• The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, took part alongside the Chairman of Banco Sabadell, Josep Oliu, in a ceremony at Real Casa de Correos
  • Oliu: “In the last fifty years, the Bank has had to navigate several global crises and complex situations, some of them momentous. Today, theBank is profitable, extremely solvent and primely positioned to take on its challenges as a key provider of finance to businesses and households across Spain”
  • Banco Sabadell opened its first branch outside of Catalonia in Madrid, on 1 March 1976, at Calle Gran Vía, 6
  • The Institution now has 100 branches, 2,000 employees and is present in 36 towns throughout the region, where it generates 37 billion euros in turnover

17 March 2026

Banco Sabadell celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of its first branch in the Community of Madrid, with a ceremony held at Real Casa de Correos, the regional government’s headquarters. The Bank’s first branch outside of Catalonia was opened on 1 March 1976 at Calle Gran Vía, 6, with a total of 16 staff. It is still serving customers today.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; the Chairman of Banco Sabadell, Josep Oliu; the director of the Bank’s Central Territorial Division, José Manuel Candela; the Chairman of Sabadell Urquijo’s Advisory Board and manager of the first branch opened in Madrid, Francisco Vallejo; the President of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), Alejandra Kindelán; the President of Madrid’s Chamber of Commerce, Ángel Asensio; as well as representatives of several of the region’s business organisations and professional associations.

Speaking at the event, Banco Sabadell Chairman Josep Oliu noted that “Madrid has always been universal and welcoming by its very nature. It is a place full of opportunities, with a special dynamic that attracts business and culture, which combine to create a truly cosmopolitan city. From the very beginning, we have felt at home in Madrid. Its welcoming spirit has allowed us to build a relationship that goes beyond just business”, he said.

“In the last fifty years, the Bank has had to navigate several global crises and complex situations, some of them momentous. Today, in 2026, the Bank is profitable, extremely solvent and primely positioned to take on its challenges as a key provider of finance to businesses and households across Spain”, explained Oliu.

The Chairman of Sabadell Urquijo’s Advisory Board and manager of the first branch opened in Madrid, Francisco Vallejo, for his part, highlighted the Bank’s extraordinary growth over the years. “The early days were far from easy. In our first year in Madrid, we were generating turnover of around 1 billion of the old pesetas, compared to around 37 billion euros today. It has all been thanks to the support of our customers and shareholders, and also, of course, the commitment of all our employees”.

For the director of the Bank’s Central Territorial Division, José Manuel Candela, “Banco Sabadell has reached this fiftieth anniversary at an extraordinary time and with the recognition of Madrid’s households, businesses and institutions. We share the values of this society: we are open, inclusive and plural, where people, not their origins, are what matters.” Candela explained that “we have eight different nationalities represented by our 2,000 employees, and more than 160 in the case of our 600,000 customers, who have put their faith in us and renew that trust every single day".

Personalised assistance at 100 branches

Banco Sabadell currently has one hundred branches located across the Community of Madrid, which form part of its business model of Commercial Banking, Business Banking, Private Banking and the BStartup Hub Madrid, which specialises exclusively in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Bank also has an office in the capital that specialises in religious institutions and third-sector entities, as well as its Madrid Welcome Hub, to serve international customers.

In terms of international business, Banco Sabadell has a large regional market share in export and import finance, export and import remittance, and international guarantees.

The total turnover generated by the activity of Banco Sabadell’s Territorial Division in the Community of Madrid, led by José Manuel Candela, is around 37 billion euros. Of that amount, 13.7 billion euros correspond to customer loans and 23.2 billion to customer deposits.

In the region, most of the activity conducted by its business customers takes place in the capital and nearby towns. Thanks to this specialisation, one out of every two companies is a Banco Sabadell customer.

Through its one hundred brick-and-mortar branches, the Bank serves households, SMEs, self-employed persons, businesses and entrepreneurs in 36 towns across the region, 23 of which have a population of over 50,000. It also offers assistance through the Bank’s digital channels and its fleet of ATMs.

In addition, Banco Sabadell has a strong collaborative relationship with public institutions in the Community of Madrid to help provide housing for young people, and it acts as collaborating partner to collect taxes, support trade and offer guarantees together with Avalmadrid. In 2012, Banco Sabadell was given an honorary plaque in recognition of its services to the community (Orden del Dos de Mayo, in the category Encomienda de Número).

The Institution has signed cooperation agreements with the largest organisations of self-employed workers, entrepreneurs, small retailers and professional associations, in order to help meet their financial needs and offer them personalised advice.