‘The EU is a trade and technology superpower’: European Investment Bank chief Calviño

The European Investment Bank has existed since the inception of the European Union in the 1950s, but despite its vital role as the EU’s lending arm, it has not gained the media attention of institutions such as the European Commission or the European Parliament. That is now changing, however. The EIB is taking on a more high-profile role, financing projects in the fields of security and defence. This is a shift that our guest has referred to as a “seismic shock”. Nadia Calviño is the president of the European Investment Bank, and the first woman and first Spaniard to lead the institution. She served as First Vice-President of the Spanish government and Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise until December 2023, in the cabinet of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.