
Francisco Luz贸n's career in Spanish banking spans over three decades, with a significant portion of that time spent at Banco Santander, where he held various leadership positions.
He started his career at Banco Santander in 1990 and worked his way up to become the bank's Vice Chairman in 2003.
Luz贸n's tenure at Banco Santander was marked by significant growth and expansion, including the bank's acquisition of several other financial institutions.
Throughout his career, Luz贸n has been recognized for his contributions to the Spanish banking industry.
Check this out: Hibernia Bank Building (San Francisco)
Early Years
Francisco Luz贸n was born into a modest family in El Ca帽avate, a small rural town in the province of Cuenca. He emigrated to Cruces, Baracaldo in Vizcaya at the age of five.
He spent his childhood with limited economic resources. His family's financial situation was a challenge.
In 1966, Francisco Luz贸n began his studies in Economics and Business at the University of the Basque Country, thanks to a scholarship granted for his excellent academic record.
Career in Spanish Banking

Francisco Luz贸n's career in Spanish banking began from the ground up, starting with a formation program at the Banco de Vizcaya in 1972. He worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming a Consejero in 1987.
Luz贸n's experience in the Banco de Vizcaya laid the foundation for his future success. He was instrumental in transforming various units and filiales, including the Divisi贸n de Banca Internacional and the Sucursal de Londres.
His hard work and vision earned him a position as President of the Banco Exterior de Espa帽a in 1988, where he led the reestructuraci贸n and modernizaci贸n of the entity.
Readers also liked: Benjamin De Rothschild
Trayectoria en la Banca Espa帽ola
Francisco Luz贸n's career in Spanish banking began from the bottom up, starting with a program of formation at Banco de Vizcaya in 1972.
He worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming Consejero in 1987.
Luz贸n's labor of transformation led to the creation of new units and filials within Banco de Vizcaya, including the Divisi贸n de Banca Internacional.
He also played a key role in the expansion of the bank's presence in Latin America, driving the Grupo Santander to become the first major banking franchise in the region by 2006.
This was achieved through the creation of the Divisi贸n Am茅rica in 1999, which led to the acquisition of over 30 banks, pension funds, and insurance companies in 10 countries.
Luz贸n's experience in the sector led to his appointment as President of the Banco Exterior de Espa帽a in 1988, where he restructured and modernized the entity, making it a competitive force in the market.
He went on to lead the Corporaci贸n Bancaria de Espa帽a, a holding company comprising six public and private entities, from 1991 to 1996.
Under his leadership, the company was privatized, generating significant revenue for the state.
Luz贸n's tenure at the Banco Santander from 1996 to 1999 saw him drive the transformation of the company, introducing a more transparent and socially responsible culture.
He also oversaw the merger with the Banco Central Hispano, creating the Banco Santander Central Hispano in 1999.
El Banquero Enfermo de ELA Que Extra帽a a Patxi Andi贸n
Francisco Luz贸n's career in Spanish banking started from the bottom up, as he joined a training program at Banco de Vizcaya in 1972.
He worked his way up the ranks, transforming various units and filials of the bank, including the Divisi贸n de Banca Internacional and the Sucursal de Londres.
Luz贸n's talent and tenacity allowed him to become a successful directivo bancario, holding positions such as Presidente de Argentaria and Responsable de Am茅rica Latina del Santander.
In 1987, he reached the position of Consejero at the bank.
Despite his success, Luz贸n's life took a devastating turn when he was diagnosed with Esclerosis Lateral Amiotr贸fica (ELA), a disease that affects 4,000 people in Spain and 500,000 worldwide.
Despite the challenges he faced, Luz贸n chose to continue working and using his experience to make a positive impact, rather than retiring and enjoying his remaining years.
This determination and resilience are a testament to Luz贸n's strong values and character.
Discover more: First Republic Bank San Francisco Bay Area
Academic and Consulting Presence
Francisco Luz贸n's academic and consulting presence has been quite extensive. He was a Leader Professor at the Universidad China Europe Internacional Business School (CEIBS) in Shangh谩i.
After retiring from the Banco de Santander, Luz贸n dedicated himself to the academic world. He was named Vicepresidente of the Biblioteca Nacional de Espa帽a.
As a renowned expert, Luz贸n has held various positions in prestigious institutions, including President of the Escuela de Negocios de ICADE in Madrid and member of the Consejo Latinoamericano of the Universidad de Georgetown in Washington D.C.
Presencia acad茅mica y de consultor铆a
Francisco Luz贸n has had a significant presence in the academic world, particularly in China, where he was named Leader Professor at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai.
He has also held various positions in Spain, including Vice President of the National Library of Spain.
As President of the ICADE Business School in Madrid, Luz贸n has contributed to the development of business education in Spain.
His involvement in the Georgetown University's Latin American Council and the Yale University's Global Advisory Council demonstrates his commitment to international academic collaboration.
Luz贸n has also been active in consulting, working with the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington and the European Stability Mechanism in Luxembourg.
His role as an advisor to the Government of Puerto Rico has further expanded his influence in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Autosuperaci贸n Frente a La Enfermedad
Francisco Luz贸n, un ejemplo de superaci贸n personal, vivi贸 una vida humilde en un peque帽o pueblo rural de la provincia de Cuenca.
Su talento y tenacidad le permitieron estudiar y ser un directivo bancario de 茅xito.
El ELA (Esclerosis Lateral Amiotr贸fica) trunc贸 su apacible jubilaci贸n, una enfermedad devastadora e incurable que afecta a 4.000 personas en Espa帽a y unas 500.000 en el mundo.
Luz贸n podr铆a haber disfrutado de una jubilaci贸n "diferente", pero decidi贸 aprovechar su experiencia previa de gesti贸n empresarial para ser un l铆der y transformador social.
La Fundaci贸n Luz贸n da voz a pacientes con ELA y fomenta la investigaci贸n con especialistas del mundo.
La filosof铆a de Luz贸n es "hoy es siempre todav铆a", como promulgaba Antonio Machado.
Luz贸n vive con la ilusi贸n de la Fundaci贸n y rodeado del amor de su gente, a pesar de no poder hablar, comer o andar.
脡l entiende a los enfermos que deciden suicidarse, pero apuesta por la vida.
Featured Images: pexels.com


