BBVA is the first bank in Spain to hold an international developer competition, known as ‘datathon’, inviting developers to build new services, applications and contents based on its card transaction data. Innova Challenge provides third parties with data from cards and BBVA point-of-sale terminals in Madrid and Barcelona, in an anonymous way and in compliance with privacy regulations. This initiative is a first step to open the BBVA platform in order to promote innovation inside and outside the bank.
Finance
Finance
Two London-based fintech start-ups - Everledger, which uses the Blockchain to record ownership of valuables, and Origin Markets, a platform which directly connects corporate bond issuers with institutional investors - have won the 2015 BBVA Open Talent Europe final. OpenTalent, now in its 7th year, seeks to support the fintech ecosystem by finding and supporting the best start-ups across the world, and is part of BBVA’s work to transform its business using digital technology.
The winners of BBVA Open Talent Latin America have been announced. Bitnexo was chosen for its blockchain-based payments solution for companies trading with Asia, and Destacame.cl, which has already been recognized with the Special Financial Inclusion Award, won top honors for its system which creates credit risk profiles based on bill payment histories for basic services.
BBVA has opened a representative office in Jakarta (Indonesia), through which it will help Spanish companies enter this market with massive potential. The new office, which started operating at the end of August, also aims to be a strategic platform for detecting business opportunities in the country.
BBVA wins ‘silver’ mention in the ‘Best online report 2014,’ in the International/Unlisted (in the London stock exchange) category in this year’s edition of the ‘The Corporate & Financial Awards’. This report also received an ARC Award and was shortlisted for the Digital Impact Awards.
BBVA is now the leading shareholder in Garanti, Turkey's largest bank in terms of market capitalization. After completing the transaction announced last November to acquire an additional 14.89% holding, the BBVA Group now owns to 39.90% of Garanti. Francisco González is in Istanbul due to the closing of the transaction and the appointment of the new Garanti CEO.
Gema Sacristán heads the Financial Markets Division at the Structured and Corporate Finance Department at the IDB, the area responsible for development and capital markets, financing foreign trade, and relations with financial intermediaries –mainly banks and mutual funds.
The BBVA Group has taken a major step in its commitment to its domestic market by acquiring Catalunya Banc through an auction held by the Orderly Bank Restructuring Fund (known as FROB). The move doubles BBVA’s market share in Catalonia and makes it the most relevant player in the sector in Spain. The acquisition will have a positive impact on the Group’s results in 2016.
Last 7th July, BBVA was awarded the Silver Mention on "Best Online Report 2014", within the category of international and unlisted companies, on the London Stock Exchange. This prize has been awarded by the prestigious magazine "The Corporate & Financial Awards".