BBVA vs Santander: Founders, CEOs and History
BBVA was founded in 1857 by Bilbao Board of Trade and is led by Onur Genç. Santander was founded in 1857 by Queen Isabella II, Founding Shareholders of Banco de Santander and is led by Héctor Grisi.
Company facts
Founders
BBVA
Bilbao Board of Trade
No individual is recorded as the founder of BBVA's oldest institution. Banco de Bilbao was created in 1857 after the Bilbao Board of Trade, the body representing the port city's merchants, promoted a bank that could issue banknotes and discount commercial bill…
Santander
Queen Isabella II
Queen Isabella II reigned over Spain from 1833 to 1868. On May 15, 1857, a royal decree issued during her reign authorized the creation of Banco de Santander in the northern port city of Santander.
Founding Shareholders of Banco de Santander
The founding shareholders were merchants and businesspeople of Santander, a port with heavy trade links to Spain's Caribbean and Latin American markets. They backed the bank to provide credit, discounting and payment services for that trade.
CEOs and their tenures
BBVA
- Pedro Luis Uriarte1999–2001
Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive and vice chairman of BBV from September 1994 and of the merged BBVA until he retired at the end of 2001.
Source - Francisco Gonzalez2000–2018
Executive Chairman
Chaired Argentaria before its 1999 merger with BBV and then BBVA until December 2018, 22 years at the head of the group in total. He drove the bank's technology rebuild and the 2007 purchase of Compass Bancshares in the United States.
Source - Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri2001–2009
Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive of BBVA from 2001 to 2009, the period that covered the USD4.1 billion buyout of the rest of BBVA Bancomer in 2004 and the USD9.6 billion purchase of Compass Bancshares in 2007. He later chaired Bankia and CaixaBank.
Source - Angel Cano2009–2015
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed chief executive in September 2009, replacing Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri.
Source - Carlos Torres Vila2015–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive from May 2015 until December 31, 2018, when he became executive chairman and Onur Genc took over as CEO. He had joined BBVA in 2008 to run strategy and corporate development and led digital banking from 2014.
Source - Onur Genc2018–present
Chief Executive Officer
Took over as CEO on December 31, 2018, the day Carlos Torres Vila became executive chairman.
Source
Santander
- Emilio Botin1986–2014
Former Chairman
Turned a Spanish bank into a multinational group with major franchises in Latin America and the UK.
Source - Ana Botin2014–present
Executive Chair
Previously ran Santander UK; became executive chair in September 2014 after her father's death. Under her the group moved toward global businesses and shared technology rather than a loose federation of local banks.
Source - Hector Grisi2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
Former head of Santander Mexico and North America; group CEO since January 1, 2023, succeeding Jose Antonio Alvarez. Responsible for executing ONE Transformation and the 2028 targets.
Source
Timeline: BBVA and Santander side by side
1857BBVA
Banco de Bilbao is created
Bilbao's Board of Trade promotes the creation of Banco de Bilbao as a bank of issue and discount for the city's merchants. It is the oldest institution in BBVA's corporate line.
1857Santander
Banco de Santander is authorized
A royal decree authorized Banco de Santander in northern Spain.
1901BBVA
Banco de Vizcaya is founded
Banco de Vizcaya is founded in Bilbao and grows alongside Banco de Bilbao as the second large Basque bank, financing regional industry.
1988BBVA
Banco de Bilbao and Banco de Vizcaya merge
The two Basque rivals merge to form Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (BBV), one of the largest banks in Spain ahead of the European single market.
1996Santander
Acquired Grupo Financiero InverMexico
Banco Santander acquired Grupo Financiero InverMexico in 1996.
1999BBVA
BBV merges with Argentaria to create BBVA
BBV merges with Argentaria, the group Spain had assembled from state-owned lenders such as Banco Exterior, Banco Hipotecario and Caja Postal, forming Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria.
1999Santander
Merger with Banco Central Hispano
The combination created a larger Spanish banking platform for international expansion.
2000BBVA
BBVA takes control of Bancomer in Mexico
BBVA capitalizes Bancomer with USD1.4 billion and merges it with BBV-Probursa to create Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer, the largest bank in Mexico.
2004BBVA
BBVA bids for the rest of BBVA Bancomer
BBVA offers USD4.1 billion in cash for the roughly 41 percent of BBVA Bancomer held by minority investors, ending with about 99 percent of the Mexican group.
2004Santander
Abbey National acquisition
Santander entered the UK retail banking market at scale.
2007BBVA
Compass Bancshares purchase builds a US franchise
BBVA buys Compass Bancshares of Birmingham, Alabama for USD9.6 billion, creating a Sunbelt retail bank that later traded as BBVA Compass and BBVA USA.
2010BBVA
BBVA agrees to buy 24.9 percent of Garanti
BBVA agrees to pay ~$4.74 billion (EUR4.195 billion), about USD5.84 billion, for 24.9 percent of Turkiye Garanti Bankasi, funded with a rights issue of about $5.65 billion (EUR5 billion).
2014BBVA
BBVA wins the auction for Catalunya Banc
BBVA bids ~$1.34 billion (EUR1.187 billion) for Catalunya Banc, with 1.5 million customers and ~$71.2 billion (EUR63 billion) of assets, in the auction run by Spain's bank restructuring fund. The deal closed in 2015.
2014Santander
Ana Botin becomes executive chair
Leadership passed to Ana Botin after Emilio Botin's death.
2018BBVA
Onur Genc is named CEO
BBVA's board designates Onur Genc as chief executive from December 31, 2018, the date Carlos Torres Vila replaces Francisco Gonzalez as executive chairman.
2019BBVA
BBVA unifies its brand worldwide
The group drops local names such as BBVA Bancomer, BBVA Francés, BBVA Continental and BBVA Compass and operates as BBVA in every market.
2021BBVA
BBVA closes the transfer of BBVA USA to PNC
BBVA completes the transfer of BBVA USA Bancshares to PNC Financial Services on June 1, 2021, receiving about USD11.5 billion, equivalent to ~$10.8 billion (EUR9.6 billion), in cash.
2022BBVA
Tender offer lifts the Garanti stake to 85.97 percent
A tender offer at 15 Turkish lira per share closes in May 2022 and raises BBVA's holding in Garanti BBVA to 85.97 percent.
2025BBVA
The offer for Banco Sabadell lapses
Shareholders representing 25.47 percent of Sabadell's voting rights accept BBVA's all-share offer, short of the minimum BBVA required, and the bid lapses on October 16, 2025.
2025BBVA
Record net attributable profit of ~$11.9B (EUR10.511B)
BBVA reports gross income of ~$41.7B (EUR36.931B) and net attributable profit of ~$11.9B (EUR10.511B) for 2025, with ROTE of 19.3 percent and an efficiency ratio of 38.8 percent.
2025Santander
Record profit and 180 million customers
Santander reported ~$15.9 billion (EUR 14.101 billion) in attributable profit and reached 180 million customers.
2026BBVA
BBVA is ordered to stand trial in the Villarejo case
Spain's National Court orders BBVA, former chairman Francisco Gonzalez and 14 other defendants to stand trial over work commissioned from former police commissioner Jose Manuel Villarejo between 2004 and 2016.
2026Santander
Santander Bank Polska stake sold
Sale of 49% of Santander Bank Polska to Erste Group completed on January 9, 2026.
2026Santander
TSB acquisition completed
Santander UK completed the TSB acquisition on April 30, 2026.
2026Santander
Webster Bank acquisition completed
The $12.2 billion Webster deal closed on August 20, 2026.
Acquisitions
BBVA
- Turkiye Garanti Bankasi tender offer (Turkey)2022Undisclosed
- Catalunya Banc (Spain)2014Undisclosed
- Turkiye Garanti Bankasi 24.9 percent stake (Turkey)2010$5.8B
- Compass Bancshares (United States)2007$9.6B
- BBVA Bancomer minority shares (Mexico)2004$4.1B
- Grupo Financiero Bancomer (Mexico)2000$1.4B
Santander
- TSB Banking Group2026Undisclosed
- Webster Financial Corporation2026$12.2B
- Banco Popular2017$1
- Banco Real (via ABN AMRO consortium)2007Undisclosed
- Abbey National2004Undisclosed
- Grupo Financiero Serfin2000Undisclosed
Questions about BBVA vs Santander
Who is the CEO of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Banco Santander, S.A.?
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. is led by Onur Genç and Banco Santander, S.A. is led by Héctor Grisi. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. founded vs Banco Santander, S.A.?
Both Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Banco Santander, S.A. were founded in 1857, making them the same age.
How many employees does Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. have compared to Banco Santander, S.A.?
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. employs approximately 127,174 people, while Banco Santander, S.A. employs approximately 185,000. Banco Santander, S.A. has the larger workforce at 185,000 employees, compared to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.'s 127,174. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Banco Santander, S.A. headquartered?
Both Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Banco Santander, S.A. are headquartered in Spain, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. and Banco Santander, S.A.?
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. was founded by Bilbao Board of Trade. Banco Santander, S.A. was founded by Queen Isabella II, Founding Shareholders of Banco de Santander.
Which company has a longer operating history — Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. or Banco Santander, S.A.?
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. has been operating for approximately 169 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Banco Santander, S.A. has been in operation for around 169 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the BBVA vs Santander overview