Atom bank, the U.K.’s first bank built exclusively for mobile, has today been awarded a £10 million grant to boost genuine competition in lending to SMEs. Atom will use the grant to help transform banking for small businesses and deliver an additional £3 billion of business financing by March 2024. Atom will also create 70 jobs in the North East of England.

Garanti BBVA Partners, an initiative launched by Garanti BBVA to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem, has announced its new activities and participants. The initiative champions the transformation of innovative ideas into sustainable enterprises and provides concrete support to this end.

August 12 is International Youth Day, a day designated by the United Nations General Assembly to remember, among other facts, that 24 million young people do not got to school, and one in ten live in zones suffering from armed conflict. Education is the key to ensuring these generations have opportunities in the future.

BBVA’s Global Head of Responsible Business, Antoni Ballabriga, has been named co-chair of UNEP-FI Global Steering Committee. UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative) is a global partnership established between the United Nations and the financial sector in 1992 to promote sustainable finance.

BBVA has reached an agreement with Banco GNB Paraguay, a unit of Grupo Financiero Gilinski, to sell 100% of its capital in BBVA Paraguay, for about 270 million dollars (about 240 million euros). Said price is subject to the regular adjustments for these kind of transactions between the signing and closing dates of the transaction.

According to the United Nations, “It is important that governments, civil society and communities work together to implement lasting solutions to reduce violence, deliver justice and ensure inclusive participation at all times.” This is the aim of Sustainable Development Goal 16: “To promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies”. BBVA contributes to this goal through its responsible banking model and commitment to human rights, to name a few.

Kathy Fennell works at BBVA US and wants you to know one thing: She’s passionate about volunteering, and she thinks you should be, too. “Volunteering is so rewarding,” says Fennell, a Relationship Support Specialist for the Commercial and Real Estate Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç underscored during the Group’s second quarter earnings conference call that the Group has “multiple management levers to mitigate the impact of low interest rates,” both in Europe and in the U.S.

BBVA has reported its second quarter results for 2019, revealing positive dynamics in the business, as explained by the Group’s CEO. Onur Genç stressed the bank’s continued progress in its transformation process, which is having a “clear impact on the growth of the customer base, customer loyalty, efficiency, and the customer experience.”

Between January and June 2019, BBVA Group earned €2.44 billion. In the second quarter, the net attributable profit reached €1.28 billion, up 10 percent qoq, and 6 percent yoy, excluding the sale of BBVA Chile, thus maintaining the same business perimeter (or +2.6 percent including Chile). The results were driven by a solid evolution of more recurring revenue items, with a double-digit growth of the net interest income, and lower impairments on financial assets.

Ana Fernández Manrique has been named Global Head of Regulation & Internal Control, replacing Eduardo Arbizu, who is leaving the company after a successful career at BBVA of nearly 20 years.

Garanti BBVA has released its financial statements through June 30, 2019. Based on its consolidated financials, the bank posted a net income of 3.7 billion Turkish Lira (TL) in the first half of the year.

The number of finalists in this year’s edition of BBVA Momentum, BBVA’s social entrepreneurship support program, has grown exponentially to 169 enterprises from Colombia, United States, Mexico and Turkey. All these enterprises compose a mosaic that perfectly reflects the social and environmental concerns of global society.

Following the request from Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office’s on July 24th, the Central Investigating Court number 6 of the National High Court today declared BBVA as an investigated party of piece number 9 of the ‘Tándem’ case -which is under secrecy order- for bribery, unveiling and revelation of secrets and business corruption. The condition as an investigated legal entity does not imply -in this preliminary phase of the process- a formal accusation for any crime.

Garanti BBVA’s data center, formerly located in Istanbul’s Güneşli district, has moved to an Uptime Institute Tier IV certified building in Pendik, also in Istanbul.

Following a six-month public consultative process, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has this week released the final official versions of the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and their supporting framework documents. Endorsed by more than 100 financial institutions ahead of their 22 September global launch. BBVA is one of the 30 Founding Banks for this initiative.

The Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office announced this morning that it has requested the Central Investigating Court number 6 of the National High Court to declare BBVA as an investigated legal entity as part of piece number 9 of the ‘Tándem’ case, which is under secrecy order.

Over eight million tons of plastic per year. As part of its Pledge 2025, BBVA works to attain the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14  by protecting marine life and financing ecology and biology research teams. The goal is the conservation of habitats and/or endangered species in Spain.

‘Schedule your account’ is the new digital service BBVA is offering its customers on the app (Android e iPhone). With this tool, customers can activate, and customize, six settings to automatically perform certain tasks to manage their personal finances. They simply have to choose the most convenient way to manage their account balance or save, include the parameters to take into account, and the operations take place automatically. Luz Martín Manjón, Head of Digital Products at BBVA Spain, explains how this new tool works.

Garanti BBVA has been named ‘Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility’ in Central and Eastern Europe at this  year’s ‘ Euromoney Awards for Excellence’. The recognition comes on top of other accolades earned by the BBVA Group in categories such as ‘World’s Best Bank for Financial Inclusion’, ‘Latin America’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance’ or ‘Western Europe’s Best Digital Bank’.

Emilio Ybarra, the former co-chairman of BBVA, has died. He was 82.

For more than 20 years Garanti BBVA has been investing in technology in order to ensure a personalized and simplified digital experience in every new product or service it offers its customers and clients. In collaboration with Google, the bank recently launched a ‘Universal App Campaign,’ aiming to increase the number of interactions in the Garanti BBVA Mobile app and to encourage customers to use the bank’s digital channels for their banking transactions.

The United Nations warns about one of the most significant global issues facing humanity, as reflected in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: climate change and its impacts. “Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is likely to surpass 3ºC this century. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.” BBVA’s approach to business is accompanied by a firm commitment to mitigating the effects caused by climate change and integrating them into its risk management model.

BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila defended the role of education in general and financial education in particular to fight poverty and enhance people’s well-being. “Education in general is the best driver to end inequality and promote a sustainable development. It’s the simplest way to bring the age of opportunity to everyone – especially those who are most vulnerable,” he said on the second day of the BBVA EduFin Summit 2019 being held in Madrid.

José Manuel González-Páramo, BBVA Executive Board Member and Head of Global Economics & Public Affairs, opened in Madrid the third edition of Edufin Summit, the annual event organized by BBVA’s Center for Financial Education and Capability. In his speech, he noted that financial education is becoming especially relevant today, at a time when we’re seeing disruptive change everywhere.

BBVA – with Deloitte and PCS acting as independent third parties – has completed the first issuance of securitized bonds in Spain, which will be registered with the ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) as Simple, Transparent and Standardized (STS).  With this securitization, BBVA takes advantage of European regulation in force since January 1 that will confer preferential capital treatment to financial institutions issuing STS securitizations.

BBVA was recognized in six different categories in the 2019 edition of the Euromoney Awards for Excellence. The bank won the award for the ‘World’s best bank for financial inclusion,’ ‘Western Europe’s best digital bank,’ ‘Latin America’s best bank for sustainable finance,’ ‘Latin America’s best bank for transaction services,’ ‘Mexico’s best investment bank,’ and ‘Best bank for corporate responsibility’ in Central and Eastern Europe.

In an interview with the newspaper La República de Colombia, José Manuel González-Páramo, Executive Board Member and the Head of Global Economics, Regulation and Public Affairs at BBVA, stressed the importance of digitization and its impact on people’s well-being.

In this interview, José María Roldán, Chairman of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), emphasizes the need to make sure that “no one is left out of the digitization process and the opportunities it creates”. Just a few hours before the opening of the third edition of the EduFin Summit – which will be held at Ciudad BBVA, the bank’s corporate headquarters in Madrid, on July 11 and 12 – the AEB Chairman weighs in on the financial sector’s approach to user confidentiality matters: “It is something that is ingrained in our DNA. And this is something that is not that clear in the case of many tech operators, whose main source of income is selling data,” he says.

Garanti BBVA’s Mobile app is a good example of how the bank is making its customers’ lives easier. All these efforts contribute to the bank’s customer-centric focus by ensuring that its tailor-made services are available – any time and any place – to both its individual and corporate customers.

BBVA is holding the leading international event on financial education. The third edition of the 2019 EduFin Summit will take place on July 11th and 12th, with the participation of BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila; Bank of Spain Governor Pablo Hernández de Cos; and Spanish Banking Association (AEB) Chairman and CEO José María Roldán. Over 30 global experts from 16 countries will debate how the digital revolution can contribute to people’s financial well-being.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 entails using resources and energy efficiently, building infrastructure that doesn’t damage the environment, improving access to basic services and creating green jobs with fair pay and good labor conditions. BBVA helps to attain this SDG with sustainable action and initiatives designed to develop the economy and improve the quality of life life for everyone.

Antonio Herráiz is a firm believer in innovation focused on results, especially if it generates a positive impact for people. Thanks to him, more than 7,000 of the Group’s employees across the globe have attended BBVA’s Process Academy.

Credit rating agency Fitch has upgraded BBVA’s senior preferred debt long-term rating by one notch to A from A-. Fitch has also affirmed the Group’s long-term Issuer Default Rating at A- with a negative outlook, thanks to the strength of the bank in Spain and the resilience of its Mexican franchise.

BBVA and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly explore the applications of quantum technologies in the financial sector.

The potential of open banking to change the face of financial service provision has been laid bare in a new deal between car-hailing giants Uber and digitally focused global bank BBVA.

BBVA and Uber, leaders in their respective markets in Mexico, announced their alliance, which sees BBVA launching an entirely new financial experience by making its services available in a third party platform for the benefit of Uber driver and delivery partners and their families.

In the formal launch event of BBVA’s new global development center specializing in artificial intelligence, the leaders of the three areas that have worked together to create it – Data, Engineering and Client Solutions – shared with the team their vision and goals to materialize the impact of this technology across the organization.

As part of its digital transformation strategy, the BBVA Group recently introduced a new brand identity and logo that will be used in all countries where the bank has a presence.

At the 2018 EMEA Finance Awards, Garanti BBVA collected a total of 17 awards in 13 different categories for eight projects. EMEA Finance is one of the leading financial publications for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and held its awards ceremony in London on June 12th and 13th.

BBVA has closed the transfer of most of the credits rights that comprise the Anfora portfolio. The transaction was announced in December 2018.

Continuous innovation and the gradual decline of the use of cash are giving way to a new digital monetary system. According to José Manuel González-Páramo, executive director and head of global economics and public affairs at BBVA, central banks must define the new role they will play coming out of this transformation.

“The Sustainable Development Goals and climate change entail a transformation on the same scale as digitization, but, in this case, the stakes are much higher” This is how BBVA Global Head of Responsible Business Antoni Ballabriga described “this present moment and the opportunity and sense of urgency that we are dealing with today as societies” in the face of climate change.

The Legal 500, a leading international legal publication, has named the industrial and intellectual property team of BBVA’s corporate legal services as one of the 100 most relevant legal advisories in Spain and Portugal.  The study lists BBVA under the finance category, along with companies from other sectors such as the utility, hospitality, healthcare and IT industries.

This year, the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards ceremony underscored the need for an increased commitment to sustainability across the globe. “Climate change, the biodiversity crisis and inequality are issues whose future consequences may be much more serious if we fail to act now,” said the President of BBVA Foundation Carlos Torres Vila during his address. The awardees gathered to attend a gala that was held for the first time this year in the city of Bilbao.

Statement from BBVA chairman Carlos Torres Vila at the opening of the course organized by the Spanish Association of Financial Journalists (APIE) at the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

BBVA’s Group executive chairman announced today that the bank’s goal is for all products to offer a sustainable option – both for large corporations and institutions, and SMEs and individual customers. The bank plans to reach this goal throughout 2020 for its main products sold in Spain.

BBVA and Dufry have launched the first WeChat Pay facilities in Spain, in the travel retail operator’s World Duty Free stores at the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas airport, in a dedicated bid to make Chinese tourists feel more welcome while on tour.

BBVA is unifying its brand across its footprint. Customers will see this change taking place progressively in the Group’s mobile apps, transactional websites, its almost 8,000 branches across the world and its corporate headquarters.

Eren Yardim, a BBVA office manager in Balikesir, Turkey, believes that the motivation to achieve success comes from within. The key is to think big and not be afraid of change.

It was no easy task: to evolve (or revolutionize) BBVA’s logo so that it reflects the Group’s transformation.  The result was just revealed in all countries where BBVA operates. Imanol, Brian and Blanca are three of the designers who – from their area of expertise – participated in this historic project that makes BBVA’s new identity a reality.

BBVA executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila met today with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the National Palace in Mexico City. Torres Vila conveyed BBVA Group’s commitment with Mexico to the Mexican president and announced an investment of 63 billion pesos (about €2.9 billion at today’s exchange rate) for the 2019-2024 period. During that time, BBVA will continue to contribute to Mexico’s economic growth by providing loans to families and businesses.

This Wednesday, BBVA successfully completed its second green bond issue in the wholesale debt market – the first one was in May 2018 – for the same amount, €1 billion, and with the same instrument and maturity. The transaction drew a very positive reaction from investors, with book orders exceeding €2.7 billion, a figure similar to the one reached last year. Excess demand made it possible to lower the price to mid-swap plus 103 basis points, from the initial range set at 120-125 basis points. This price entails a new zero new issue premium, just as in its first green bond issue.

In collaboration with Impact Hub Istanbul, the 10 social entrepreneurs will participate in online and classroom-based learning that will contribute to their business growth plans, and strategic mentoring-support and networking activities that include other entrepreneurs, customers and investors.