Onur Genç receives professional merit award from Turkish and Spanish business people
Onur Genç, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), was deemed worthy of the professional merit award within the scope of the Turkish-Spanish Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCHT) 2022 awards.
Operating in Madrid, the capital of Spain, since 2011, CCHT held its 7th award ceremony at a hotel in Madrid this year.
Onur Genç was awarded the “professional merit award” for globalizing BBVA, of which he is the CEO since 2018, and for being the first Turk to lead a global Spanish bank.
Onur Genç, who received his award from Antonio Garamendi, President of the Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organizations (CEOE), said in his speech, “It is very proud for me to receive an award that unites the two countries in terms of history and cultural richness.”
Noting that BBVA has investments in 25 countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay and Turkey, besides Spain, Genç said, “We are one of the largest foreign investors in Turkey. Therefore, we see ourselves as an ambassador between two countries. Garanti BBVA’ “We started our first investment in 2011, and we now own 86% of Garanti BBVA with our very recent investment. We have great confidence in Turkey’s future and long-term development. We are doing very well in Turkey and we will support this investment forever.” spoke.
BBVA CEO emphasized that Turkey is a very important and critical market for BBVA due to its commercial links with Europe, being a production center in Europe, having enterprising companies, manpower and geopolitical position.
Noting that the trade volume between Turkey and Spain has increased by 2-3 times compared to 2009 and has now reached 18 billion Euros, Genç said that as BBVA, they also want to play a role in bilateral trade and are ready to assist the commercial enterprises of both countries.
“Turkey is a very strategic country for us”
CEOE President Antonio Garamendi said, “Turkey is a very strategic country for us. Turkey, where more than 120 of our companies are active, is a gateway for us. As CEOE, there are places in Turkey where we cooperate together. We continue to increase our activities, we continue to travel together. You will always find our support by your side,” he said.
Reminding that he is from Bilbao and BBVA, a Bilbao bank, said that “it is proud to be led by a Turkish person”, Garamendi congratulated Onur Genç for his achievements.
Turkey’s Madrid Ambassador Burak Akçapar underlined that the multi-faceted relations between Spain and Turkey are “perfect in every sense” and noted that the economic relations between the two countries continue to strengthen.
Award to Grupo Barcelo and Arkas Logistics companies
CCHT, which carries out activities to promote and increase the economic, commercial and cultural cooperation between Turkey and Spain, also collaborated with the Spanish company Grupo Barcelo “for their work promoting the tourism sector between the two countries”, “for helping to develop a growing and fluent logistics trade between Turkey and Spain. ” Turkish company awarded Arkas Logistics.
There are important member companies such as BBVA, Mapfre, Amadeus, Banco Sabadell, Befesa, Caixabank, Roca, Vestel, Zumosol, THY, Damat Tween in the Turkish-Spanish Chamber of Industry and Commerce, of which the Presidential Investment Office is also a founder and a member of the Board of Directors.
