CaixaBank has been named the Best Confirming Bank 2019 in the Global Trade Finance Awards FY2019, by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a company of the World Bank Group. These awards, this year in their ninth edition, recognise leading companies in terms of foreign trade.
IFC, the top multilateral institution dedicated exclusively to the private sector, singles out CaixaBank for its innovation and experience in developing foreign trade finance solutions, under the framework of the Global Trade Finance Programme (GTFP).
CaixaBank has been contributing to the IFC's GTFP for more than five years, thanks to its steady commitment to boost foreign trade in emerging countries, and for offering its customers the best experience in the business financing process, both in countries where the institution has branches and in regions where it has no physical presence.
Furthermore, CaixaBank participates in other foreign trade impulse programmes with institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Inter-American Development Bank, among others.
In 2019, the institution closed operations for a total of more than 900 million euros under the framework of programmes of foreign trade finance with multilateral coverage. Asia represented nearly 60% of the total turnover. There, CaixaBank has representation branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, India and Singapore.
Through these programmes, CaixaBank is positioned as a pioneering institution in terms of foreign trade finance solutions, and strengthens its relations with local banks where it operates. CaixaBank has agreements in place with 1,600 international banks, to facilitate international the operations of businesses and individuals all over the world.
CaixaBank has also been recognised as the "Domestic Factoring Provider of the Year" and the "International Factoring Provider of the Year" in the RFIx Awards 2020, which recognise leading companies in the receivables finance sector.
CaixaBank is a pioneer in factoring solutions. This year, it signed its first sustainable factoring contract in Spain, and in 2019 it introduced its AgroFresh Factoring product, specialised in the agri-food industry. In 2018, it was the first Spanish company to launch a solution to fund businesses in the tourism sector, such as travel agencies (Tourism Factoring Solutions).
CaixaBank, the bank chosen by companies
CaixaBank consolidates itself as a benchmark institution for businesses with a specialised model, which has a network of 126 CaixaBank Empresas centres distributed across all the autonomous communities in Spain, with 1,200 highly-qualified employees and a solid reputation in business consulting.
Internationally, CaixaBank supports its business customers in 127 countries through its operational branches, representation branches, correspondent banks and holdings, in addition to its highly-specialised advisers — specialists in financing and services, foreign trade and liquid assets, structured financing, tourism and real estate — who work in the branches in Spain, offering the best advice for business transactions abroad. The institution provides services to both SMEs and micro-enterprises beginning their export activities, and large corporations and business groups handling more complex international projects.
CaixaBank's international presence
CaixaBank's international presence is channelled in different ways: through its Portuguese subsidiary, BPI; through its International Banking network of branches and representation offices, all over the world; through cooperation agreements with first-rate international banks; and with stakes in international companies.
CaixaBank's International Banking network comprises branches in Morocco, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Poland. The institution also has 18 representation branches in all 5 continents: Istanbul (Turkey), Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), New Delhi (India), Cairo (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Johannesburg (South Africa), New York (the USA), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogotá (Colombia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Sidney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). It also has two Spanish Desk teams in Austria's Erste Bank and Mexico's Inbursa, to advise CaixaBank business customers in these markets.
CaixaBank's international network is the only international banking network in Spain certified by AENOR.
About the IFC
IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2019, we invested more than $19 billion in private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
