WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- At the presentation
of 'The Age of Perplexity' - the tenth installment of OpenMind's
book series - in Washington DC
today, BBVA's Group Executive Chairman explained that we are
currently experiencing an era of social and political change. This
period is both the cause and effect of a state of deep uncertainty
and anxiety affecting people. Globalization and rapid technological
change have people concerned about the future of the economy and
employment.
Although we may be living in challenging times, Francisco
González defined himself as a "'techno-optimist" - a firm believer
"that the technological revolution will ultimately produce, in the
medium term, greater well-being, growth and employment for all."
The transition period could be a difficult time for many,
however.
In his opinion, it is vital to foster appropriate economic
policies to accelerate this transition period and minimize its
costs. One of these policies includes promoting the digital
transformation of the financial system so that it contributes to
greater and more inclusive growth. "A legal architecture needs to
be built in order to guarantee that the well-being generated by new
technologies reaches everybody," Francisco González said.
Although this task could be too complex and risky for many, it
also represents a huge opportunity for the financial sector, he
maintained. "Exponential technologies have an enormous potential
for transformation. We are already witnessing unprecedented,
massive changes, but the future implications are almost
unimaginable," he noted.
Finally, he discussed BBVA's role at the cutting edge of the
global financial system. "There is still much to do. Technology
changes constantly and competition is increasingly fierce, but we
are contributing, through our daily work, to bring the age of
opportunity to everyone."
The new global (dis)order
'The Age of Perplexity: Rethinking the World We Knew' - the
tenth installment of the OpenMind book series - is a collection of
insights from more than 20 authors, leaders in different fields of
knowledge, who explore the economic, political and societal
challenges posed by the technological revolution and globalization.
The book analyzes the challenges of the new world order, as well as
the risks and questions raised by issues such as mass migration,
climate concerns, populism, anti-establishment movements,
authoritarianism, digital disruption, economic inequality and
demographic change.
The book is part of the annual collection sponsored by OpenMind,
BBVA's digital knowledge community that provides a growing audience
free access to books, articles, interviews, videos and
infographics. "The Age of Perplexity" is available for download in
Spanish and English in a variety of electronic formats.
Joining BBVA's Group Executive Chairman at the book launch were
Frederick Kempe, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the Atlantic Council, and Charles Powell, Director of the Royal Institute
Elcano. The event included two round table discussions with some of
the authors included in the book. In the first roundtable, "The
policy of discontent", the authors shared their views on populism
and its political, social and cultural consequences in the Western
world. The second, "The new global (dis)order," focused on
identifying the key challenges to the new world order and comparing
the different views of this new order, with a special focus on the
role of Asia and Latin America.
About BBVA Group
BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a
customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857.
The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market,
is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in
South America and the Sunbelt
Region of the United States; and
it is also the leading shareholder in Garanti, Turkey's biggest bank for market
capitalization. Its diversified business is focused on high-growth
markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable
competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of
its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion,
and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the
highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best
practices. More information about BBVA Group can be found at
bbva.com.
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SOURCE BBVA Group