Botin comes from a banking dynasty although his own legacy looks likely to exceed that of his forebears. Having acquired Banco Español de Crédito (Banesto), it was his 'merger of equals' with Banco Central Hispano in 1999 (creating Banco Santander Central Hispano (BSCH)), which created Spain's largest bank. In 2004, BSCH acquired the British bank Abbey National, making BSCH a powerhouse in Europe and a key global banking player.