Previously Executive Chairman of Instituto de Crédito Oficial, ICO, Spanish state-owned investment bank. ICO is Spain’s sixth largest bank, with total assets of €42bn. as of 31/12/2017. ICO pioneered, as a leading driver, in sustainable finance, both from social and environmental perspective. Chairman of AXIS (Nov. 2016 – Jun. 2018).
AXIS is the Private Equity Firm owned by ICO which manages PE and VC funds valued €2.5bn. Member of the European Parliament (2009-2014). Vice-Chair of the Committee of Economic and Monetary Affairs (2011-2014), which is responsible of banking regulation. Rapporteur of the regulation of PSD2, MIF, which facilitated Open Banking; Rapporteur of CRR, capital requirements, STS Securitizations and ECB Annual Report.
Member of the Committee of International Trade, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO. Chair of the Monitoring Group for UE Mercosur Trade Agreement. Member of the Delegation for relations with China. Rapporteur of the EU – Korea Free Trade Agreement Safeguard Clause; Rapporteur of the Trade Part of the Association Agreement UE-Central America.
Winner of the MEP Award for International Trade on 2011. Winner of the MEP Award for Economic and Monetary Affairs in 2015. Patron Fundación Carolina under the honorary presidency of HM the King of Spain (2016-2018).