Banco Santander

As of 2008, Banco Santander, the central business of Santander Group, is the third largest bank in the world in terms of profit and the seventh strongest financial institution in terms of stock market capitalization. The shares of Santander Group are traded at the stock exchanges of Madrid, London, and New York under the symbols SAN, BNC, and STD. Banco Santander was founded in 1857 by a decree of Queen Isabel II of Spain to facilitate the trade between the port of Santander and South America. Nowadays, Mr. Emilio Botín, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Santander S.A. and Mr. Alfredo Sáenz Abad, CEO, are leading a team of over 170,000 employees, working in the group’s offices in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

The business model of Santander Group is based on the following pillars: retail banking, carried out with utmost efficiency through a network of over fourteen thousand branches across the globe, steady expansion, prudence in risk management and the employment of cutting-edge technology at the service of commercial efficiency, along with capital discipline and a strict human resource policy. The aim of this model is to offer banking and financial services of unsurpassed quality to the group’s ninety million customers and over three million shareholders.

To their individual customers, Banco Santander offers tailored everyday banking solutions such as current and savings accounts with attractive interest rates (as much as six percent in Euro for twelve months), credit and debit cards, online and telephone banking service, a wide range of bank loans, including an interest-free overdraft for students and fresh graduates, mortgage and consumer loans, investments and savings advisory, and an attractive package of insurance services, including home insurance, mortgage payment-care insurance, travel, health and risk insurance, etc.

To their business clients, Santander Group offers a set of integrated banking services including short and long-term project financing, leasing solutions for the purchase of equipment and machinery, mortgage loans and real property management, as well as a rich variety of tailored insurance solutions for the owners of small companies, hotels, and restaurants.

Santander Corporate Banking division provides risk assessment and management services, market analyses and investment advisory, treasury management and capital market operations.

The international clients of Santander Group may rely on the high-quality services of Santander Global Banking & Markets, including international payment assistance, trade financing and insurance, import and export management and advisory, etc.

The financial results of Santander S.A. for 2008 are quite encouraging – a total revenue of 31 billion Euro, net profit in the amount of 8.87 billion Euro, and operating income of over seventeen billion Euro.

Commercial Banks Guide > Banco Santander