By Lara Holmes

Spanish banking giant BBVA is switching to Google's cloud-computing services, where software is offered as a service via the internet.

The bank has made it clear that it would use Google's tools only for internal communication, but the deal is being seen as a breakthrough as banking, with its high security needs and strict regulations, was always considered to be one of the last industries to accept cloud-computing.

BBVA's director of innovation, Carmen Herranz, stressed that all customer data and other key banking systems would stay in our own data centers and be completely separate from the cloud solution.

The bank would use Google applications like email, calendar, docs, chat, video conferencing and other collaboration tools to achieve a cultural change and get the whole company working together across the 26 countries where BBVA is based.

Ms Herranz said the project - with roll-out across all employees to be complete by the end of the year - was not about saving cost, but rather to promote innovation and increase productivity.

The increasing mobility of the bank's workforce was also considered a factor, as many have moved to smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers at home, she said.

BBVA is one of Spain's largest banks and is also the largest provider of financial services in Mexico, as well as having a large presence in the south of the United States.