BNP Paribas is selling its network of agencies in Spain to Caixa Galicia to focus on private banking, asset management, investment banking and specialized financial services there. At the same time, the group signed a major cooperation agreement with Caixa Galicia, Galicia's largest financial institution. The agreement stipulates that Caixa Galicia will market a range of Spanish and international banking products for BNP Paribas while closely cooperating in the following areas :
- Securities safekeeping and intermediation
- Capital markets consulting and management services for underwriting, public offerings and project finance
- Strategic analysis of financial markets
- Correspondent banking
- Private banking
- Investment funds
- Leasing and factoring
The agreement meets the BNP Paribas strategic plan's objectives, which called for the group to dispose of its network of Spanish agencies, unprofitable owing to small size and operating expenses. Furthermore, the group's business plan in Western Europe is to increase sales of banking products through specialized distribution channels, tailored to each product. A number of its subsidiaries have been successfully operating in Spain for several years under various banners. Cetelem has been extending consumer credit under the Fimestic banner to over a million Aurore card holders while UCB has financed 40,000 real estate buyers under the UCI brand. UFB Locabail, Arval and Cardif have been enjoying increasing success there as well. The strategic plan has provided for considerable capital investments in these activities, aimed at significantly boosting their growth.
BNP Paribas has assigned a strategic priority to private banking and asset management in Spain, where the market now represents 220 million euros and is projected to grow 11% p.a. over the next five years. The group is among the world's top 10 in private banking, and is particularly well placed to profit from this growth.
The reorganization directs more resources to Spain's most buoyant market segments, thus paving the way for BNP Paribas to become a major banking group there.
- Securities safekeeping and intermediation
- Capital markets consulting and management services for underwriting, public offerings and project finance
- Strategic analysis of financial markets
- Correspondent banking
- Private banking
- Investment funds
- Leasing and factoring
The agreement meets the BNP Paribas strategic plan's objectives, which called for the group to dispose of its network of Spanish agencies, unprofitable owing to small size and operating expenses. Furthermore, the group's business plan in Western Europe is to increase sales of banking products through specialized distribution channels, tailored to each product. A number of its subsidiaries have been successfully operating in Spain for several years under various banners. Cetelem has been extending consumer credit under the Fimestic banner to over a million Aurore card holders while UCB has financed 40,000 real estate buyers under the UCI brand. UFB Locabail, Arval and Cardif have been enjoying increasing success there as well. The strategic plan has provided for considerable capital investments in these activities, aimed at significantly boosting their growth.
BNP Paribas has assigned a strategic priority to private banking and asset management in Spain, where the market now represents 220 million euros and is projected to grow 11% p.a. over the next five years. The group is among the world's top 10 in private banking, and is particularly well placed to profit from this growth.
The reorganization directs more resources to Spain's most buoyant market segments, thus paving the way for BNP Paribas to become a major banking group there.