At 35 years of age, with a world cup under his belt, Cristian Zaccardo can brag about becoming an unusual pioneer in the world of soccer. After terminating his contract with Vicenza, the Italian center back found a new destination thanks to the professional social network. He will now be defending the colors of Malta’s Hamrun Spartans.

People who are knowledgeable about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are some of the most sought-after employees. According to a study conducted by the portal Ticjob, published by Expansión, the number of this kind of job openings has increased 5% in the third quarter of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

One of the world’s most respected publications, The Economist, has written up an article on BBVA entitled “BBVA, A Spanish Bank, Reinvents itself as a Digital Business’. The focus of the piece is on the steps BBVA is taking to transform itself into the bank of the future, and the reasons for doing this.

Companies increasingly tend to hire sociable people. Although 90% of hiring is still based on IQ, 52% of today’s jobs require social skills, according to Galp, Cinco Días reports.

BBVA Compass was recognized as a leader in Financial Fitness from Javelin Strategy & Research in its 2017 Online Banking Scorecard, with independent research firm spotlighting the bank for providing a notable online banking experience that guides customers on a financial journey.

Javelin Strategy & Research’s competitive analysis of the nation’s top 28 financial institutions examines more than 225 online banking features in six critical areas of banking success: ease of use, security empowerment, financial fitness, money movement, customer service, and account opening.

The ‘Leader’ in Financial Fitness recognition was given to just 3 financial institutions out of 28 measured that Javelin found to be proactive and vigilant financial advisers that demonstrate that they:

• Have financial oversight and guidance anchored by the ability for customers to conveniently view balances and transactions for all of their accounts in a single view.
• Give consumers alerts that help them stay on top of their finances.
• Serve up personalized content and insights to help them understand and manage their money better.
• Have online banking services that boast the tools and advice that help customers save for specific goals.

BBVA Compass has closed a $5 million equity investment in Pathway Lending, becoming the largest investor in Alabama’s effort to build up small businesses in the state’s Appalachian region. Pathway Lending, a Community Development Financial Institution certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury, will operate the state’s new loan fund for small businesses in the 37 counties of Appalachian Alabama.

Argentine soccer star Leo Messi came to the rescue of his county’s team just when it needed him the most, ensuring it a place in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Messi overcame a rough start in the qualifying match against Ecuador, with a hat trick that gave Argentina a 1-3 victory .

In other qualifying matches, Paraguay was defeated by Venezuela, while Chile was eliminated after its defeat by Brazil. Peru and Colombia were tied 1-1; as a result, the Peruvians will move on to face New Zealand in the playoffs. Uruguay, meanwhile, assured itself a place in the World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Bolivia.

The 7th CinfaSalud Study, covered by the newspaper 20 Minutos, analyzes the extent to which Spaniards suffer from stress in their everyday lives. The report indicates that nine out of every ten Spaniards surveyed  (96%) have experienced stress at some point in the past year and nearly 12.5 million (42%) suffer from stress frequently or continuously.

A group of BBVA representatives, led by the Executive Chairman Francisco González, will travel this week to participate in the most important economic event of the year: The annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).  This week is surely marked red on Christine Lagarde (Managing Director of the IMF) and Jim Yong Kim’s (president of the World Bank) calendars.  Representatives of the world’s top financial institutions will meet in Washington from October 9 to 15 to discuss topics such as the future of work in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution or the impact of 'fintech' on the financial sector.  Concurrently on the same dates and city, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) will be holding its annual meeting, focusing on the future of finance.

Fingerprint recognition is the payment security technology users find most appealing. According to data from Juniper Research, 74% of users say they are likely to use this technology to ensure the security of their financial transactions.