It was the first office or building owned by the bank and, for the history books, the first headquarters of the bank. The legendary 0900 branch opened its doors on 26 June 1954 in Sabadell’s main square, Plaça Sant Roc, where the Town Hall and the church of Sant Félix are also located.
Banco Sabadell occupied the building of the Manufacturers’ Guild from 1881, the year Banco Sabadell was founded, until 26 June 1954. The inauguration of the company building was a turning point in Sabadell’s history and a source of pride, because, as Xavier Comerma, deputy general manager and director of the Catalonia region, said, “It is at the 0900 branch that Sabadell forged its foundations to become the great bank it is today”.
The significance of the first company headquarters, which not only accommodated the 0900 branch but also the central services departments of the time that supported the commercial office, can be understood by going back to 1881, when 127 textile entrepreneurs founded Banco Sabadell to finance local industry, and by visualising the context of the time. The transition from the 19th to the 20th century was a turbulent time for business and finance. These were years of political, social and economic instability. The winds of crisis blew the balloon of populism, which, riding on the back of fascism and nazism, dragged Europe into two world wars and Spain into a civil conflict with profound consequences.
Spain had to face a critical and uncertain situation. However, far from giving up, the bank’s management team and professionals maintained the courage to overcome adversity. And so it was that on 26 June 1954, Banco Sabadell sent a clear message to the city of Sabadell, its shareholders, its customers and its people. The inauguration of the headquarters in Plaça Sant Roc, a nerve centre for the people of Sabadell, meant that we are here to accompany you, to carry out projects, to grow together and to continue improving and advancing. Sabadell understood this and thanked the bank, presenting it with the city’s gold medal.
“Our history is closely linked to the history of the town. This is where we have built our identity. It is an immense honour to maintain the Sabadell seal, of which we are very proud” Xavier Comerma, Director of the Catalonia Regional Office
While 1881 represents the founding of our entity, 1954 symbolises the commitment and sentimental bond of the bank with Sabadell and of Sabadell with the bank, with a clear purpose: to overcome the darkness of the past. The recent history of the growth and development of the city and of Banco Sabadell cannot be understood without the role played by the headquarters in Plaça Sant Roc. “Our history is closely linked to the history of the town. This is where we have built our identity, starting with our 127 founders and continuing with the objective of achieving the region’s economic and social progress thanks to the development of the economy’s productive fabric. It is an immense honour to maintain the Sabadell seal, of which we are very proud,” said Xavier Comerma.
The inauguration of the first branch in 1954 marked a fundamental milestone in the history of Banco Sabadell. Located in the heart of Sabadell, this building not only represented physical growth, but also a symbol of the bank’s maturity and commitment to the city. Since those beginnings, the history of Banco Sabadell has been intertwined with the history of Spain, overcoming crises and celebrating successes. The headquarters in Plaça Sant Roc has been a silent witness to this evolution, preserving the essence and values that have defined our bank over the years.
If the walls of the Plaça Sant Roc building could speak, they would tell stories of people who have enhanced the prestige of the bank and the banking business. This is where the legend of the acronym BS began to spread, not only as a sign of Banco Sabadell but also as a synonym for “Buen Servicio” (Good Service in Spanish). Anyone who has passed through 0900 branch knows that it is a unique, different professional space, a place where many employees have earned their banking credentials.
“We are talking about a historic and very unique branch, where you can breathe the true values of the bank: openness, commitment, professionalism, non-conformism and empathy. From the first day I arrived, I felt a sense of pride and belonging from both my colleagues and the customers” Óscar Sánchez, branch manager.
The current manager of branch 0900, Óscar Sánchez, can testify to this. After almost 20 years at the bank, he was asked to take over in January 2022. “I didn’t expect it. I thought running the 0900 branch was a major challenge. I mean, the ultimate challenge. Taking over from great directors such as Joaquim Badia, Rossend Bosch, Mercè Faus and Lluís Machón was an enormous undertaking and at the same time a source of great professional pride. We are talking about a historic and very unique branch, where the bank’s true values can be felt: openness, commitment, professionalism, non-conformism and empathy. From the first day I arrived, I felt a sense of pride and belonging from both my colleagues and customers.”
“I live and breathe the 0900 branch from head to toe. I have grown here as a professional and as a person and now that I will be 33 years old I continue with the same enthusiasm as on my first day, fighting to be the bank it have always been, our bank, the bank of our city, Sabadell” Carina Casablancas, sales and service manager.
Carina Casablancas, a true representative of the 0900 institution, who joined the bank in 1991, shares the same view. “I was 21 years old and I remember the respect I had for the building with its glass windows, its security measures, its enormous personality. For me it will always be the bank’s headquarters. It is my second home. I have established very special bonds with customers, met great entrepreneurs and shared wonderful experiences with colleagues. I live and breathe the 0900 branch from head to toe. I have grown here as a professional and as a person and now that I will be 33 years old, I continue with the same enthusiasm as on my first day, striving to be the bank it have always been, our bank, the bank of our city, Sabadell.”
Nearly 20,000 customers
Carina’s enthusiasm and all the staff who have passed through this emblematic place have contributed to the fact that 0900 branch currently manages a turnover of more than €1.6 billion and has a client portfolio of close to 20,000 customers. Its excellent results are the fruit of great collective harmony. Just ask the man, Félix León, who was its security guard for 34 years, who on the day of his retirement received an intimate and unforgettable tribute with more than 200 colleagues who brought tears to the eyes of many of those present.
Today the building in Plaça Sant Roc, designed by the architect Lluís Bonet Garí and declared an architectural heritage site of the city, is home to 100 employees of the bank, divided between the teams of branch 0900 of the Commercial Network, 5154 of Large Companies of Vallès Occidental and the teams of Companies of Vallès Occidental, as well as those of Private Banking and Wealth Management of Vallès Occidental/Cataluña Central.
Over the course of its 70 years, the headquarters in Plaça Sant Roc has witnessed the growth and evolution of Banco Sabadell. Its walls have seen the birth and development of projects that have marked the history of the bank. However, apart from the numbers and data, what really defines this headquarters are the values it represents: closeness, commitment, trust and solidity. These values have been passed down through the generations of employees, and have contributed to forging Banco Sabadell’s reputation as a close and trustworthy entity.”
An iconic building for the bank and the town, which was the protagonist of one of the most watched flashmob on Youtube: the one the bank carried out in 2012 to commemorate its 130th anniversary to the beat of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the bank’s first historic headquarters, there is no greater joy than to hear the German composer’s famous hymn once again. The event is well worth it, as well as its nearly 100 million views.
