Banco Azteca Celebrates 15 Years of Promoting Development in Mexico

—We are before a great promoter of financial inclusion and an ally of the economic development of Mexico, said President Enrique Peña Nieto during the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Banco Azteca—             

—Banco Azteca arrived with the vision of transforming the country's financial system, added Finance Minister José Antonio Meade—
             
—We understood before anyone in Mexico that families need credit to improve their quality of life, said Ricardo Salinas—             

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "We are before a great promoter of financial inclusion and an ally of the economic development of Mexico," said President Enrique Peña Nieto, during the celebration of Banco Azteca’s 15^th anniversary.

Peña Nieto added that progress is made by those who have the attitude of innovators, who have projects, who have vision, a positive attitude and dare to make changes as Ricardo Salinas did with Banco Azteca.

The anniversary celebration was also attended by Finance Minister José Antonio Meade, Education Minister Aurelio Nuño, Mexico City Mayor Miguel Ángel Mancera, Banco Azteca CEO Alejandro Valenzuela, Infonavit Director David Penchyna, Bank of Mexico Deputy Governor Alejandro Díaz de León, as well as Mexican banking leaders, state governors, members of the diplomatic corps, and directors of Grupo Salinas. President Peña Nieto congratulated Banco Azteca for the achievements and innovations that have promoted development in Mexico.

Finance Minister Meade spoke about the development of the banking industry in Mexico in the past 15 years and how Banco Azteca, with a unique focus, was one of the few Mexican banks in an industry dominated by foreign banks. Today, Banco Azteca has achieved its initial goals and surpassed them many times over.

Ricardo Salinas noted that Banco Azteca understood before anyone in Mexico that families need credit to improve their quality of life, and added that Banco Azteca is synonymous with financial inclusion.

Alejandro Valenzuela said that although Banco Azteca is only 15 years old, it’s roots are in Grupo Salinas, which dates back over a hundred years. He added that Banco Azteca would not be what it is today without the vision, determination, enormous capacity for observation and inexhaustible will of Ricardo Salinas.

Banco Azteca began operations in 2002 with the simultaneous launch of 800 branches. Today the bank has almost 40,000 employees and its 1,735 branches make it the second largest banking network in the country, processing 460 million transactions annually.

The bank operates in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru, while in Mexico it has branches in 778 municipalities, of which it is the sole bank in 167 of them.

Banco Azteca is committed to technological development used in the creation of products and services that allow it to extend its coverage and attention to digital banking, to small and medium-sized businesses, and offering loans to entrepreneurs. It currently has 15 million credit and savings customers, and offers additional credit services through Presta Prenda.

Additionally, Afore Azteca manages 2 million retirement accounts; and through Tiendas Elektra the bank processes electronic money transfers for 10 million users.

About Banco Azteca

It is a financial institution that offers consumer, personal, group and pawn loans, credit cards and deposit and investment options. In addition to Mexico, it also operates in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Peru. In its 15 years of operations in Mexico, Banco Azteca has been an institution committed to the development of financial products and services that generate progress and well-being for low-income families. With 1,735 branches, Banco Azteca has the second-largest banking network in Mexico.