Attracting talent and business Miquel Valls i Maseda President of the Barcelona Official Chamber of Commerce, industry and navigation and second vice-president of the General Council of Fira de Barcelona Once again we have to congratulateourselves on the Fira de Barcelona’s de Barcelona’s brand value is unquestionableThanks to its successful management, Fira results. For the second consecutive year, at this point. The trade fair institution is a the trade fair institution has presented record magnet for talent and business, and a first- results with an income of over 187 million class economic and investment generator for euros. Moreover, it has benefitted the city in the city and its environs. multiple ways: by bolstering the economy and helping to generate thousands of jobs, trade New initiatives and quality business tourism. in the coming years, Fira needs to stay on Fira’s leadership has been evident this path of consolidated growth with new despite the difficult moments Barcelona has initiatives that reinforce this strategy. experienced during the year. A good example is the successful holding of 141 fair events From the Barcelona Chamber of that made up the calendar, as well as over a Commerce we congratulate ourselves on thousand professional activities carried out as these results and restate our commitment part of the shows. to the institutional co-operation that has The year under review has seen the proved so successful so far. Together, the consolidation of results and strategies. City Council of Barcelona, the Government Fira de Barcelona’s commitment to greater of Catalonia and the Barcelona Chamber of internationalisation and its forward-looking Commerce must work hand in hand and be vision have yielded positive results. indeed, forward-looking, while continuing to focus on this is so much the case that greater co- innovation and internationalisation as the keys organisation of shows abroad has allowed to the growth of the trade fair institution. the institution to expand overseas. FOReWORd — 9