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Secretary General
Ignacio Toda Jiménez
General Manager
Agustín Cordón Barrenechea
GOVERNING
BOARD
President
Josep Lluís Bonet i Ferrer
Members
Núria Basi i More
Luis Conde Möller
Jordi Clos i Llombart
Enric Crous i Millet
Pedro Fontana García
Enrique Lacalle Coll
Miquel Martí i Escursell
Secretary General
Ignacio Toda Jiménez
General Manager
Agustín Cordón Barrenechea
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
General Manager
Agustín Cordón Barrenechea
Expansion Director
Pere Camprubí i Nieto
Institutional Relations, Protocol
and President’s Office Director
Emili Farrerons i Pascual
Human Resources Director
Olga Figuerola i Giménez-Coral
Administration and Finances Director
Salvador Fosalba i Auró
Communications Director
Amparo Losada Torres
Sales Director
Albert Planas i Riera
Operations and Customer
Attendance Director
Salvador Tasqué i Díez
International Business Director
Ricard Zapatero i Camps
YEAR2011
A potent exhibition
platform
Once again the results and activities of the Fira
de Barcelona must be seen in the light of the
recession that affects firms and institutions.
During the year 2011, the economic situation
had negative repercussions on most sectors and
affected above all the small and medium-sized
firms that constitute the bulk of this country’s
productive network.
Despite such a complex panorama, however,
the Fira not only reached the takings anticipated
for 2011 but actually exceeded them, thanks
to diversification of activities and the degree of
efficiency attained, linked, naturally enough, to
expense reduction efforts. The estimated income
of 111.5 million euros turned out to be 114 mil-
lion, a 2.3% increase. The EBIDTA stood at around
11.1 million euros, more or less asexpected.
The main concern on the part of the fair insti-
tution was to apply specific support measures
to firms and sectors, thereby contributing to
the economy of Barcelona and its hinterland.
The activities organised by the Fira had an
impact on the territory estimated at some
2,500 million euros.
One of the main objectives was to ensure that
the fair schedule was met, since the industrial
and professional shows are tools with which
to combat the recession. 2011 was character-
ised also —as we shall see below in greater
detail— by the inclusion of new shows and by
reinforcement of the Fira’s role as an important
international platform, with congresses and
large-scale events that generate economic
activity, knowledge and opportunities for the
country’s firms.
With these measures, the Fira has continued
to develop a set of initiatives that form part of
its Strategic Plan, updated in 2010 under the
conceptual denomination of the ‘New Value
Proposal’, focused on enhancing the Fira’s own
shows, on product innovation, on facilitating
contacts between exhibitors and visitors through
new technological tools, on upgrading the figure
of the purchaser, and on the importance of
knowledge and of development of a new concept
of international business. As those responsible
for the Fira understand it, in order to combat
the recession market requirements must be
anticipated and action must be taken from a
global perspective.
In this context, commercial activity was
enhanced through personal contacts with
potential exhibitors, offering products to suit the
needs of firms for each kind of show. 4,800 visits
and over 20,200 phone contacts were made, with
a high degree of effectiveness. Similarly, prepa-
rations were carried out in close collaboration
with business associations, thereby securing
funding and playing an active negotiating role
with the Authorities.
At the same time, ongoing commitment was sus-
tained to new technologies, to increased use of
electronic trade and to fostering social networks,
the corporate and fair websites and, in general,
all information and communication technologies
as important instruments of contact, interactiv-
ity and business. The Fira’s corporate website
received a total of 600.000 visits.
Innovative shows
65 shows and events were held in fulfilment of
the planned schedule, which provided firms with
the opportunity to be present at the sectorial
meetings and to pave the way for future business.
A number of the events most characteristic of
the Fira de Barcelona were conditioned by the
recession, as were their corresponding industrial
sectors. This was the case of the Boat Show, the
great display window for the Spanish nautical
industry, which celebrated its 50th anniversary;
the International Motor Show, which made a
determined effort to contribute to increasing
car sales; and Construmat, which became the
mouthpiece for the sector in order to devise
alternatives for the future. The ‘Construmat
Manifesto’ was drawn up to attract the authori-
ties’ attention to the need to take measures by
which to reactivate building and civic works.
During the year, other events were organised
of the importance and prestige of the Mobile
World Congress, EIBTM, Carbon Expo, ITMA, The
Brandery, Graphispag, Sonimagfoto, Piscina
BCN, Expoquimia, Barcelona International Comic
Fair, Tourism, Bizbarcelona, BCN Bridal Week
and BcnRail, among a host of others.
One of the great events of 2011 was undoubt-
edly ITMA, the world’s most important textile
technology show, which occupied practically the
entire Gran Via venue, attracted 1,350 firms from
45 countries and welcomed over 100,000 visitors
from all over the world. Despite the historical
importance of the textile industry in this country,
this was the first time the event had ever been
held in Spain. The sector’s public institutions
and professional associations are determined
to ensure that this major event will return to the
Fira de Barcelona.
Prior to the holding of ITMA, the new pavilions
5 and 7 were inaugurated at the Gran Via venue,
which now has a gross exhibition area of
240,000 m
2
and has become consolidated as one
of Europe’s largest and most modern fair venues.
Besides the new pavilions, new congress facili-
ties have also been made available, specifically
two conference centres with 14 halls and a total
seating capacity of 1,150, and a Business Centre.
In its expansion policy, throughout 2011 the
dynamism of the Fira became manifest with the
launching of shows that respond to new busi-
ness and social demands, following a pattern
that is highly characteristic of the history of
the fair institution. I refer specifically to Facility
Management and Business Services, which met
the externalisation needs of services and activi-
ties on the part of firms, and the Smart City
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