About us

Compañía Española de Financiación del Desarrollo, COFIDES S.A., is a state- and private-owned company founded in 1988 that provides cost-effective medium and long term financial support for viable private direct investment projects in foreign countries where there is a Spanish interest. The ultimate aim is to conduct a profitable business that contributes both to host country development and the internationalization of Spanish enterprise and the Spanish economy.

The resources at COFIDES’ disposal to meet this dual objective include its own shareholders’ equity, to back direct investment project located in emerging or developing countries, and the resources of the State-owned Fund for Foreign Investment (FIEX) and Fund for SME Foreign Investment Operations (FONPYME), managed by COFIDES,  which enables the Company to financially support direct investment projects in any foreign country. COFIDES total financing capacity exceeds 900 million euros.

COFIDES always acts on a shared risk basis. According to this criterion, COFIDES financing will normally not go beyond the sponsor’s own contribution to the operation. Through the financial products offered, the Company is in a position to invest, in principle, between 0.25 and 25 million euros per operation.

COFIDES’ share capital is held by:

• Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior - Spanish Foreign Trade Institute - (ICEX)
• Instituto de Crédito Oficial - Official Credit Institute-  (ICO)
• Empresa Nacional de Innovación (ENISA)
• Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)
• Banco Santander
• Banco de Sabadell

The three public institutions that head the list together hold 61% of COFIDES’ share capital.

In 2001 Standard & Poors awarded COFIDES an A+/Stable/A-1 rating, which the company has consistently maintained ever since.

COFIDES upholds the ISO 2005: 9001:2000 certificate for all its customer service-related activities since 2005.