The second day of the Madrid Investment Forum 2024 highlighted the commitment of the Community of Madrid to developing high value-added industry and its consolidation as a leading digital hub in Southern Europe. Torrejón de Ardoz and Las Rozas served as the venues for a program filled with round tables, presentations, and networking spaces that brought together prominent representatives from the business, academic, and government sectors.
At the Caja del Arte in Torrejón de Ardoz, the morning session began with an institutional opening led by Alejandro Navarro, the mayor of the municipality, and Manuel Pérez, Deputy Minister of Digitalization of the Community of Madrid. Both emphasized the importance of industry as a driver of economic growth and job creation, with particular focus on the development of the digital industry in the region.
The General Director of Economic and Industrial Promotion of the Community of Madrid, Jaime Martínez, opened the presentations with a speech focused on regional policies aimed at attracting investment in strategic sectors such as energy, mobility, and technology.
The first round table, titled Madrid: Urban Development and Infrastructure to Build a High Value-Added Industry, was moderated by Laly Escudero, president of AEDHE. It featured business leaders such as Juan Manuel Sánchez (General Director of TRUMPF), Manuel González (CEO of IGNIS Energía), Félix Llorente (General Director of Wilcox), and David Simón (Director of Public Affairs at Ryanair). The discussion focused on how infrastructure and urban planning can act as catalysts for key sectors of the Madrid economy.
After a brief break, the second round table of the morning block, titled Social Innovation at the Service of People and the Improvement of Quality of Life, brought together experts in the social and economic fields. Participants included José Antonio de Cachavera (General Director of Ingesan, OHLA Servicios), José Jiménez (Director of the Independent Living Office of Plena Inclusión Madrid), César Catalapiedra (Managing Partner of Public Finance at Afi), as well as representatives from the Tomillo Foundation and the Spanish Red Cross. Moderated by Pablo Gómez-Tavira, Deputy Minister of Family, Youth, and Social Policies, the panel highlighted how social innovation contributes to more sustainable, inclusive, and supportive communities.
The morning block concluded with a speech from Daniel Rodríguez Asensio, Deputy Minister of Economy and Employment, who emphasized the need to foster collaborations between the public and private sectors to consolidate the Community of Madrid as an industrial epicenter, not only at the national level but also at the European and international levels.
The day reaffirmed the region’s role as a leader in industrial and digital innovation, charting the course towards a future of sustainable and competitive development.
The Forum in Las Rozas: Madrid, Digital Hub of Southern Europe
In the afternoon, the forum moved to Hub 232 in Las Rozas, where José de la Uz, mayor of the municipality, and Fátima Matute, Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, kicked off a session focused on digitalization and the opportunities of the new economy.
The first presentation, Impact of AI on the Economic and Social Environment, was led by Tomás García, Vice President of Technology at IBM Spain; Carlos Marina, Strategy and Planning Officer at HP Iberia; Elena Gil, Director of AI & Data at Telefónica Tech; and Manuel Giménez, CEO of Spain DC. Moderated by Ignacio Azorín, General Director of Digital Strategy for the Community of Madrid, the session explored the future of artificial intelligence and how it is transforming both business and everyday life. Following this, Juan Manuel López-Zafra, General Director of Economy for the Community of Madrid, presented the talk Madrid, Capturing Opportunities in the New Digital Economy, highlighting the region’s policies to lead technological innovation at the European level.
Before closing the afternoon session, the block continued with a round table titled Public Administrations Facing the Challenge of Digitalization. Moderated by Laura Gutiérrez, Deputy Minister of Health, the panel, which addressed the challenges and opportunities that public administration faces in the digitalization process, included participants such as José de la Uz, mayor of Las Rozas; Belén García-Minguillán Moreno de la Santa, Councilwoman for Economic Development and Innovation of the City Council of Tres Cantos; María Jesús García, Deputy Mayor of Boadilla del Monte; and Alejandro Las Heras Vázquez, CEO of the Agency for CybersecurityCybersecurity solutions are essential in the digital era… of the Community of Madrid.
The institutional closing of the afternoon was led by Ana Dávila, Minister of Family, Youth, and Social Affairs.
The Madrid Investment Forum 2024 continues tomorrow, November 20, in Aranjuez and Madrid (Centro Cultural Conde Duque), wrapping up with debates and round tables on industry and the globalization of the region.
The Madrid Investment Forum 2024 is sponsored by Santander, Oracle, the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, and CEAPI, along with collaboration from the City Council of Madrid and the other host municipalities (Alcobendas, Leganés, Torrejón de Ardoz, Las Rozas, and Aranjuez).