Banco Santander is committed to growth in Mexico – Emilio Botín

1. Press Release
Banco Santander is committed to growth in
Mexico – Emilio Botín
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“The group maintains its investment plan and is open to new opportunities,”
Botín said in a meeting with President Peña Nieto.
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The acquisition of ING’s Mexican mortgage business will turn Santander
Mexico into the number two bank by market share in this segment.
Mexico City, November 26, 2013 – The Chairman of Banco Santander, Emilio Botín,
confirmed the group’s commitment to growth in Mexico and expressed his confidence in the
country’s economy. He said the bank aims to expand in Mexico and increase its investment.
In a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Botín emphasized how important it
was for Banco Santander “to contribute to the country attaining its objectives by providing
competitive financing, quality banking products and, above all, new investments that reaffirm
our firm commitment to Mexico”.
Santander’s chairman added: “We are going to keep growing with the country. We have
committed ourselves to increasing our infrastructure and we are achieving this, with the aim
of helping our customers and providing for their needs. We now have 51 new branches up
and running, out of the 200 we plan for the next two years. We are accelerating the rate of
openings and will inaugurate another 40 by the end of the year. This is the most ambitious
plan we have carried out in recent years and it has created 1,100 jobs so far.”
Botín, who chaired the first board meeting that the group has held in Mexico, said the bank
was obtaining very positive results there, with double-digit growth in strategic businesses.
He noted that Santander Mexico is the leader in financing for SMEs, with year-on-year
growth of 29% in this segment in the third quarter. With the inclusion of ING’s mortgage
business, Santander will consolidate its number two position in this market.
“We are growing organically, but we are also making determined, long-term investments and
we are open to new opportunities. We are confident that the reforms the government is
undertaking will provide a favourable framework for the development that Mexico needs and
will consolidate the country’s growth,” he said.
Comunicación Externa.
Ciudad Grupo Santander Edificio Arrecife Pl. 2
28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) Telf.: 34 91 289 52 11
email: comunicacionbancosantander@gruposantander.com
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2. About Grupo Financiero Santander México, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: BSMX BMV: SANMEX)
Grupo Financiero Santander México, S.A.B. de C.V. (Santander Mexico), is one of the major financial
groups in Mexico and offers a wide range of products and financial services. It provides retail banking,
brokerage, financial consultancy and other investment activities. Santander México offers a platform
of financial services aimed at the mid and high income segments of the population and at small and
medium-sized companies. It also provides financial services to major multinationals present in
Mexico. At the end of September 2013, Santander Mexico had total assets of USD 806 billion and
more than 10.6 million customers. It is headquartered in Mexico City and has 991 branches, 238
offices across the country, and employs 13,883 people.
Comunicación Externa.
Ciudad Grupo Santander Edificio Arrecife Pl. 2
28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) Telf.: 34 91 289 52 11
email: comunicacionbancosantander@gruposantander.com
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