The Board of Directors of Unicaja Banco, at its meeting held in Malaga today, 8 April, has resolved to make this institutional statement in view of certain information recently published in the media relating to Unicaja Banco:
- Unicaja Banco, as a national listed financial institution, has the commitment and objective of providing the best response to its stakeholders (customers, shareholders and employees), for which it is essential to be a solvent and profitable institution that, by applying the best internal and external practices, is capable of efficiently meeting the growing and new needs of customers, shareholders, employees and society in general. Therefore, the management of Unicaja Banco and the decisions of the Board of Directors are strictly governed by business and professional criteria.
- The Board of Directors reaffirms its commitment to the Bank’s home regions, which are the basis of the current entity; these territorial roots are defended and promoted by the Board of Directors and have made us the reference entity in six autonomous communities.
- The statements made from different spheres regarding the departure of the registered office from Malaga and any other unprofessional bias in the decision-making process are a complete falsehood. At no time has the Board of Directors of Unicaja Banco considered, discussed or simply commented on the possibility of contemplating the change of the registered office of Unicaja Banco to any place outside the city of Málaga, nor have any decisions been adopted that did not have the primary objective of protecting the interests of the Bank, this being the main obligation of the Board of Directors as a collegiate body, and of each of its members individually.
- Contrary to what has been stated in certain media, the Board of Directors of Unicaja Banco has never made any decision that was against the objectives of the merger. The Board of Directors of the merged entity must adopt the appropriate decisions to act at all times in defense of the best interests of customers, shareholders and employees of Unicaja Banco. Thus, once the legal merger has been completed, the management and activity of Unicaja Banco is carried out in strict and rigorous compliance with the laws and internal rules that regulate its operation.
- It is the intention of the Board of Directors of Unicaja Banco to have now and in the future an adequate number of independent directors, always respecting the right of proportional representation that may be invoked at any time by any shareholder of the institution entitled to exercise it. Therefore, in view of the three vacancies that have occurred recently, the Board proposed two new directors for appointment, which were approved at the General Meeting held on 31 March, and, in a short term, it expects to do the same with respect to the third vacancy that has occurred.
- Unicaja Banco regrets and rejects political interference in relation to the entity and its stakeholders, interference that in the past has proven to be very negative for the management and even the survival of some financial institutions.
- Once again, any statement or insinuation by a third party, attributing any other intention or purpose on the part of this Board of Directors different from those stated herein, is unfounded, and can only have the purpose of trying to discredit this Board and the institution it represents.
- The Board of Directors of Unicaja Banco uses this institutional statement to reiterate the objectives of its 2022-24 Strategic Plan, presented to the market last December. As reported at the General Meeting of Shareholders held on 31 March, the commercial activity at the beginning of the year has been dynamic, especially in the mortgage and consumer segments. Non-performing loans are contained and the outflow of non-productive real estate assets is in line with expectations.
