The first edition of the Forbes Andorra Economic Summit, held this Thursday at the Hotel Park in Andorra la Vella, brought together more than 350 business leaders, politicians, investors, and national and international experts, establishing the Principality as a global reference in innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic sustainability.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in roundtables and debates on strategic topics such as digital transformation, sustainable development based on natural resources, entrepreneurship, and long-term macroeconomic challenges. The forum served as a platform to highlight the opportunities Andorra offers as a destination for investment and talent attraction.
In his opening speech, the Andorran Head of Government, Xavier Espot, highlighted the country’s competitive advantages and its potential to attract talent and investment: “The quality of life in Andorra is not a coincidence. Our country combines stability and dynamism in a privileged environment, positioning it as one of the safest in the world. This balance is key to attracting talent and investment. Moreover, Andorra stands out in sectors such as technology, health, tourism, and finance, not only attracting international talent but also generating its own.”
Espot also emphasized the Principality’s institutional strength: “Thanks to our solid institutions, we have significantly reduced public debt levels, bringing it down to 31.8% of GDP. This will soon allow us to bring it below 30%, a milestone not seen in the past 11 years.”
Andrés Rodríguez, director and editor of Forbes Spain and president of the SpainMedia group, highlighted the historic role of the iconic publication in promoting sound business practices: “Forbes was founded 108 years ago to champion a way of doing business based on honesty and legality. This helps build countries, societies, and civilizations.”
The closing speech was given by Conxita Marsol, Minister of the Presidency, Economy, Labor and Housing of the Andorran Government and president of Andorra Business, who emphasized the importance of initiatives like this in positioning Andorra as an international business hub.
Earlier, during the roundtable “A Growing Economy,” Finance Minister Ramón Lladós spoke about Andorra’s steady path to growth. Participants in this session also included Josep X. Casanovas, Director of Corporate Development and Public Policy at Andbank; economist Maria Cosan; David García Núñez, Director of Communication and Marketing for Construction and Concessions at FCC Group; and Bernabé Solsona, Country Manager at Philip Morris. The session was moderated by Miguel Cases, Executive President of Cases & Lacambra.
The event also featured Alexander Marfany (CEO of Cellab), Max Commençal (CEO of Commençal), Enrique Cortés (VP Practices and Consulting at Kyndryl), and José Antonio Pinilla (CEO of Asseco), who participated in the roundtable “An Economy of Technology and Innovation,” moderated by Adrià Peribáñez, Director of Innovation at Andbank and head of the Actyus Fintech Fund. Other contributors included David Ledesma (Marketing Director at Grandvalira Resorts), Mariano de Diego (Founder and CEO of VertiPorts Network), and Jorge Manrique de Lara (Director at EDISUM).
Sustainability as an economic key was widely discussed by José Manuel Rodríguez (CTO of Social Energy) and Arturo Miró Samsot (Director of Sustainability at CALAF Constructora), moderated by Gemma Calvet (CEO of Calvet Barot).
The roundtable “An Economy of Family Business and Entrepreneurship” included Daniel Armengol (President of the Heracles Group and of the Andorran Family Business Association), Manel Cerqueda Díaz (Director at Andbank), Albert Hinojosa (Partner at Cases & Lacambra), Montserrat Figueres (CEO of Sita Murt), and Jordi Ferrer (CEO of the Hesperia Group & HesperiaWorld). The session was moderated by Marta Guajardo-Fajardo, CEO of Alma y Talento.
With Andbank as the main partner, this first edition of the Forbes Andorra Economic Summit was supported by key sponsors such as Cases & Lacambra, Social Energy, and Philip Morris, all backing this vision for the country’s economic future. In parallel, Andorra Business played a key role in the development of the project.
Thursday, April 10th, 2025