The Diplomat
The Business Council Alliance for Ibero-America (CEAPI) held yesterday in the Spanish capital the Forum “Madrid, capital of Ibero-American internationalisation: How to invest in Madrid”, which was attended at the opening ceremony by the President of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
The day, which closed with a gala dinne, was attended by company presidents, business families, investors and family offices from Spain and Latin America, who focused on the investment opportunities offered by the Spanish capital, as a bridge between the Latin American region and Europe.
The aim of the CEAPI meeting was to promote relationships of trust, strengthen strategic links between Ibero-American entrepreneurs and investors, encourage co-investment between Spain and the Americas, and promote multi- Ibero-American companies, with Madrid as the best setting for strengthening ties.
Last year, the Spanish capital received 21.85 billion euros in foreign investment, a figure similar to that of Mexico, or Chile and Colombia combined.
At the opening ceremony, Núria Vilanova, President of CEAPI, pointed out that “Madrid meets all the requirements to become the global capital of Ibero-American investment” and added: “It is a city that creates opportunities to enter the capital market and the real estate sector; to find partners and family offices; funds with which to co-invest”.
Vilanova also indicated that now is the time to take advantage of the upcoming Spanish presidency of the European Union: “Europe cannot afford to forget Latin America. Despite all the uncertainties, the region has a great future”.
For his part, Manuel Muñiz, International Rector of IE University, assured that “we are living in a key moment for the Ibero-American business community” and said: “We are facing major challenges, among which are the fracturing of global value chains, the increase in geopolitical tensions and the increase in political volatility within our countries”.
However, he considered that this scenario “offers enormous opportunities to deepen transatlantic economic cooperation and to consolidate the Ibero-American community as a pillar of growth and competitiveness”.
In her speech, the President of the Community of Madrid emphasised that “liberal democracies have to wake up and realise that they have to protect themselves, weave these alliances like the one that brings us here today and defend everything that has been built with so much hard work”.
Díaz Ayuso highlighted the current situation in Madrid, with “economic and employment figures” that are helping the region to become “a place of opportunities, the reference point in the fight for freedom and life, the centre of positive policies” and that “dismantle all the stories that diminish and ruin”.
The forum, which was closed by the Councillor of Economy, Finance and Employment, Javier Fernández-Lasquetty, was held at IE Tower, the new headquarters of IE University, a world leader in innovation and technology, and was attended by 150 Latin American investors, who reflected on the great opportunities that Madrid offers for their commercial and investment activity and analysed new business opportunities in the region.
The various panels addressed current issues such as the keys to creating holding companies in Spain; mechanisms for going to the stock market; how best to make investments in Madrid (family office, funds and M&A); the importance of social investment; the growth of the real estate market; and the role of the new Ibero-American diplomacy and the training of future leaders.
Important personalities from the Latin American business world participated as speakers, such as Luis Amodio, president of OHLA; Dionisio Gutiérrez, president of the Fundación Libertad y Desarrollo; Javier Cárdenas, president of Rhino Equipment; and Borja Escalada, CEO of RLH Properties.
Other Spanish businessmen were Noelle Cajigas, Partner in charge of Deal Advisory KPMG in Spain; Juan Cierco, Corporate Director of Iberia; Pablo Diez, Partner and Member of the Management Committee GBS Finance; Alberto Durán, Vice-President of the ONCE Foundation; Antonio Fernández, President of ArmanexT; Socorro Fernández, President of OFG Telecomunicaciones; Francisco Gil Durán, Partner of the Board of Directors of Gómez Acebo & Pombo Abogados; Jesús Gil, CEO of Gilmar; Mar Gómez Casuso, Vice-President of Grupo Hergom; Manuel Muñiz himself, International Rector of IE University in Madrid and Professor of International Relations; Jesús González Nieto-Márquez, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of BME; Concha Osácar, Founding Partner of Azora and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Azora Gestión and Azora Capital; Asunción Soriano, Vice-President of ATREVIA; Javier Sánchez-Prieto, Executive Chairman of Iberia, and Francisco Velázquez de Cuellar, Chairman of Axon Partners Group; the former Mayor of Madrid, Ana Botella; and David Pérez García, Director of Transportes de Madrid, among others.
