- With the title ‘Dialogue between industry and geopolitics’, PROA Communication held a new session of its Current Affairs Dialogues in which Javier Escribano, president of EM&E Group, and General (R) Félix Sanz Roldán, former director of the National Intelligence Centre, took part.
- Lucía Casanueva, managing partner of PROA Comunicación, pointed out that “we are at a turning point in the European Union's security and defence policy. The long-lasting war in Ukraine, the various threats to international order and the exponential increase in cyber-attacks are shaping a new scenario for global security”.
The impact that the reconfiguration of the world order is having, the role that industry must play in Europe's strategic autonomy and the challenges arising from the increase in defence and security budgets were among the issues addressed. Javier Escribano, Chairman of EM&E Group, y Félix Sanz Roldán, General of the Army (R) and former Director of the National Intelligence Centre, in a new session of the Current Affairs Dialogues, events it organises PROA Communication in order to be an active part of the public debate and to be able to listen and make those who lead this debate listen.
With the title ‘Dialogue between industry and geopolitics' Javier Escribano and General (R) Félix Sanz Roldán analysed how current geopolitical balances condition industrial and business activity in the defence sector, and how companies can anticipate and adapt to a constantly changing global context.
During his speech, Javier Escribano, He stressed that at EM&E Group “we have chosen to surround ourselves with highly qualified people in all departments” and “we have created a company that moves fast, that is agile and with highly motivated people”. Regarding the increased budget that Spain and NATO countries will allocate to defence and security, he stressed that companies must have real industrial capabilities to be able to compete in both national and international programmes, and that these capabilities are not created in a couple of years.
He added that “we are no longer a family company with a conservative philosophy”, which is why it has been necessary to change the strategy given the new context. In this scenario, he explained that “our company is going to progress a lot in the coming years, because we are developing new products, technology that few people have”. “Escribano is a real industry, it is an industry that wants to continue progressing and an ambitious industrial company. We want to create a much bigger company, with many more capabilities and to be able to compete internationally”.
Talent and training
Regarding the capabilities of young Spaniards to contribute to the development and growth, not only technological, of the defence and security industry, Javier Escribano reaffirmed the company's commitment and support for the training of local talent. “We are firm believers in vocational training. We have made a series of agreements with institutes, we have young people training in the company and we believe in dual and vocational training. We are collaborating with the centres, we are working in Madrid and Cordoba. We are collaborating as much as possible in vocational training and, of course, with the University of Alcalá, because we also need engineers. We have taken the part of creating trades as another part of our work”.
“The three vertices of the same triangle”.”
It is a fact that NATO member countries are living a decisive moment for the defence and security industry. The sustained increase in defence spending not only responds to an increasingly complex international situation: it opens the door to a structural transformation of the industrial and technological model in Spain and Europe, and thus to an opportunity for all companies in the sector. Representatives of the Armed Forces and, obviously, the competent authorities must also be present in this equation.
The General (R) Félix Sanz Roldán He explained that “the government is responsible for ensuring that things go well, the government is responsible for what is acquired to equip the army and the navy, we are not denying that capacity”. The important thing is that “we must be the three corners of the same triangle in the whole planning process. And always, not at the time of the fat cows, as it seems to be, but also in those lean times, when it is precisely when it is most needed”.
Regarding the new defence budgets and the relationship with NATO members, he explained that when he was Chief of Defence Staff, a post he held between 2004 and 2008, “he had a budget of 13.7 billion euros, compare that with what we have now. If with a budget of 13.7 billion euros someone thinks that all defence needs are covered, it is a mistake. But we have done well and we have been effective, with few resources, we have been fulfilling our mission, we have had a magnificent international collaboration, we have been a good ally and we have made society not feel defenceless”.
At the presentation of the Dialogue, Lucía Casanueva, managing partner of PROA Comunicación, The EU's security and defence policy is at a turning point,“ he said. The long-lasting war in Ukraine, the various threats to international order and the exponential increase in cyber-attacks are shaping a new scenario for global security. For the first time in recent history, Spain has reached the NATO target of 2 per cent of GDP in military spending by 2025. But this is far from sufficient.
The meeting, held in a closed format and by invitation only, was attended by top representatives from the business world, investors, executives from national and international companies, professionals from consultancy firms and diplomatic representatives. The dialogue was followed by a question and answer session with the audience, which highlighted the importance of defence as an engine for industrial development and as a guarantor of the strategic autonomy required by Spain and Europe in the new global geopolitical order.