"I hope for a bank that helps people." Dr. Sun Rius
INTERVIEW: Dr. Sun Rius. Among the 148 founding investors of 11Onze Banc.
A doctor by profession and delegate of Terrassa’s Chamber of Commerce in Sant Cugat, Rubí and Catellbisbal, Sun Rius joins the 11Onze project as one of the investors and partners of the new Catalan bank. As co-owner of the health and food shop Gerd Rius Dietètica located in Sant Cugat, she criticises the treatment that traditional banking has given to small Catalan entrepreneurs. That is why she firmly believes in the possibility of breaking free from the old banking structures dominated by the Spanish state and thus achieving the emancipation of the country.
In what ways do you think banking has failed Catalan citizens and entrepreneurs?
It has failed on all fronts. All the current banks have been subordinated to the Ibex-35, they have allowed themselves to be dominated by the entities that make it up and that, in turn, exercise their power over our Catalan entities. This, in my view, is letting down the people who have put their trust in their respective banks.
Do you think that right now, in the midst of the pandemic, is a good time to launch a new Catalan bank?
I think it is more important than ever to build up our network of shops and businesses, especially now that the country has been hit hard by the crisis resulting from the pandemic. It is our tool for the future and therefore we need to strengthen it. But to do so, we need investment and we need to apply once again what we do best in Catalonia: work hard and plan for the future.
What motivated you to invest in 11Onze and what do you expect from the bank?
The project proposed by 11Onze seems very interesting to me. 11Onze is a way of collaborating with our country to achieve a certain degree of independence from Spain. I believe that a Catalan bank isolated from Spanish domination will give us the opportunity to work for Catalonia, and create more state structures in order to have more independence. Therefore, I hope for a bank that helps people and supports the efforts of small entrepreneurs geared towards a real country where we all live in a freer way.
As for other entrepreneurs, how do you think they will view the 11Onze project from the outside?
I think they will value very positively the ease of obtaining investment for their company. They will also appreciate the fact that 11Onze does not depend on Spain because this means that it will only look out for the future of Catalonia. Moreover, it will be a digitalised bank adapted to today’s needs, which are basically to have easy access, streamline processes, and make use of an intuitive application that everyone can use. All this makes the bank a very good proposition.
Given your experience as a businesswoman, what are the key values of 11Onze for you?
From my point of view, it is fundamental that it is an ethical bank. This means that it does not invest in weapons of war or favour the exploitation of children or vulnerable women as we find in other entities. It is essential to attain a banking system for which its main values are people and businesses, and with this, move the country forward.
Indeed, one of the peculiarities of 11Onze is that it is a community bank. Do you think that Catalans want to be part of a banking structure like this?
I think so. Until now, Catalans have had their hands tied when it came to being able to project all their energy into Catalonia and their entrepreneurship. I think that this has meant that, on the one hand, new business fabric has not emerged and, on the other hand, it has not allowed us to get as much rentability as a country as we could have. This is a good opportunity to start from scratch.
With all this in mind, would you invite others to join the 11Onze community?
Yes, of course I would. I think it is an innovative project that looks to the future. Moreover, the people behind this new bank are professionals who are convinced about their preferences and who will give enough confidence to Catalans to start giving off this ambition and desire to work on the future of the country.
What strengths would you highlight about Sun Rius as a businesswoman?
Starting from the fact that I am a doctor, Gerd Rius Dietètica had to bring health but also seriousness. When I opened the shop together with my sister, it was clear to us that my contribution would be to advise customers correctly. In spite of this, if I have to highlight any particular strength, it would be enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for work, to give service to all the people who came through the door and to generate trust thanks to a job well done. Perseverance has also been key for us; never giving up and constantly looking for new challenges that prioritise the satisfaction of my clients. I think this has been the key to the shop.
You are a well-known person in Sant Cugat del Vallès and have a very close relationship with the people of Sant Cugat del Vallès. What is the prevailing mood in the neighbourhood regarding the pandemic?
The word that best defines them is “anguish”. They are worried because they don’t know when or how it will end. They see that the labour market is falling, that there are many people who are becoming unemployed and those who have jobs don’t know under what conditions they will continue. In general, we don’t really know much about the future that awaits us, which is why a project like 11Onze can give us a lot of hope right now because of the solutions it offers. Being able to talk face to face, that you don’t encounter so many barriers when it comes to setting up your personal project and that they are committed to the talent of the Catalans, trusting in their chances of success.
INTERVIEW: Xavier Tornos, one of the 148 founding investors of 11Onze, and one of the owners of Instaltop, a carpentry and parquet flooring company located in Montcada i Reixac. After learning about the creation of 11Onze, he decided to join the initiative. For him, the most important thing about the project is the ethics and the reinvestment of money in the country’s economy as a tool to carry out personal and business projects.
Why did you decide to become a promoter of 11Onze?
It was very easy for me. Six months ago, Natàlia Cugueró, the current director of the bank, approached me because we have known each other for 20 years. She explained the 11Onze project to me and I immediately saw that it was a very innovative, revolutionary and necessary entity. I was so excited that it was very easy for me to say yes and participate directly.
What struck you most about this project?
Basically, the innovation that the arrival of an ethical and innovative bank in terms of its structure and organisation represents in the banking sector. I was particularly excited by the group of people behind 11Onze, which for me is a very important factor to take into account.
I also think that it is necessary for the structures of a country to be very close to the end user. That is why I think that 11Onze is something necessary to place the structures, in this case financial structures, close to their users: SMEs or private clients who need financing to carry out their projects.
How do you think users and customers will react to the emergence of a bank like this?
I think they will react well because of all the characteristics that 11Onze has. It will be an ethical bank and this is very important because we already know the type of investments that traditional banks make and what we represent for them, which is basically nothing. 11Onze, in order to have this ethical component, attaches great importance to investing its profits in the growth of the Catalan economy and that of its community. In the long run, however, I do not rule out the possibility that it could grow and open up to other markets in Spain and Europe. I think we can do very well and that other people value this aspect.
One of the most important pillars of the bank is the concept of “community banking”, how would you explain this spirit of 11Onze?
I think that when you create a bank that is very close to the people and that provides services to SMEs or individuals, you end up knowing the idiosyncrasies of our country’s society. For example, knowing what we want, how we want it and when. At the end of the day, the bank’s function is to transfer money from investors or savers to borrowers, and if it knows the market for both, it is easier for this community to grow and help the economy of the people who participate.
Why do you think we need a Catalan bank in our country right now?
Because we need it. Every country needs state structures and one of these structures is the financial one, and this is where banks come in. We need a bank in Catalonia because we need to be able to decide what we do with our money and how we invest it in our own country’s economy. In fact, I believe the management of 11Onze will have to set the conditions for people to benefit from the services provided by the bank, so that the economy can flow and our personal and professional projects can move forward.
And in terms of investors, what do you expect from 11Onze?
To live up to expectations of everything I have seen, been told and verified. The other day I was lucky enough to go to the campus and talk to the first batch of 11Onze agents; I was amazed by the enthusiasm they have, by the coexistence of different generations… A tremendous enthusiasm to start providing service and doing things well.
On the subject of ethics, and I am convinced of this, I hope that they will reinvest the money in social projects that, in general, benefit us all. I think we have had enough of this savage capitalism that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. We have to stop this now and I think we can do it through the bank.
What strengths do you highlight about Xavi Tornos as an entrepreneur?
It is difficult to talk about the good things about oneself. I consider myself to be a very planful entrepreneur and I think this is very important when it comes to growing a company. I also believe that I am very customer-oriented in everything I do. Likewise, I like to know that they are happy, and so do my employees. At the end of the day, they are the ones who are the face of the company, and it is important that they are happy with their work because they will pass it on to the customers.
