Josep Santacreu, former CEO of the insurance company DKV, yesterday assumed the presidency of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona by 35 votes in favor of the 58 possible with a speech in which he promised to work to recover the “influence” of the institution, together with effectiveness, representativeness within the business world and independence.
Santacreu’s list -Va d’Empresa- obtained support for all positions, although the independence candidacy battled for seats in the executive committee and a vice-presidency. All lost with a minimum of 10 votes difference compared to the Santacreu team. In this way, Eloi Planes (Fluidra), Martina Font (Font Packaging Group) and Miquel Martí (Moventia) were appointed vice presidents. The treasurer will be Xavier Comerma, representative of Banco Sabadell, who ran in the elections as an independent but with the support of Va d’Empresa. The other members of the executive committee are Xavier Pujol (Fico Cables), Emma Gumbert (Gumbert group); Salvador Vendrell (Ofisol 2000), Marta Angerri (Casa Ametller), August Tarragó (Llop Gestió Esportiva), Joan Nogués (Norprint) and Enric Bordas (Santacreu 2000).
In the Chamber there is no replacement without controversy and once again the results have been questioned by the losing candidate, Eines de País. Toni Fitó, who has led the campaign together with the president until yesterday, Mònica Roca, stated that this Monday’s vote violates the Catalan chamber law and that he will study legal actions against it. His argument: that the plenary session had been constituted on a second call and that, law in hand, all agreements must have a two-thirds majority. Oriol Guixà, from La Farga and member of Va d’Empresa, proposed voting again because a simple majority would be enough. His proposal was discarded by the general secretary of the Chamber, Xavier Coronas, when the duration of the plenary session was already approaching four hours. “We could have celebrated it on first call if the members of Eines de País had not entered late despite being in the building,” Santacreu replied. In fact, Roca, for example, entered the room half an hour late.
Despite everything, the plenary session, which was chaired by Albert Castellanos, general secretary of the Business Department, passed calmly and courteously, with congratulations from Eines de País to the winners.
Santacreu also recognized the “job well done” by Roca, although he stressed that “we will work without being influenced by any external interest,” with a mandate “without making noise or stridency.” And he insisted that he wants an institution “with its own voice,” that is “united, broad, transversal and representative.”
The results provided few surprises. Except for Saba, which did not vote for Santacreu, contrary to what was expected. The parking company chaired by Salvador Alemany participated as an independent in the elections. In the Chamber it will be represented by its general director, Jordi Díez. “After the elections, Saba does not want a Chamber formed by two blocs (government and opposition) and believes that a Chamber government that reflects all the business sensitivities of the electoral result is appropriate,” said sources from the company, which congratulated Santacreu. and his team.
Santacreu structured his mandate around ten axes. The first, efficiency in service to companies and also demanding more agile administrations. He also aims to promote individual and collective equality of opportunity, along with sustainability and business culture. Innovation, internationalization, the promotion of talent and full employment are other points of its program.
Taxation is another of the great axes. “A new financing model for Catalonia will be defended, at the same time that work will be done to reduce current fiscal grievances with respect to the rest of the State and corporations that abuse taxation,” the new president stressed. Infrastructure, an area in which the Chamber has always been very active, and industry 2.0 complete its program.
At the end of the plenary session, the Minister of Business, Roger Torrent, intervened, pointing out that the objectives listed by Santacreu are “aligned” with the Government, in particular the feminization of institutions, innovation and sustainability.
The employers’ associations Foment del Treball and Pimec congratulated the new president. Foment celebrated the appointment and wished him “luck and success.” “We are convinced that we will work together to promote economic progress and we will cooperate with the desire to respond to the needs of the entire business community and, in particular, SMEs and self-employed people,” said Antoni Cañete, president of Pimec.
