CEO Today Global Awards

48 www.ceotodaymagazine.com CEO Today Global Awards 2020 SPAIN ONUR GENÇ CEO of BBVA The history of BBVA is the history of the many different people who have been a part of the more than one hundred financial institutions that have joined our corporate endeavor since it originated in the mid- 19th Century. Today at BBVA, we work to create a better future for people, seeking to build long-lasting relationships with our customers that change our way of looking at the business. As a result, BBVA has become a global leader and one of the world’s most renowned and award-winning banks. BBVA is firmly committed to the future and is a pioneer in adapting to the needs of an increasingly global market and especially, to the banking industry of the 21st Century. More than 160 years of experience support this commitment. The history of BBVA dates back to 1857 in the city of Bilbao, in northern Spain, where the Board of Commerce promoted the founding of the Banco de Bilbao as an issuance and discount bank. This was a pioneering initiative that was driven by the economic growth in the region. Until the end of the 19th Century, it was the city’s only bank. In the second half of the 19th Century, Banco de Bilbao financed several important infrastructure and steel industry projects. In 1878, it lost the right to issue its own banknotes and was restructured as a loan and discount bank. Banco de Vizcaya was founded in 1901; it carried out its first transactions in Bilbao and little by little, began to expand throughout the country. Apart from its activity as a commercial and depositary bank, Banco de Vizcaya took part in the creation and development of a large part of Spanish industry. In 1902, Banco de Bilbao and the Banco de Comercio merged, although both institutions maintained their status as legal entities. www.bbv.es Onur Genç is a businessperson who has been the head of 8 different companies. He occupies the position of Chairman at Garanti Konut Finansmani Danismanlik Hizmetleri AS, Chief Executive Officer at Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, Chief Executive Officer for BBVA Global Markets BV and Chief Executive Officer for Bbva USA (Investment Management) (both are subsidiaries of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA), Chairman for Garanti Mortgage and Chief Executive Officer & Director at Garanti Ödeme Sistemleri AS. Mr. Genç is also on the board of 5 other companies. He previously held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Turkiye Garanti Bankasi AS, Chief Executive Officer at BBVA USA and Director at BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc. (Texas). He received an undergraduate degree from Bogazici University and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. About Onur Genç