Gref

What Gref does

GREF (Grupo de Responsables de Formación del Sector Financiero y Asegurador) is a Spanish non-profit association founded in 1973 that connects training and development leaders across the country's banking and insurance sectors. It serves 52 institutional member entities — representing approximately 85% of the Spanish financial and insurance sector — including BBVA, Santander, CaixaBank, Banco Sabadell, Bankinter, Mapfre, Generali, AXA, and Banco de España, alongside over 40 corporate associates that are training providers, consultancies, and technology companies.

The association's core offerings include the annual Informe de Ratios benchmark report (produced with ICEA and Adecco), two annual conferences (Jornadas), a monthly webinar series, four collaborative working groups (mesas de trabajo), permanent observatories on regulatory compliance and innovation, the GREF Awards, a monthly newsletter, and a recently launched podcast. Technology infrastructure is utilitarian rather than differentiating: a member portal (Berrly), content management system, webinar platform, YouTube/LinkedIn distribution, and email newsletters.

GREF operates a community-led, two-tier membership model. Institutional members pay annual dues for access to the private directory of 52 training directors, benchmarks, working groups, observatories, and discounted conference access. Corporate associates pay tiered fees across five levels (Bronce, Plata, Oro, Sponsor, Colaborador) for visibility, networking, and access to sector decision-makers. Distribution occurs through direct outreach, events, and member referrals. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member institutions and managed with a lean internal structure of fewer than 10 staff and contracted roles.

Name

Gref

Legal name

GRUPO DE RESPONSABLES DE FORMACION DEL SECTOR FINANCIERO Y ASEGURADOR

Website

https://gref.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GREF is a Spanish non-profit association founded in 1973 that connects training and development leaders across the banking and insurance sectors. It serves 52 institutional members representing roughly 85% of Spain's financial and insurance industry through benchmarks, working groups, observatories, conferences, and awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from 52 financial and insurance entities (institutional members) who gain access to benchmarks, working groups, directory contacts, conferences, and the Informe de Ratios.
2. Corporate Associate Membership: Annual fees from 40+ corporate associates (training providers, technology companies, consultancies) at five tiers (Bronce, Plata, Oro, Sponsor, Colaborador) providing access to decision-makers and visibility benefits.
3. Event Sponsorship: Sponsorship revenue from annual conferences (Jornadas), webinars, and working groups, with tiers offering different visibility levels including logo placement, speaking slots, and exhibition space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

GREF is a non-profit professional association that connects training and development leaders at the major financial institutions and insurance companies in Spain through member-exclusive events, benchmark reports, working groups, and knowledge-sharing activities. Its core deliverables are the annual Informe de Ratios benchmark report, two annual in-person conferences (Jornadas), monthly webinars, collaborative working groups (Mesas de Trabajo), permanent observatories on compliance training, the GREF Awards program, and the monthly Newsletter GREF. Membership is sold to 52 institutional members (banks, insurers, supervisors) and 40+ corporate associates (training providers, technology vendors, consultancies).

Product overview

Gref is a professional association serving as a knowledge-sharing network for training and development professionals in Spain's financial and insurance sector. The organization operates as a unified community platform rather than a modular software product, offering member-exclusive access to a private directory of 52 training directors, benchmark reports, and collaborative working groups. Core offerings include two annual conferences (Jornadas), the "Conocimiento en 55'" monthly webinar series, working groups (Mesas de Trabajo) addressing specific training challenges, permanent observatories for regulatory training, the annual Informe de Ratios benchmark report, the monthly GREF Newsletter publication, the "Referentes, GREF al habla" podcast series, award programs (Premios GREF), and in-person networking events (Desayunos/Encuentros).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GREF Community Platform (Member Area) Members-only online hub serving as the central community platform for GREF, providing access to the private directory of 52 training directors, benchmark reports, working-group materials, and event registration.
• Jornadas Anuales (Annual Conferences) Two major annual in-person conferences that bring together the GREF community for keynotes, roundtables, and networking, featuring industry leaders discussing training trends, talent development, and sector transformation.
• Webinars "Conocimiento en 55'" Monthly online webinar series of 55-minute sessions featuring expert insights on training methodologies, emerging trends, and practical applications for the financial and insurance sector.
• Mesas de Trabajo (Working Groups) Collaborative working groups focused on specific training challenges including Mentoring & Coaching, Talent Attraction, AI in Training, and Learning Needs Detection. Four active mesas produce research, share best practices, and develop sector-wide solutions.
• Observatorios Permanentes (Permanent Observatories) Permanent research observatories including the Formación de Obligado Cumplimiento (Mandatory Compliance Training) Observatory, addressing regulatory training requirements and sector-wide compliance challenges with regulators such as Banco de España and DGS.
• Premios GREF (GREF Awards) Annual awards program recognizing outstanding training and innovation initiatives in the financial and insurance sector, including the GREF Oro, Plata, Bronce categories and the Paco Segrelles professional recognition award.
• Informe de Ratios (Training Ratios Report) Annual benchmark report providing comprehensive data on training investment, hours, modalities, and ROI across member financial and insurance entities, produced in collaboration with ICEA and Adecco.
• Newsletter GREF (Impulsa) Monthly curated publication analyzing key trends, regulations, case studies, and events in financial and insurance training, available as special issues and regular numbered editions.
• Referentes, GREF al habla (Podcast) Podcast series developed with Moebius Consulting featuring conversations with industry leaders about training, talent, learning, and development in the financial and insurance sector.
• Desayunos/Encuentros GREF In-person networking events including breakfast meetings and midday sessions for in-depth discussions on current industry topics with experts and peers in an intimate format.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of the Spanish financial and insurance sector represented through 52 institutional members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• CUNEF UniversidadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUNEF Universidad hosts GREF's annual conferences (XXXVI Jornada GREF held at CUNEF). The university, founded in 1973 with a focus on developing talent for the financial system, provides the venue and collaborates on knowledge sharing initiatives. GREF's President Beatriz García-Figueras is from BBVA, and CUNEF has a long history with the financial sector.
• ICEA (Investigación Cooperativa de Entidades Aseguradoras)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICEA collaborates with GREF on the annual Informe de Ratios (training benchmark report), providing statistical and analytical support for banking and insurance training data. The 2025 report was developed with ICEA and Adecco.
• Adecco Learning & ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdecco Learning & Consulting collaborated on the 2025 study of learning methodologies in the financial and insurance sector, contributing to the GREF working groups and providing industry expertise on training trends.
• Speexx EspañasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpeexx partnered with GREF's coaching and mentoring working group, helping to clarify concepts, share best practices, identify gaps, and propose improvements for professional development programs in member entities.
• Moebius ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoebius Consulting developed the GREF podcast 'Referentes, GREF al habla' in collaboration with GREF. The podcast features conversations with sector leaders on training, talent, learning and development.
• TechHeroXsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechHeroX partnered with GREF on the working group about AI's impact on training and development teams, exploring how AI is changing processes, capabilities, and the role of L&D professionals.
• IEF (Instituto de Estudios Financieros)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEF collaborates with GREF on working groups related to training as a lever for talent attraction and retention, with a segmented view by profiles, needs, and realities within the financial and insurance sector.
• RandstadsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRandstad joined GREF as a Silver corporate associate and partnered on the working group for training needs detection, led by Mapfre and Randstad, addressing how to evolve from reactive to more agile, strategic, and predictive models.
• ESADEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESADE hosted the 35th GREF Jornada (annual conference) at its campus. The business school, a global reference in executive education since 1958, provides venues for GREF events and contributes to leadership and management content discussions.
• IEB (Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEB sponsored the 34th GREF Jornada and is a corporate associate. The institute, specialized in financial studies, hosts GREF events and contributes to the training ecosystem for financial professionals.
• CegossecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCegos, an international training and consulting firm, collaborates with GREF on learning trends studies, provides webinar content, and sponsors GREF events. They contribute the annual International Barometer on training and competencies.
• OverlapsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverlap publishes trend reports (2023-2025, 2025-2027) for GREF, providing insights on emerging trends in learning, talent, and transformation that are shared with GREF members.
• Banco de EspañacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanco de España is an institutional member of GREF and serves as the banking supervisor. GREF's Observatory on Training Compliance (FOC) maintains dialogue with regulators including Banco de España on regulatory training requirements.
• DGS (Dirección General de Seguros)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGS is the insurance sector regulator with whom GREF maintains dialogue through its permanent Observatory on Training Compliance (FOC) to clarify, organize, and make regulatory training requirements more efficient.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• AEB (Asociación Española de Banca): AEB is the Spanish Banking Association, representing member banks before regulators and public bodies. Different role (banking industry representation) but its member banks substantially overlap with GREF's institutional members, making it an adjacent sector-level peer.
• UNESPA (Unión Española de Entidades Aseguradoras y Reaseguradoras): UNESPA is the Spanish employers' association for the insurance sector, representing carriers before regulators and providing sector coordination. Different scope (industry advocacy vs. training-specific community) but overlapping member base with GREF's insurance-side institutional members.

Broad incumbents

• ATD (Association for Talent Development): ATD is the largest international membership association for talent development professionals, with global reach. It serves the same functional purpose as GREF (training professionals' community, conferences, benchmarking, publications) but operates at much larger scale and across all industries and geographies.

Direct peers

• AEDIPE (Asociación Española de Dirección y Desarrollo de Personas): AEDIPE is Spain's national association for HR and people development professionals. It serves the same functional role as GREF (professional community, training events, benchmarks for HR leaders) but spans all industries, whereas GREF is vertical to financial services. Strong direct comparability on business model and member services.
• FFORMA (Foro Profesional de Formación Aseguradora): FFORMA is the Spanish professional forum for training in the insurance sector. It is the closest direct peer to GREF, with the same institutional mission (advancing training standards) but narrower vertical focus (insurance only). FFORMA also awarded GREF the 2025 Premio Aula Magna, indicating they operate in the same ecosystem as peers and collaborators.

Others

• Cegos: Cegos is a global training and consulting firm that sponsors GREF events, contributes the annual International Barometer, and partners on learning-trend studies. It is a corporate-associate peer — an ecosystem participant providing training services to the same audience GREF serves, rather than a direct membership competitor.
• IEF (Instituto de Estudios Financieros): IEF is a Spanish financial education institution specializing in professional certification and executive education for the financial sector. It is an active GREF working-group partner on talent attraction and a structural ecosystem peer serving overlapping end-customers (financial professionals).
• ICEA (Investigación Cooperativa de Entidades Aseguradoras): ICEA is a cooperative research body for Spanish insurance entities, providing statistical and analytical services. It co-produces GREF's Informe de Ratios benchmark, making it a direct ecosystem partner and structurally comparable as a financial-sector research/service organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNHsFI9OiGvvGeeKV9EonRw/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grupogref/?viewAsMember=true

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gref