Banco Popular Espanol (BPE)

Banco Popular Español is the largest banking group of Spain (July, 2015). The bank also works at financial markets of France, Portugal and Venezuela.

Performance Indicators

By data for 2014, the total annual revenues of the Spanish Banco Popular were €3.8 billion, and its profit is estimated at €260 million.

History

1926: Foundation of bank

1926: Foundation of Banco Popular Español (BPE) bank.

1968: BPE opens division in Paris. The French bank department by 1991 included 14 offices.

1992: BPE transfers the French division to joint venture from Banco Comercial Português under the name of Banco Popular Comercial.

2000: BPE starts network of offices in Portugal.

2002: Banco Popular Comercial passes under full control of the Spanish Banco Popular and changes the name for Banco Popular France. In Portugal Banco Popular buys Banco Nacional de Crédito (BNC) and translates under the BNC brand all the offices in the country.

2005: The Portuguese BNC changes the name for Banco Popular Portugal.

2007: BPE buys for $300 million small bank TotalBank in the Southern Florida (USA). At the time of the transaction at this bank of 14 offices in Miami Dade County and 250 employees.

2014

The contract with IBM for 10 years

In July, 2014 Banco Popular signed the 10-year contract with IBM under which transfers 41 employees of the IT department to structure of the company integrator for management of the private cloud.

Prevention of robbery

In August, 2014 the malefactors issuing themselves for builders prepared an effective bank robbery of Banco Popular in the downtown of Elche (Province of Alicante). Malefactors dug out a 150-meter tunnel which was detected at the last minute by the security guard.

Criminals were based in the empty building located at distance of two streets from Banco Popular branch. They began the work a month before the planned robbery, telling the curious neighbors that they are engaged in finishing and repair of the house.

"Three or four of them came every morning by 10 a.m. with tools, and then went to lunch time, as well as most of builders", - one of locals told the daily log of El Mundo.

They very carefully approached a question, having dug a tunnel width in half-meter, avoiding at the same time transmission lines, gas pipes and collecting pipes. But when the gang approached bank after its closing, the security guard warned police about the flash of light recorded by one of security cameras. The sources close to investigation consider that robbers ran away into the latest moment through a tunnel. Possibly, they were warned by one of helpers who guarded outside bank.

Police officers who combed a tunnel and the sewerage in search of proofs, are convinced that robbers were going to get to storage using explosion, most likely, in the past weekend when streets of the center of Elche are deserted, especially in summer months.

Purchase of retail business of Citibank España

On July 1, 2014 Banco Popular announced purchase of consumer business from Citibank España including network of offices, business of credit cards and the broker direction.