The president of the Unicaja Foundation, Braulio Medell, confirmed that a transitional order has been issued, driven solely by the interests of the Banking Foundation, according to a letter made public this Thursday by Europa Press.
Consequently, Medell is advancing his departure from the top post, with the transition scheduled to take effect in the fall when his current term concludes.
Medell cited several factors behind the decision, including the report dispatched by the Protection Board of Banking Foundations, the Ministry of Economy and Digital Transformation. He raised questions about his suitability for the role and pointed to persistent external pressures, hostile media campaigns, and the need to attend to personal and family obligations more fully.
Though he asserts that, viewed objectively, the management of the Banking Foundation has not faltered, the foundation reaffirmed its confidence in his leadership in its correspondence.
This transition is also seen as a moment of crystallization that could contribute to growth and consolidation. Medell highlighted the significant role played by Unicaja and its involvement in the development and strengthening of the Spanish financial system.
Medell stressed that the pressures have placed many employers in difficult situations, complicating personal circumstances that can feel unfair and burdensome.
He described a state of affairs born from independence and consistency with a project whose foundations align with Unicaja’s long-term trajectory. These foundations, he suggested, would enable the institution to maintain both financial stability and a strong social impact, positioning it as the sole Andalusian bank, the fifth largest in Spain, and the leading Andalusian social foundation with a distinctive regional character, Medell added.
At the outset of the letter, Medell recalled his willingness to support the approval of a report on the institution’s governance, citing transparency and cooperation with the implementing agency as core principles of the Banking Foundation’s auspices.
Unicaja Banking Foundation holds a 30.2% stake in Unicaja. A recent statement from the foundation characterized ongoing discussions as political intervention and rejected calls to relocate its headquarters or to abandon Málaga in response to doubts voiced by some employers and other parties, including the Government, about Medell’s management.