About Us

About Us

The Spanish Banking Association (AEB) is a professional association open to all Spanish and foreign banks operating in Spain. Although membership is voluntary, most banking entities in the country are members of the Association. Since its establishment in 1977, it has been committed to developing the Spanish banking system and contributing to the country’s economic growth.

Through its governing bodies and technical committees, the AEB supports banks in their mission to contribute to the economy and to stand by individuals and businesses in a constantly changing and evolving society.

Organizational Chart

Alejandra Kindelán Oteyza

Chairwoman

Javier Rodríguez Pellitero

Secretary
General
Legal, Tax, Retail Banking, Financial Markets, Anti-Money Laundering, Labor
Chairwoman’s Office and Communication Department

David del Cura Fernández

Chairwoman’s Coordinator and Communications Director
Communication, Image, Media

María Abascal
Rojo

General
Director

Pedro Guerrero
Meseguer

Head of European Affairs and Strategy

Banking, Regulation, Operations and Payment Methods, Digitalization, Sustainability, International

Our History

It begins in 1977, with the creation of the Spanish Banking Association to represent the sector, support its development, and strengthen its role in the country’s economic and social progress.

Learn more
This content has been automatically translated and may contain inaccuracies.

Alejandra Kindelán Oteyza

PRESIDENT

Alejandra Kindelán has been President of the Spanish Banking Association and the AEB Foundation since April 2022. She also currently holds one of the vice-presidencies of CEOE.

She is a member of the Institute of Economic Studies, the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Financial Studies, and the Observatory of the School of Industrial Organization.

Prior to her appointment at AEB, she was head of the Research Department, Public Policy, and Institutional Relations at Banco Santander, where she also served as a director of Banco Santander’s consumer finance business in Europe (SCF) and of Santander Argentina. She was Executive Vice President of the OECD Business Advisory Council from 2017 to 2023.

Between 2006 and 2012, she chaired the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Banking Federation and was a member of the Regulatory Committee of the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

Before joining Santander, she worked as a consultant for the World Bank. In 1994, she joined the Research Department of Banco Central Hispano—which later merged with Santander—to work as an international economics analyst. In 2001, she was appointed head of Research and Public Policy at Grupo Santander.

Alejandra holds degrees in Economics and Political Science from Wellesley College (Wellesley, Massachusetts), completed a PDG at IESE (Madrid), and the banking studies program at INSEAD (Fontainebleau). Born in Caracas (Venezuela), Alejandra has lived in the United Kingdom and the United States, and has three children.

Javier Rodríguez Pellitero

Secretary General

Javier Rodríguez Pellitero has been Secretary General of the Spanish Banking Association since April 2015. He joined the institution in May 2010, chairs the Tax and Legal Committees, is a member of the Legal Committee of the European Banking Federation, and serves as a member of the CNMV Advisory Committee.

Previously, he held various positions of responsibility at the CNMV, notably as Director General of the Legal Service and Secretary to the Board.

A member of the State Attorneys Corps, he began his career as Chief State Attorney in Zamora.

He has delivered numerous courses and lectures, especially on Financial Markets Law, at various academic institutions. He holds degrees in Law and in Economics and Business Administration (E3) from the Pontifical University of Comillas – ICADE.

Areas: Legal, Tax, Retail Banking, Financial Markets, Anti-Money Laundering, Labor

Alfonso Caro

Advisor | Legal

María Peco

Advisor | Legal

Carmen González

Advisor | Tax

Juan Vives

Advisor | Labor

Patricia Rodriguez

Advisor | Financial Markets

Lucía Álvaro

Advisor | Legal

David del Cura Fernández

President's Office Coordination

David del Cura is the coordinator of the AEB President’s Office. A journalism graduate from the Faculty of Information Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid, he has spent much of his professional career in radio. He began at Radio España and worked at Onda Cero for 23 years, where he held various roles, including Director of ‘La Brújula’, editor of the news segments for ‘Protagonistas’ and ‘Herrera en la Onda’, and editor-in-chief of national news, among others.

Between 2012 and 2015, he served as the coordinator of the Office of the Vice President of the Government and was the head of communications for the Vice President and Minister of the Presidency.

Additionally, he has been a contributor to various print and audiovisual media outlets and served as a board member of the EFE Agency during the 2012-2015 period.

Areas: Communication, Image, Media

Alicia Crespo

Advisor | Communication

María Abascal Rojo

Director General

Since May 2022, María Abascal has been the Director General of the AEB, as well as the head of the Public Policy area. She has more than 15 years of experience in the financial sector, in both the public and private spheres.

She worked at BBVA for more than 10 years, where she held the position of Global Head of Institutional Relations between 2018 and 2020, and Chief Economist for Regulation and Public Policy between 2010 and 2017.

Between 2006 and 2010, she held various positions of responsibility at the General Secretariat of the Treasury and Financial Policy (Ministry of Economy), being appointed Deputy Director General of Financial and Strategic Analysis in 2009, in charge of financial stability analysis, financial regulation, and financial market monitoring. She was also an advisor to the Executive Vice President of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) between 2005 and 2006.
Since 2005, María has been a member of the Senior Corps of State Economists and Trade Specialists, and is currently on leave. She holds a degree in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid.

She is a member of the Executive Committee of the European Banking Federation. She has been a lecturer in various master’s programs at the University of Navarra (banking and financial regulation between 2017 and 2019), at IEB (banking between 2013 and 2018), and at ICADE (financial markets in 2007 and 2008). She is the author of several publications in specialized journals.

Pedro Guerrero Meseguer

Head of European Affairs and Strategy

Pedro Guerrero has been Head of European Affairs and Strategy since September 2024.

Previously, he held senior positions at the Ministry of Economy, notably as Counsellor for Financial Services at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union (Brussels) from 2018 to 2024. During Spain’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2023, he coordinated negotiations on banking matters, payment services and digital finance, and chaired various Council working groups in these areas.

Previously, he served as Deputy Director-General for Sectoral Analysis (Directorate-General for Economic Policy) and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Correos Group, ENRESA and ENAIRE, among other positions.

He has been a member of the Corps of State Trade Technicians and Economists since 2010, and holds a degree in Economics from Universidad San Pablo CEU and a BSc in Economics from the University of Buckingham (United Kingdom).

Areas: Banking, Regulation, Operations and Payment Methods, Digitalization, Sustainability, International

Santiago Pernías

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Carmen Rizo

Head of Social Action

Pilar Clavería

Advisor | Payments | Operations Procedures | Digital Banking

Lorena Mullor

Advisor | Digital Banking | International | Regulation

Pedro Cadarso

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Ricardo Sanz-Ramos

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Jorge Vecino

Advisor | European Affairs

Alejandra Kindelán Oteyza

PRESIDENT

Alejandra Kindelán has been President of the Spanish Banking Association and the AEB Foundation since April 2022. She also currently holds one of the vice-presidencies of CEOE.

She is a member of the Institute of Economic Studies, the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Financial Studies, and the Observatory of the School of Industrial Organization.

Prior to her appointment at AEB, she was head of the Research Department, Public Policy, and Institutional Relations at Banco Santander, where she also served as a director of Banco Santander’s consumer finance business in Europe (SCF) and of Santander Argentina. She was Executive Vice President of the OECD Business Advisory Council from 2017 to 2023.

Between 2006 and 2012, she chaired the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Banking Federation and was a member of the Regulatory Committee of the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

Before joining Santander, she worked as a consultant for the World Bank. In 1994, she joined the Research Department of Banco Central Hispano—which later merged with Santander—to work as an international economics analyst. In 2001, she was appointed head of Research and Public Policy at Grupo Santander.

Alejandra holds degrees in Economics and Political Science from Wellesley College (Wellesley, Massachusetts), completed a PDG at IESE (Madrid), and the banking studies program at INSEAD (Fontainebleau). Born in Caracas (Venezuela), Alejandra has lived in the United Kingdom and the United States, and has three children.

Javier Rodríguez Pellitero

Secretary General

Javier Rodríguez Pellitero has been Secretary General of the Spanish Banking Association since April 2015. He joined the institution in May 2010, chairs the Tax and Legal Committees, is a member of the Legal Committee of the European Banking Federation, and serves as a member of the CNMV Advisory Committee.

Previously, he held various positions of responsibility at the CNMV, notably as Director General of the Legal Service and Secretary to the Board.

A member of the State Attorneys Corps, he began his career as Chief State Attorney in Zamora.

He has delivered numerous courses and lectures, especially on Financial Markets Law, at various academic institutions. He holds degrees in Law and in Economics and Business Administration (E3) from the Pontifical University of Comillas – ICADE.

Areas: Legal, Tax, Retail Banking, Financial Markets, Anti-Money Laundering, Labor

Alfonso Caro

Advisor | Legal

María Peco

Advisor | Legal

Carmen González

Advisor | Tax

Juan Vives

Advisor | Labor

Patricia Rodriguez

Advisor | Financial Markets

Lucía Álvaro

Advisor | Legal

David del Cura Fernández

President's Office Coordination

David del Cura is the coordinator of the AEB President’s Office. A journalism graduate from the Faculty of Information Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid, he has spent much of his professional career in radio. He began at Radio España and worked at Onda Cero for 23 years, where he held various roles, including Director of ‘La Brújula’, editor of the news segments for ‘Protagonistas’ and ‘Herrera en la Onda’, and editor-in-chief of national news, among others.

Between 2012 and 2015, he served as the coordinator of the Office of the Vice President of the Government and was the head of communications for the Vice President and Minister of the Presidency.

Additionally, he has been a contributor to various print and audiovisual media outlets and served as a board member of the EFE Agency during the 2012-2015 period.

Areas: Communication, Image, Media

Alicia Crespo

Advisor | Communication

María Abascal Rojo

Director General

Since May 2022, María Abascal has been the Director General of the AEB, as well as the head of the Public Policy area. She has more than 15 years of experience in the financial sector, in both the public and private spheres.

She worked at BBVA for more than 10 years, where she held the position of Global Head of Institutional Relations between 2018 and 2020, and Chief Economist for Regulation and Public Policy between 2010 and 2017.

Between 2006 and 2010, she held various positions of responsibility at the General Secretariat of the Treasury and Financial Policy (Ministry of Economy), being appointed Deputy Director General of Financial and Strategic Analysis in 2009, in charge of financial stability analysis, financial regulation, and financial market monitoring. She was also an advisor to the Executive Vice President of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) between 2005 and 2006.
Since 2005, María has been a member of the Senior Corps of State Economists and Trade Specialists, and is currently on leave. She holds a degree in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid.

She is a member of the Executive Committee of the European Banking Federation. She has been a lecturer in various master’s programs at the University of Navarra (banking and financial regulation between 2017 and 2019), at IEB (banking between 2013 and 2018), and at ICADE (financial markets in 2007 and 2008). She is the author of several publications in specialized journals.

Pedro Guerrero Meseguer

Head of European Affairs and Strategy

Pedro Guerrero has been Head of European Affairs and Strategy since September 2024.

Previously, he held senior positions at the Ministry of Economy, notably as Counsellor for Financial Services at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union (Brussels) from 2018 to 2024. During Spain’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2023, he coordinated negotiations on banking matters, payment services and digital finance, and chaired various Council working groups in these areas.

Previously, he served as Deputy Director-General for Sectoral Analysis (Directorate-General for Economic Policy) and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Correos Group, ENRESA and ENAIRE, among other positions.

He has been a member of the Corps of State Trade Technicians and Economists since 2010, and holds a degree in Economics from Universidad San Pablo CEU and a BSc in Economics from the University of Buckingham (United Kingdom).

Areas: Banking, Regulation, Operations and Payment Methods, Digitalization, Sustainability, International

Santiago Pernías

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Carmen Rizo

Head of Social Action

Pilar Clavería

Advisor | Payments | Operations Procedures | Digital Banking

Lorena Mullor

Advisor | Digital Banking | International | Regulation

Pedro Cadarso

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Ricardo Sanz-Ramos

Advisor | Banking | Regulation

Jorge Vecino

Advisor | European Affairs