The political upheaval that marred and engulfed the country’s public life during the first five years of the 1930s, ended leading Spain right towards where some visionaries’ had predicted it irretrievable would: a full-blown civil war.  The succession of controversial events that plagued the first half of 1936 contributed to turn Spanish society into a tinderbox under a stifling political climate. On July 18, General Francisco Franco issued an official statement, announcing the beginning of his uprising against the Second Republic’s current legality.

On Wednesday, BBVA signed a green loan in favor of Iberdrola for 500 million euros. In addition to being the first operation of this type for an energy sector company, this agreement involves the highest sum as of this date.

• Changes: The new executive director compensation policy for the next three years envisages 1) an increase in the amounts to be deferred and the deferral period for the variable compensation. 60% of the variable compensation will be subject to a 5-year deferral period; 2) share-based remuneration increase: 60% of the deferred amount to be paid in BBVA shares, the remaining 40% in cash; and 3) variable compensation to be subject to reduction and clawback clauses
• Group Executive Chairman: Total remuneration of BBVA’s Group Executive Chairman for 2016 was €4.9 million, down 12% from 2015. The Chairman’s variable compensation dropped 18% with respect to 2015, mainly as a result of the impact on BBVA Group’s profit of the provision related to ‘floor clauses’ in Spain and exchange rate trends. The deferred variable remuneration is subject to the retribution policy in force in 2016, with multi-annual indicators based on which said remuneration can be reduced or even taken to zero, never increased, as well as malus clauses that could limit or even prevent its collection
• Chief Executive Officer: CEO Carlos Torres Vila’s remuneration was €4.4 million, and his variable remuneration is also subject to the same deferral period and conditions as that of the Chairman

The Board of Directors has approved a new Executive Director compensation policy for 2017, 2018 and 2019 to adapt to the new regulation related to compensation (Bank of Spain Circular 2/2016 and the European Banking Authority’s guidelines on sound adequate remuneration policies.) This new policy will be submitted for approval in the upcoming Annual General Meeting, on March 17.

A bank’s markets division, also known as its Treasury, is part of its wholesale banking business. It is a highly specialized area that seeks to meet institutional and corporate customers’ investment and risk coverage needs. The retail banking area serves individual customers and also receives support from the markets area to design and manage products and manage the associated risks.

The usual “known unknowns” continue to be alive and new ones could join this year. In the short term, the anti ISIS offensive continues and still far from being solved. Meanwhile the long lasting conflict between Russia and Ukraine looks to escalate. North Africa and the Middle East will continue to be the main hot spots in 2017, but higher political and geopolitical uncertainties could arise all over the world. The rise of populism and constrains to the flows of people (anti-immigration) and trade (protectionism) will challenge the international rules and globalisation. The new agenda by the US administration and the response of China, Russia and the Middle East, as well as uncertainties in Europe (elections and the Brexit) will continue to shape the dynamics of the geopolitics of the coming years.

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Speaking at BBVA’s 2016 results presentation, Francisco González said that after 10 years of working on the Group's transformation, progress is becoming increasingly evident for the bank’s customers. And how is that showing? In new digital services and products with a better user experience.

These are the ratios that show up the financial position of a bank. This is a disclosure of BBVA’s ratios calculated at the end 2016.

The BBVA Group earned €3.48 billion in 2016, up 31.5% from the previous year and its highest figure since 2010. Solid performance of recurring revenues, moderation in operating expenses, and a drop in impairment losses on financial assets are the key drivers of this growth.

- Income: Net interest income increased 3.9% in 2016 (+14.9% stripping out the impact of currencies). The fourth quarter was the year’s highest (€4.39 billion). Cost-containment efforts improved the efficiency ratio (51.9% in 2016)

- Risks: BBVA Group’s NPL ratio improved to 4.9% in December (from 5.4% at the end of 2015), with coverage ratio of 70%

- Capital: BBVA reached a fully-loaded CET1 ratio of 10.90%, after generating 58 basis points in the year. The Group maintains its 11% target for 2017

- Transformation: At the end of December 2016, BBVA’s digital customer base stood at 18.4 million (+20% y-o-y). Mobile customers grew 38% to 12.4 million

- Dividend: BBVA plans to implement the shareholder remuneration policy announced in 2013, which aims to distribute between 35% and 40% of profits to dividend payouts, with a 100% cash dividend

Global Finance has chosen the BBVA Group as the winner of five awards during the latest issue of its “World's Best Treasury & Cash Management Banks and Providers Awards”. Specifically, the Group was given the following awards: "Best Treasury & Cash Management Provider" in Spain, "Best Overall Bank for Cash Management" in Latin America, "Best Bank for Payments and Collections" in Latin America, "Best US regional middle market Treasury & Cash Management Provider" in Southwest Region, and "Best Treasury & Cash Management Provider" for Garanti in Turkey.