On 11 November, the Leading Brands of Spain Association (AMRE) held a luncheon in honour of Josep Piqué, former Minister of Industry and Foreign Affairs, now Chairman of Vueling, in order to acknowledge his work at the ministry in promoting the creation of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum (FMRE). During his time at the ministry, more specifically in 1999, Mr Piqué signed the agreement between the Ministry of Industry and the 17 founding companies of the association. Thus a strategic collaboration agreement was initiated between the government and Spanish leading brand companies in order to promote internationalisation, the brand as a key strategic asset, the competitiveness of the Spanish economy and the image of Spain abroad.

The luncheon, held in the Nuclo Restaurant at Fira de Barcelona, was attended by the members of the Board of AMRE and many executives from member companies, as well as Miquel Nadal, former top aide of Mr Piqué when he was Minister for Industry, and his former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. During the event, José Luis Bonet, Chairman of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum and of Freixenet, reviewed the process by which the project was created, emphasising the constant backing received from the government. He also spoke of the partnership between the government and the leading companies as being key to the success of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum throughout these ten years, during which the forum has grown from 17 founding companies to 98 member companies, and has established strategic relationships with the relevant government bodies.

Antonio Abril, Vice-Chairman of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum and Director and Secretary of the Board of Directors of Inditex, detailed some of the Forum’s main achievements during its ten years of existence and emphasised the continuity of the project and its objectives, namely, to foster the competitiveness and internationalisation of Spanish companies, and therefore of the Spanish economy, through the acknowledgement, at all levels, of the strategic importance of Spanish brands, particularly the brands that are leaders and most well-recognised”. Mr Abril stated that in times of crisis such as these “the internationalisation of our companies and brands must be one of the main vehicles for growing our economy. The recession may also be an opportunity for companies to position themselves in other markets that may have a better short term performance than the Spanish market”. The Leading Brands of Spain’s Vice-Chairman also emphasised that one of the main values of the project is that it “brings together, in one organisation, the individual interests of companies and the general interests of the state”.

In his speech, Josep Piqué expressed his gratitude for the acknowledgment and his approval of the consolidation of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum, which he believes to be strategic for the competitiveness of the Spanish economy. He also encouraged the Board of AMRE and the companies attending the luncheon to continue to work for and to support internationalisation, innovation, added value and the brand. By way of an answer to certain views that have recently been aired, Mr Piqué reaffirmed his conviction that “brands are unbeatable” and stressed the need for Spanish brands and the corresponding government bodies to continue to work together to promote the image of Spain abroad.