Onur Genç will take up the baton of Carlos Torres as the ceo of BBVA

Carlos Torres will take up the baton of Francisco González as chairman of the BBVA

Demanding, with extensive experience in the financial sector, and committed to the digital transformation of the banking business. This is, broadly speaking, the profile of Onur Genç, the man chosen by BBVA to happen to Carlos Torres Vila as the ceo of the bank when he assumes the presidency.

His choice was approved yesterday by the Board of Directors of the entity, which closed the relay in the top of the dome. The past month of September it was announced that the own Torres Vila will take up the baton of Francisco González as executive chairman of the company, and both relays will be effective starting from the next December 31, as confirmed by the entity in a press release.

“The Council has chosen to Onur because he is the ceo ideal to further advance our strategy and drive the transformation in all our franchises, creating value for all our stakeholders: shareholders, employees, customers and the society as a whole,” said Torres Vila.

Genç (Trabzon, Turkey), 44 years old and father of two twins of 14 years, he worked for 13 years at McKinsey & Company, where he became senior partner and managing director of the Turkish office when he was 34 years old.

In 2012, he joined BBVA through Garanti, an entity Turkish of the that the Spanish bank has the 49,85%. Turkey is a key market for the Spanish group. BBVA has in that country an exhibition on assets of about 84,000 million dollars and your results here represent one-third of your gross profit, hence the recent crisis of the lira became a focus of concern for the entity.

Controlled by now that risk, BBVA has opted for one of the former officials of Garanti as the strong man of Torres Vila. Onur Genç joined the association as executive vice president responsible for retail banking, and in 2015 was appointed as number two, also assuming responsibility for the wholesale business.

In January of 2017 moved to the USA, where he has served as CEO of BBVA Compass, regional director of the entity in the country.

Digital and global

Madrid will, from January, their new destination, and from here it will help boost the digitization process of the group. “The big challenge is the need to respond to a client is more and more changing in the digital age”, said yesterday shortly after news of his appointment. Aware of the new challenge that assumes, Genç highlighted as strengths of the bank your future project, its global character and the team that you work with.

“I Think that our conviction about the need to transform is much greater than in other banks […] while the transformation is essential, we are very clear that ours is a people business. In addition to the digital, we will continue to invest in people. All the channels are combined to provide the best service to all our customers”, said yesterday shortly after news of his appointment.

On the global vocation of the entity, Genç stressed that BBVA is “a Spanish bank with operations and global aspirations. As we become more global, we will be more effective, as they capitalize on the investments we make in all markets”.

In the short term, however, their challenges are to find a home for the family and a school for their children and improve their Spanish. “Since now, I ask patience to all,” he joked.

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