Carlos Body has already transferred to Sánchez his list of candidates to succeed Hernández de Cos at the Bank of Spain

THE WORLD

Updated Thursday, April 4, 2024-14:25

The Bank of Spain faces the countdown to the replacement at its top and there are several candidates already managed by the Government. This was confirmed this Thursday by the Minister of Economy,

Carlos Body

, by acknowledging that he has a list of names in mind to be the "successor" of

Pablo Hernández de Cos

, and that he has already discussed the matter with the President of the Government. , Pedro Sánchez.

"We still have three months ahead of us and there is no rush to nominate the successor of the current governor," said the Minister of Economy in an interview on the

Al Rojo Vivo

program on La Sexta. Pablo Hernández de Cos' mandate at the head of the Bank of Spain ends in June 2024 after completing the six years scheduled since June 11, 2018, when he succeeded Luis María Linde.

Corps has admitted that it has "several" candidates in mind, including "women", although it has stressed that there is still time ahead to appoint the successor of Hernández de Cos, whom it has recognized for his "excellent work" at the head of the institution during the last years.

In recent weeks there have been several names that have been considered in the pools to take over as head of the Spanish banking supervisor. Among them is the current deputy governor,

Margarita Delgado

, whose term also expires in September, although it could be brought forward if she were finally elected. It is not the only one, because names such as the current Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service,

José Luis Escrivá

, or

Fernando Restoy

, current president of the Financial Stability Institute (FSI, for its acronym in English) also appear on the table.

), although previously he also held the position of deputy governor in the Bank of Spain itself or the vice-presidency of the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

Companies in Catalonia

The succession at the Bank of Spain is not the only front that Corps has addressed during its intervention. Asked about the departure of companies from Catalonia in 2017 due to the independence process, the Minister of Economy has indicated that forward certainty and the commitment in Catalonia to the process of coexistence is what is going to make the process of companies returning "natural".

"I believe that there is a fundamental element regarding this desire that we all have for Catalonia to be an engine of growth in Spain, and that is that the improvement in coexistence in recent years has been positive for growth and for the Catalan economy ", has underlined.

The minister recalled that in 2017 and 2018, foreign investors or international rating agencies conveyed their concern about the instability in Catalonia. "This has disappeared," he emphasized.

Thus, it has once again ruled out specific measures for the return of these companies, since European regulations are very clear regarding the free establishment of companies. "It is within that framework that our own domestic legislation also exists," he noted.