The second day of the Madrid Investment Forum 2024 focused on consolidating the Community of Madrid's commitment to industrial development and its positioning as a leading digital hub in southern Europe. The activities took place in Torrejón de Ardoz and Las Rozas, combining presentations, round tables and networking spaces that brought together representatives from the business, academic and government sectors.
The morning session, held at the Caja del Arte in Torrejón de Ardoz, was inaugurated by the Mayor of the town, Alejandro Navarro, and the Deputy Minister for Digitalisation of the Community of Madrid, Manuel Pérez, who highlighted the importance of industry as an engine for growth and employment in the region.
The Director General of Economic and Industrial Promotion of the Community of Madrid, Jaime Martínez, opened the presentations by highlighting the regional policies aimed at attracting investment in strategic sectors such as energy, mobility and technology.
The first round table, entitled Madrid: urban and infrastructure development to build a high value-added industry, addressed how infrastructure and urban planning can boost key sectors of the economy. Moderated by Laly Escudero, president of AEDHE, it featured business leaders such as Juan Manuel Sánchez (TRUMPF), Manuel González (IGNIS Energía), Félix Llorente (Wilcox) and David Simón (Ryanair).
The morning session continued with a round table on Social innovation at the service of people and the improvement of quality of life, where experts such as José Antonio de Cachavera (Ingesan, OHLA), José Jiménez (Plena Inclusión Madrid) and representatives of the Fundación Tomillo and the Red Cross analysed the role of social innovation in the development of sustainable communities.
The Deputy Minister of Economy and Employment, Daniel Rodríguez Asensio, closed the morning session by highlighting the importance of fostering synergies between the public and private sectors to consolidate Madrid as an industrial benchmark.
Digitalisation and new economy in Las Rozas
In the afternoon, the forum moved to Hub 232 in Las Rozas, where the mayor of the municipality, José de la Uz, and the Regional Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, Fátima Matute, kicked off the presentations focused on digitalisation and the opportunities of the new economy.
The session began with a presentation on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the economic and social environment, led by Tomás García, Vice President of Technology at IBM Spain; Carlos Marina, Head of Strategy and Planning at HP Iberia; Elena Gil, Director of AI & Data at Telefónica Tech; and Manuel Giménez, CEO of Spain DC. The event was moderated by Ignacio Azorín, Director General of Digital Strategy of the Community of Madrid.
Subsequently, Juan Manuel López-Zafra, Director General of Economy of the Community of Madrid, presented the speech Madrid, capturing the opportunities of the new digital economy, highlighting the region's policies to lead technological innovation in Europe.
The block continued with a round table discussion entitled Public administrations facing the challenge of digitalisation, moderated by Laura Gutiérrez, Deputy Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid. This session was attended by municipal representatives such as José de la Uz, Mayor of Las Rozas; Belén García-Minguillán, Councillor for Economic Development and Innovation of the Tres Cantos Town Council; and María Jesús García, Deputy Mayor of Boadilla del Monte.
The afternoon session ended with the institutional closure of the Regional Minister for Family, Youth and Social Affairs, Ana Dávila.
The forum continues in Aranjuez and the capital Madrid
The Madrid Investment Forum 2024 will continue until 20 November, with debates and round tables in Aranjuez and the Conde Duque Cultural Centre in Madrid, addressing globalisation and the future of industry in the region.
The event, promoted by Invest in Madrid, is sponsored by Santander, Oracle, the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and CEAPI, with the collaboration of the Madrid City Council and other host municipalities such as Alcobendas, Leganés, Torrejón de Ardoz, Las Rozas and Aranjuez.