition to a decarbonized economy at the pace the planet needs? These are some of the questions posed in the event organized by the newspaper El País “Marketing renewable energy” on June 6th.

This week marks yet another milestone for BBVA in the European green financing arena. ESB, the leading Irish Utility, has chosen BBVA to act as green structuring bank and joint bookrunner in their inaugural EUR 500 million green bond. This is the first ever green bond issued by an Irish corporate and the net proceeds from the transaction will be destined to finance eligible green projects, mainly under the following categories: renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation and green buildings.

Redexis has made its €300 million syndicated revolving credit facility sustainable by extending its maturity profile, reducing the average cost of its debt and reinforcing its socially responsible commitment. BBVA acted as sustainable coordinator in this transaction, the first ever by the Spanish energy infrastructure company in the sustainable financing market.

In recent years, society has become increasingly aware of the importance of climate change. The not so remote hazards it poses to our current way of life make changes in current policies necessary. The financial industry is joining forces in the fight against climate change through sustainable finance. Sustainable loans are one of the key tools, and banks play a decisive role when they act as sustainable agents for these loans. But what does this actually entail?

BBVA has rolled out an innovative dynamic portfolio DIY-management solution for wholesale clients. BBVA has incorporated a new platform into its systems: Euroclear Quantessence, a tool that allows clients to easily set and change their portfolio’s parameters. The software also allows clients to visualize the changes made to said settings in real time.

A bond is a debt instrument used by companies as a source of financing. Depending on the issuer’s credit quality, a bond can be classified as investment grade or high yield. But what are their main differences?

BBVA recently held the ninth edition of its ‘BBVA Latin America Conference’ in New York. The annual event gathered private and public debt issuers from Latin America and investors from North America to explore new joint business opportunities in the region. The political and economic situation as well as the impact of the elections, especially in Mexico and Argentina, were two of the main topics covered during the conference.

BBVA acted as advisor and lead coordinator in the first-ever sustainable bond issued by Government of Navarre. For the first time in its history, Navarra will finance projects with a positive environmental or societal impact through capital markets.

BBVA is debuting its recently announced framework for sustainable transactional products linked to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Italy with an operation formalized with Iren, one of the leading multi-service companies in the country.

BBVA acted as a sustainable agent, together with Santander, in ACCIONA’s first sustainable syndicated loan of €675 million. In this type of financing, the interest rate is adjusted based on the company’s performance in sustainability parameters.

The deal, structured as per the German debt instrument, is worth €220 million, which will be allocated to sustainable projects. Blockchain technology was used to manage the negotiation of the deal, and both BBVA and Madrid’s regional government used their own nodes to establish a network between the two parties.

In line with its digital transformation strategy, BBVA has launched a new form of corporate loan, the digital facility (D-Loan), and signed the first ever financing of this kind with Olam International, a leading food and agri-business company headquartered and listed in Singapore. As provider of this innovative solution, BBVA acted as digital advisor and coordinator under the new USD 350 million revolving credit facility. BBVA was also the facility agent for the other 6 banks that participate in the financing.

Digital loans (or D-loans) are a type of corporate bank financing (which could also come in the form of credit facilities) for which the price is linked to the company’s degree of digitization. The digital maturity level is determined annually by specialized independent consulting firms after a thorough analysis. If the company improves its level of digitization, the conditions of the bank financing also improve. By doing so, the company aligns its financial instruments with its corporate strategy, and has a financial incentive to improve its degree of digitization and accelerate its digital transformation over time.

SSE PLC, a leading developer, operator and owner of renewable energy assets across the UK and Ireland, has once again partnered with BBVA as sole sustainability coordinator under its new ‘revolving credit facility’ (or RCF). In 2017, SSE and BBVA worked together in the arrangement of the company’s inaugural green bond issue.

Bonds are credit instruments used by companies in need of financing. The company in question issues this debt product in order to obtain liquidity from the financial markets. But how does a bond issue take place? What steps must be followed from the moment the company decides to issue a bond until their subsequent placement and sale on the market?

BBVA recently structured the first sustainable loan in RCF format in Spain’s hotel industry. The €65 million credit line with Meliá Hotels International is an example of the Balearic group’s commitment to the fight against climate change.

BBVA signs with the French electricity company EDF a €300 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility (RCF) which incorporates a pricing adjustment based on the company’s sustainability performance linked to CO2 emissions and energy efficiency.

The telecommunications industry will be the protagonist of the next wave of green bond issues in Europe. The green bond market took its first steps in 2007 and since then has bloomed into a full-blown financing alternative. “The green bond issue opportunity may not be as evident for telcos as it was for the utilities that led the first wave of green corporate issues, but it makes all the sense in the world,” says Regina Gil, Head of Debt Capital Markets Europe and Asia at BBVA, in an interview with Expansión.

The Climate Bonds Initiative recognized BBVA for its global leadership, best practices and innovation in the field of sustainable financing at the 2019 Green Bond Pioneer Awards.  The bank received three awards for the publication of its framework for sustainable bonds tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); for being the first financial issuer of a green bond in Spain; and for issuing the first green bond from a financial institution in Mexico.

BBVA and Gestamp have restructured an existing €280 million revolving credit facility, changing the terms so it qualifies as a sustainable operation and increasing the total value to €325 million. With this operation, the multi-national engineering company dedicated to the design, development, and manufacturing of metal components for the automotive industry becomes the first in its sector to be certified by the environmental consulting firm Vigeo-Eiris for closing a financing deal of this kind. BBVA acted as the deal’s sustainability coordinator.

76 percent of Spanish enterprise businesses and 68 percent of SMEs will increase their investment in Latin America in 2019. Spanish investors see the best prospects in Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, according to the latest report ‘Spanish Investment Landscape in Latin America‘, which was prepared by IE University, in collaboration with Llorente & Cuenca and Iberia, and presented at Casa de América in Madrid.

BBVA has once again made history, completing Portugal’s first sustainable commercial paper program with one of its strategic clients in the country, The Navigator. BBVA was the agent bank and bookrunner for the €65 million operation, advising the client throughout the entire process, and the sole source of financing for the operation.

In 2018, a significant series of external factors caused investors to lose confidence, which resulted in increased volatility in the markets. Still, for the investment team at BBVA Asset Management, the current “positive economic cycle” has not yet reached its end: the world is not on the edge of another global economic crisis.