Unicaja will launch a technology hub and progressively address the evolution of its communications and data processing infrastructure with a new data centre, as part of the roll-out of its 2025-2027 Strategic Plan.
The technology hub will bring together teams and projects focused on creating solutions based on data, generative and agent-based artificial intelligence, and business-oriented innovation. For its part, the new data centre will strengthen the bank’s technological capacity and help improve levels of operational resilience, service continuity and system security. Both projects are designed to complement one another in order to support business growth, accelerate the bank’s transformation and respond to an increasingly demanding regulatory and operational environment.
A technology hub serving business and people
Located in the Malaga TechPark (PTA) in Málaga, the hub is designed to be a flagship space for teams, aimed at fostering new capabilities and facilitating more agile and collaborative ways of working, in line with business needs.
The project will take the form of an iconic building, conceived as a meeting point, integrating open-plan workspaces with co-creation environments and areas dedicated to forums and gatherings, both professional and business-related.
The building has been designed by a team led by the firm zityhub, under the direction of architect Ángel Serrano, with a focus on functionality, flexibility and well-being, creating an environment that fosters collaboration between teams and strengthens the connection with the PTA’s technology ecosystem.
The hub is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027 and will have the capacity to accommodate up to 200 professionals from fields such as technology, innovation, AI and data, amongst others. This space will drive digital solutions and projects linked to the use of data and AI applied to the financial sector.
“This hub has been created with the aim of promoting new ways of working that are more collaborative and focused on generating value for the business,” said Juan Medina, director general of People, Organisation and Legal. “Furthermore, it will help to attract and develop talent and strengthen our capabilities in strategic areas such as data and innovation,” he added.
For her part, Rosario Aracena, director general of Non-Core and Real Estate, highlighted the project’s architectural approach, noting that “this is a building designed to become a landmark within the PTA, combining functionality, open spaces and meeting areas, in line with new ways of working and Unicaja’s identity”.
ATLAS: A new topology for communications and data processing
In parallel, Unicaja will press ahead with the development of the ATLAS project, the backbone of the evolution towards a new model of the organisation’s technological infrastructure, which involves redefining the current topology and strengthening available capabilities.
This new model will enable Unicaja to significantly improve its capabilities in operational resilience, business continuity and security, in accordance with the regulatory framework and supervisory expectations. The roll-out of ATLAS will begin this year and will be carried out in several phases until mid-2028, facilitating an orderly implementation aligned with operational needs.
This infrastructure will facilitate the management of data growth and the progressive roll-out of new digital solutions, such as advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, addressing the technological needs arising from Unicaja’s business growth.
The project incorporates high standards of availability and redundancy, as well as increased processing capacity, with the installation of a data centre in Madrid. This expansion of capacity is integrated into the organisation’s current operating model, maintaining existing organisational and operational dynamics.
Investment in technology is one of the cornerstones of Unicaja’s Strategic Plan, which allocates around €250 million to this area for the 2025–2027 period, with the aim of modernising technological capabilities, strengthening data governance and moving towards a more robust and sustainable operating model.
“This project responds to the need to continue evolving our technological infrastructure in an increasingly demanding environment. It allows us to strengthen security, advance regulatory compliance and prepare to integrate new capabilities linked to data and innovation,” said Estrella Botas, Chief Technology and Operations Officer.
“Furthermore, it helps to consolidate a more robust network that is better equipped to respond to the technological challenges of the coming years,” she added.
