Dear SCC Members 

After the seismic challenges of the past two years, businesses in every sector across South Africa need 2022 to deliver certainty for all aspects of business, support for continued recovery, and the right conditions for sustainable growth.

While a new year brings renewed optimism, for some sectors in particular, the difficulties of 2021 and 2020 have certainly not gone away. The arrival of the Omicron variant towards the end of 2022 brought further uncertainty which has placed additional pressures on hospitality and tourism, just as they were finding their feet again.

Many businesses are however  still dealing with the compound impact of  the past two years. So when we speak about approaching 2022 with optimism, we’re looking for opportunities in the long-term, without ignoring the reality of what it means to run a business during the present.

However, I am filled with both pride and optimism. Your continued dedication not only to your business but to your staff and the community that you operate in is nothing short of amazing.

Looking toward the rest of 2022, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce will continue to maintain lines of communication with all levels of government.  We will advocate for our businesses at these tables to help move our members forward. The Chamber will continue to host business education events, along with general networking events like the golf tournaments, seminars, and celebrations.  I am proud to announce that the Spanish Chamber of Commerce is growing.  We have recruited 4 new interns from Spain, who will focus on opportunities for foreign direct investment  for South Africa, as well as find opportunities for South African companies that would like to expand their businesses to Spain. 

The Chamber will host its Annual General Meeting on the 27 May 2022, which is always a great event where members will have the opportunity of meeting the new Spanish Ambassador to South Africa, His Excellency Mr Raimundo Robredo Rubio. This year at the AGM, we will ratify a new President, as have been transferred to Australia.  

As my tenure as President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South Africa comes to an end at the beginning of March, I would like to express my utmost gratitude for allowing me to be your President. I especially want to thank my Executive Board, Board of Directors, and SCC Team.  I appreciate your efforts and countless volunteer hours in promoting our business communities and Members. Our success in achieving our mission and purpose is due to all your collaborative efforts.  For this, I say, thank you, all the best, and adieu!

The Spanish Lunch and Learn with IE Business School explored the topic of "COVID and its effects: the uneven recovery and the hot economy."

The hybrid session, hosted by Professor Gayle Allard, discussed the different challenges faced in 2021 by developed and emerging economies and outlined prospects for a (hopeful) post-COVID world in 2022. 

Francisco has a degree in Business Administration and Management as well as a master's degree in International Trade and Digital Business from ESIC Business School. He has worked in the financial sector for Laboral Kutxa Bank, and later as a financial advisor for an Italian  franchise real estate company.  He is currently working at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce RSA as an International Trade and Investment Advisor to help companies from Castilla y León in their trade relations with South Africa.

Javier has a degree in Process and Product Innovation Engineering from the University of the Basque Country and a Postgraduate degree in Business Internationalisation and International Trade. Javier has gained experience in the industrial equipment and hardware distribution sector, managing projects related to production processes, ISO 9001:2015 quality management, as well as  company digitalisation focusing on clients. Javier has joined the Spanish Chamber of Commerce RSA  as a beneficiary of the BEINT Programme of the Basque Country Government with the goal of promoting the business between both countries.

Jokin holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from Mondragon University, later he completed a certificate in Digital Marketing Management.  He is a holder of a grant from the BEINT Internationalisation Program promoted by the Basque Government.  He is in his first year of the Business Internationalization and International Trade post graduate qualification. Jokin has work experience in various sectors, the most recent in engineering services for the digitization of production processes in the energy, glass, steel and wastewater sectors.   Currently Jokin is at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, providing support as one of the International Trade and Investment Advisor.