Following the resignation of Mr. José Luis Leal Maldonado from seeking a fifth term as President of the AEB, the AEB’s leading group of large banks, exercising the power conferred by its Articles of Association, has decided to put forward the candidacy of Mr. Miguel Martín Fernández to the Association’s General Assembly, which will take place on March 30 of this year.
Throughout the sixteen years of Mr. José Luis Leal’s tenure at the helm of the Association, the Spanish banking system has undergone a profound transformation, making it one of the most efficient and capitalized in the world. The AEB has actively collaborated in this process: it has consistently maintained the unity of its members, both national and foreign, to better represent their interests; it has achieved labor stability in the sector, allowing the inevitable profound adjustments to be carried out without social trauma; and it has played a significant role in international forums, particularly in the European Banking Federation, which Mr. José Luis Leal chaired between 1996 and 1998.
The outgoing President has had a long professional career, holding important public and private responsibilities, both within and outside Spain.
For his part, Mr. Miguel Martín played a prominent role in the transitional governments, successively serving as Director General of the Treasury, Undersecretary of Budget and Public Expenditure, President of the ICO, and Undersecretary of Economy and Finance. He then served as Director General of Banking Supervision of Credit Institutions at the Bank of Spain, before becoming Deputy Governor during the period 1992-2000. In addition to his extensive national experience, Mr. Miguel Martín has held significant positions in international organizations, notably his membership in the Monetary Committee of the European Union between 1992 and 1998, and its Economic and Financial Committee during 1999 and 2000.
