“FIS has established itself as one of the great meeting points of the sector”

Madrid, April 17, 2026

We speak with Lucía Frías, who takes on responsibility for Specialized Business at BBVA at a key moment of transformation, with the aim of deepening specialization and offering solutions increasingly adapted to the real needs of SMEs and businesses.

In this new stage, Frías is committed to reinforcing close, expert support, consolidating the entity’s role as a strategic partner in business growth. And in this context, she highlights the value of spaces like FIS, key in having established themselves as benchmark meeting points for the franchise ecosystem, where knowledge is shared, trends are detected and the franchise ecosystem is strengthened.

For BBVA, actively participating in these environments means being closer to the client and providing practical solutions in financing, management and transformation.

FIS: You take on responsibility for Specialized Business at BBVA at a moment of sector transformation. What vision do you want to bring to this new stage and what continuity do you carry from the work developed so far?

Lucía Frías: I take on this new responsibility with great enthusiasm at a key moment for SMEs. Our focus is on continuing to build on what has already been built, evolving toward an even more specialized model, where every client feels that solutions truly adapt to their reality and their moment.

I inherit very solid work that has been developed in specialized business and franchising, where we have already shown that when a client has a team that knows their sector and accompanies them closely and expertly, that support makes a difference in their day to day. We have gone beyond financing, standing by clients from the start of their projects, helping them launch and accompanying them at every stage of their growth.

The next step is to deepen that sector specialization and build unique, differentiated value propositions. We are seeing how companies and businesses are growing with great dynamism, demanding increasingly personalized, more agile solutions oriented toward their expansion, even internationally.

Our challenge, and also our great opportunity, is to accompany them on that path with closeness, combining sector knowledge, technology and sustainability. We want to be not just their bank, but a strategic partner that understands their reality and helps them transform and grow solidly and sustainably.

Q: BBVA has historically been a very active player in the development of the franchise ecosystem. How would you define the role of banking in this business model today?

A: I believe the role of banking is clearly reflected in BBVA’s Comprehensive Franchise Service, which clearly responds to the current needs of this business model.

Franchising doesn’t just need financing at the initial moment but demands continuous support: from before opening, throughout the entire launch process, in daily management and also when the business grows or expands.

And that’s where the difference lies. In understanding well how each sector and each brand works, and in being able to offer solutions that make the client’s life easier, from managing collections and payments to tools that help them have control over their business without complications.

That comprehensive, specialized and close approach is what provides real value. It’s what the client needs in their day to day and what makes the difference in how they live and develop their business.

Q: The profile of the franchise entrepreneur is evolving. What type of client are you seeing today and how is their approach to investment changing?

A: The franchisee’s profile has evolved a lot in recent years. Today it’s a more informed client with a very clear vision of what they need to launch their business.

We mainly see two profiles. On one hand, local entrepreneurs seeking a self-employment or development opportunity near their environment, often very connected to their territory. And on the other, already established SMEs that see franchising as a way to diversify, complement their activity or boost their growth.

Although they are different profiles, they share something very important: they want to undertake with backing, but without giving up their autonomy. They seek a model that gives them security, but that at the same time allows them to manage their business independently.

And that’s one of the keys to why franchising works so well. Because it combines that balance between independence and support: from the brand, from the sector itself and also from entities that stand by them throughout the process.

Additionally, it’s an increasingly efficiency, digitalization and sustainability-focused profile, because they know all that directly impacts their business’s profitability and competitiveness.

Q: FIS has established itself as one of the sector’s great meeting points. What value does it have for BBVA to be present as main sponsor in an environment like this?

A: FIS was born as a response to a clear sector need. Franchising carries increasingly more weight and a higher level of professionalization, and a space was needed where people could meet, share experiences, analyze trends and, above all, generate community.

Today we see how FIS has evolved and established itself as one of the sector’s great meeting points and we feel tremendously satisfied to have helped ensure that today more than 140 brands are present, around 2,500 professionals expected.

For those who participate, it allows them to understand where the market is heading, share best practices and access ideas and solutions in key areas for their business such as innovation, digitalization or sustainability.

For us, being present has a lot to do with that, with being close to the client, listening to what they need and accompanying them better. We do it with specialized teams during the event and actively participating in panels and debates, sharing real solutions in financing, management and business transformation.

Ultimately, it’s an opportunity to be where the sector is and provide value in a practical way, at a key moment in its evolution.

Q: Looking at the medium term, how do you think the franchise model will evolve and what role will entities like BBVA play in that future?

A: Everything points to the franchise model continuing to grow in the coming years, supported by a very solid base. According to AEF data, today we’re talking about close to 1,400 brands, more than 78,000 establishments, revenue exceeding 27,600 million euros and more than 318,000 direct jobs in Spain. These are figures that reflect the sector’s strength and maturity.

We’re going to see more sector diversification, more professionalized and digitalized structures and greater demands in terms of efficiency and sustainability. And that means clients will increasingly need more innovative, more agile solutions better adapted to their situation.

Our role will become increasingly relevant as strategic partners of the ecosystem, not only facilitating financing, but providing sector knowledge, digital tools, management solutions and analysis capabilities that help make better decisions. Because, ultimately, we want to help each project work, evolve and have long-term prospects.