20 IESE Banking: Surfing the Wave of Uncertainty

This video features highlights from the 20th IESE Banking Industry Meeting, organized by IESE Business School and FTI Consulting under the theme “Simplifying Banking Regulation to Stimulate European Growth.” During the event, Peio Belausteguigoitia (BBVA) outlined the bank’s commitments if acquiring Sabadell, assuring branches won’t close if over 300 meters apart or in vulnerable areas, and expressed confidence the merger would support lending and serve the public interest. César González-Bueno (Sabadell) noted further consolidation is unlikely among Spain’s largest banks, though there’s room for smaller mergers and opportunities in Germany, calling for more European integration. IESE professors Jordi Gual and José Manuel González-Páramo stressed that the industry is shaped by geoeconomic and geopolitical risks, with banks as the first line of defense. Sergio Vélez (FTI) highlighted the need for alliances, business transformation, and strong leadership. Prof. Germán López Espinosa (IESE) pointed out cross-border banking in the EU remains limited and called for regulatory simplification to boost growth. Miguel Ángel Díez (FTI) observed that, despite innovation and profitability, European banks face growth challenges due to limited scale. Olaf Díaz-Pintado (Goldman Sachs) and Gonzalo Gortázar (CaixaBank) emphasized the need for macroeconomic stability and highlighted regulatory fragmentation as a barrier to a unified market. Gloria Ortiz (Bankinter) warned of overregulation after the last crisis, and José Antonio Álvarez (Santander) noted that regulatory demands constrain banks’ lending capacity. Juan Carlos Escotet (Abanca) called for reforms to tackle hyperregulation. Vítor Constâncio (ex-ECB) argued Europe needs deeper capital markets to compete globally. Additional voices addressed topics including the importance of private banks for industrial projects (Alejandro Raboso), forthcoming EU regulations (Diego de Ojeda), and the need for a unified payments system (Juan Ayuso, ECB; Álvaro de Salas, Indra). Alejandra Kindelán (AEB) acknowledged digital risks, while Adolfo Hernández Lorente (Sabadell Digital) and Jaime Calvo Alfonsin (Santander) discussed the challenge of managing cybersecurity and legal compliance. Petri Nikkilä (Openbank) emphasized the need to protect customer data across the banking ecosystem. The IESE Banking Industry Meeting is a leading annual forum for executives, regulators, and academics, focusing on consolidation, regulation, digitalization, and the future of European banking. Learn more: industrymeetings.iese.edu