Recognition for business leaders who drive the “real economy” in Spain

In an event that highlighted the strategic value of business leadership, LA RAZÓN held the fourth edition of the CEO of the Year Awards yesterday at the NH Hotel in Málaga. A total of twenty executives from various sectors were honoured for their professional excellence, capacity for innovation, contribution to sustainability, social impact and leadership. The event was attended by, amongst others, the editor-in-chief of LA RAZÓN, Francisco Marhuenda; the Regional Minister for Tourism and Andalusia Abroad, Arturo Bernal; the Member of Parliament and CEO of Turismo Costa del Sol, Esperanza González; and the newspaper’s representative in Andalusia, José Lugo

The newspaper’s editor began his speech by expressing his delight at presenting the awards in Málaga, which he described as “one of the driving forces behind Spain’s economy”. Marhuenda sought to highlight the purpose of these awards by stating that tonight’s ceremony would honour the “real economy”, something he likes to emphasise because, “although talking about macroeconomics is all very well, it is essential to recognise those who make it grow”, he said. He also drew a parallel between the work of CEOs and the experience of LA RAZÓN as part of the Planeta Group, noting that “we know what a business is” and what it needs. On this point, he referred to one of the main demands of the business community and stated that “we must ask politicians for an appropriate framework to enable us to develop”, which must be accompanied by “a legal framework that gives us security”, he added

That being the case, with a very clear vision of business management, he pointed out that this year’s award winners “know what management is all about”, whether in companies “with a single employee or tens of thousands”, he explained, before going on to say that, ultimately, without the teams supporting the CEOs, none of them would be where they are today. He also reflected on the value of shared talent and thanked the executives for their work, an effort that was reflected yesterday in “these more than well-deserved awards”

An awards ceremony that shines a spotlight on companies with an “ñ”

The awards ceremony, hosted by Antena 3 news presenter Rocío Luque, took place in an atmosphere of recognition for the leaders who, across a range of sectors, are making a difference to the Spanish economy and society. From fashion to technology, via tourism, energy, security, logistics and the hospitality industry, the award-winning CEOs represent a diverse cross-section of the talent driving companies towards innovation, sustainability and internationalisation. Names such as Félix Ramiro, Borja Díaz, Francisca García Moreno, Álvaro Blanco, Eric Dillmann, Zazou Belounis and Antonio Sas were among the stars of the evening

The award winners all agreed that the true value of their success lies in the team that supports them. This was a recurring theme in almost all the speeches, which highlighted the importance of leading through trust, empathy and a shared vision. Sustainability was another recurring theme. Projects focused on reducing the environmental footprint, promoting more responsible production models or fostering rural development, such as Orbis Ways or PackBenefit, were recognised not only for their financial results but also for their social impact. Furthermore, there was scope to highlight the need to ease the tax burden on businesses, particularly in the early years of operation. This concern was shared by many of those present, who described it as a barrier that still hinders the growth and consolidation of new initiatives

The gala served to highlight the profile of the business leaders that today’s society demands: leaders who manage resources and plan strategies, who embrace social responsibility, who create healthy working environments, foster diversity and promote digitalisation. This was made clear by the group of award winners, who represent sectors as diverse as insurance, advertising, energy, the dairy industry, technology and workplace wellbeing, amongst others. They all share the same vision: to drive transformation through excellence and contribute to a more robust, humane and sustainable economy

Bernal, who was tasked with closing the ceremony, joked about the references made to him when the award winners “mentioned taxes”, before going on to state that “in Andalusia we have managed to achieve six consecutive tax cuts and, as things stand, it is the region with the lowest tax burden in the whole of Spain”. His speech centred on the harmony between the Andalusian administration and the business community, endorsing the award winners’ request and recalling that “we have always fought to ensure that money remains in the hands of taxpayers”. He also highlighted the role played by his team at the Regional Ministry, which he described as an “exceptional group of professionals” dedicated to what he called “the happiness industry”, in reference to tourism