The Leading Brands of Spain Association (AMRE) held the Spanish Ambassador Brands in the United States Dinner in New York's Grand Hyatt Hotel on 16 March. The event was part of the presentation of the Made in/by Spain Plan in the United States with the honourable presence of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias and the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade Miguel Sebastián.

The dinner, jointly organised by AMRE, the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade and the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), was attended by representatives of 40 Association member brands from different sectors and a series of outstanding American guests invited by them.

In his speech, HRH the Prince of Asturias underlined the importance of Spanish companies in fields such as transport, environment, public utilities, engineering, tourism, infrastructure and financial services, and described Spain and the United States as ‘allied countries’ and ‘strategic partners’.

“Many of our companies and brands represented here tonight are world leaders in these and other significant sectors. The US has become a strategic market for them,” HRH the Prince of Asturias said.

Minister Miguel Sebastián in turn also stressed the importance of the new Made in/by Spain Plan, which AMRE collaborates actively in, to foster the presence of Spanish companies in the United States.

A firm and long-term US strategy

AMRE representatives also had a major role during the speeches given at the dinner. Antonio Abril, Director and General Secretary of Inditex and Vice-Chairman of AMRE, spoke on behalf of the Association and affirmed the important strategy of Spanish brands in the American Market.

“It is absolutely impossible to be global without being present in the world's largest market: the US. Our strategy for this market is a firm and long-term one, a strategy for permanence,” Mr Abril said emphatically. He also pointed out “leading Spanish brands are in the US to continue to grow, to help face these challenges and contribute to the best of their ability to improve the well-being and enjoyment of the American people.”

This speech was followed by the showing of a video that included the representation of all of the brands present at the event in New York, and which served to present Spanish products and services as a response to the considerable challenges of current times.

Address by the Spain Brand Honorary Ambassadors

It was then the turn of Valentín Fuster and Joan Massagué, both appointed Spain Brand Honorary Ambassadors by the Leading Brands of Spain Forum.

Valentín Fuster spoke of the influence of a good diet in health and explained that the Mediterranean diet, of which Spanish gastronomy is a prime example, can help to improve quality of life. He also reaffirmed the commitment of the Spain Brand Honorary Ambassadors to collaborating in the improvement of Spain's image.

“Today I would like to reaffirm my commitment and my acceptance of the responsibility to help with all the initiatives, such as the one that brings us together today, in order to show the true potential of Spain today. And to do so in a manner through which we can gradually close the gap that has traditionally distanced the current reality of a dynamic, modern and competitive Spain, and the perception still rooted in stereotypes of the past, which still exists in some parts of the world,” stated Mr Fuster.

It was then the turn of Joan Massagué, who spoke of the changes occurring in Spain in recent years and how the Spanish and their companies had been increasing their presence in the world.

“When I moved to the US in 1979, very few Spanish brands or references to the Spanish culture were available here. Without a doubt in the last few years, the presence of Spanish representatives in the world of sport, cinema, music, painting and literature have contributed to fortify our country’s image in the US. This image has also been strengthened by the presence of Spanish brands from practically every sector ranging from fashion to food and drinks, and covering technology, the financial sector and professional services,” Mr Massagué explained.

The Spanish Brands Dinner was the closing act of the first day of the presentation of the Made in/by Spain Plan in the United States, which had begun on the afternoon of 16 March with the Spain Business Forum meeting and ended the following day with the conference “US-Spain Business Sustainability: Facing Global Challenges Together”.

During the dinner and earlier reception, wines and cavas were served from some of the leading Spanish brands with a major presence in the US, such as Freixenet, Marqués de Cáceres, Osborne, Tío Pepe and Torres.