Banco Santander history

1900: Banco Hispano Americano is created.

Banco Central was founded in Madrid on December 6, 1919 by the Marquis of Aldama, the Count of Los Gaitanes, and Juan N é nez Anchustegui.

1921: Banco Central acquires Banco de Albacete.

When the United States stock market crash in 1929 led to a worldwide depression, Spanish banks were hard hit.

Government measures passed in 1931 to meet the crisis in Spanish banking consolidated Banco Central's position.

1942 First Madrid office Santander opened its first office in Spain’s capital city, on Calle de Alcalá, in the financial district.

1947 Santander goes to the Americas Havana was the location for Santander’s first office in the Americas.

1955 First European office Santander opened its first London office at number 38 Lombard Street, in the heart of the City.

In 1956, our Latin America Department was created.

By the time of its 100th anniversary, in 1957, our bank had become Spain’s seventh-largest financial institution.

In 1960, Emilio Botín Sanz de Sautuola y García de los Ríos joined the board of directors.

In 1962 the reforms continued with the establishment of a new government department to plan and coordinate economic development, and laws reforming Spanish banking were passed in April and June that year.

To comply with the new banking regulations, Banco Central also formed Banco de Fomento in 1963 to compete in the newly established industrial bank category.

Santander acquired a bank in Puerto Rico in 1976.

1983 A pioneer of technological change The bank undertook major initiatives to transform and modernize its operations.

1986 Emilio Botín appointed chairman In November 1986, Emilio Botín, until then CEO, was appointed chairman.

Banco Santander was first listed on the NYSE on July 30, 1987.

From their base as operators of their wives' construction company Construcciones y Contratas (Conycon) and executors of family money, the cousins began to buy Banco Central stock in 1988, eventually joining forces with the Kuwait Investment office (KIO) for about a 12 percent stake.

1990: Banco Central fails to acquire Banesto.

In 1991, Santander formed an alliance that lasted five years with First Fidelity Bank Corp, becoming its largest shareholder.

In 1994, the acquisition of Banco Español de Crédito (Banesto) marked an important milestone in our history by making us the leading bank in the Spanish market.

In 1995, First Fidelity merged with First Union Bank to become First Union Corporation.

Santander Universities was launched in 1996 in Spain.

With more than 106,000 employees across more than 6,200 branches at the time of the merger, BSCH, under new management led by Angel Corcostegui, is expected to streamline its operations beginning in 2000, cutting payroll back as much as 30 percent.

2002 Santander Group City is born The Bank’s rapid growth and the need to support its international business prompted the consolidation of all head offices functions at one location.

On 26 July 2004 Banco Santander Central Hispano announced the acquisition of Abbey National plc.

In 2006, Santander entered the consumer finance business by acquiring Drive, a leading car financing company based in Dallas.

In May 2007 Banco Santander Central Hispano announced that in conjunction with The Royal Bank of Scotland and Fortis it would make an offer for ABN AMRO. BSCH's share of the offer added up to 28% and the offer would have to be made up of a capital increase through a new share issue.

The Banco Santander Historical Archive It was founded by the specific agreement of collaboration between the Foundation of the University of Cantabria for the study and the research of the Financial Sector (UCEIF Foundation) and Banco Santander on February 8, 2008.

In 2009, Santander completed the acquisition of Sovereign Bank, a retail bank present in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

In September 2010, Santander purchased Bank Zachodni WBK from Allied Irish Banks.

2011 Expansion into Poland Santander took over Poland’s third-largest bank, Bank Zachodni WBK. The same year, the Group acquired the Scandinavian SEB group’s retail banking business in Germany.

On 28 February 2012, Santander announced that it had reached an agreement with KBC Bank to buy KBC's subsidiary Kredyt Bank in Poland.

Santander renamed the bank to enhance its global brand recognition in October 2013.

In November 2014, Banco Santander acquired a 5.1 percent stake in Monitise Plc for £33 million.

On 7 June 2017, Banco Santander purchased Banco Popular Español for a symbolic price of €1.

In 2018, the bank announced a three-year push into Latin America to increase its presence in the market, particularly Brazil and Mexico, targeting these countries' super-rich.