BBVA, the second biggest Spanish bank, on Tuesday named Angel Cano Fernández as its new chief executive to lead a more aggressive international expansion programme in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

The board decided on Tuesday that Francisco González, executive chairman, would stay in place; Mr Cano replaces José Ignacio Goirigolzarri, who had worked at the bank for 30 years and been chief executive for the past eight.