The board approved the 2018 Action Plan, which includes, among other activities, the 4th edition of the Australian Leaders programme
The Spain Australia Council Foundation held its XVI board meeting at the Ministry of External Affairs and Cooperation headquarters. As well as looking towards 2018 and the new activities in the pipeline, the representatives of the companies and institutions which form part of the Foundation also met to evaluate the second half of 2017.
The board ratified the appointment of new representatives and patrons. It welcomed the Spanish Chamber of Commerce as a new patron and the new representatives of Casa Asia, David Navarro (managing director); Acciona, José Eugenio Salarich (Head of International Relations) and Alianza 4 Universidades, Matilde Sánchez (vice-president of International Relations and Cooperation at Universidad Carlos III).
The meeting was also attended by the Director General for North America and Asia-Pacific, Fidel Sendagorta and the Director General for International Economic Relations, Cristina Serrano Leal. After Fidel Sendagorta spoke, who gave an overview of the state of bilateral relations, it was the turn of Yann Emonet, Head of Division of the Sub-Directorate General of Trade Policy with Europe and Asia-Pacific of the Secretary of State for Trade, who gave the patrons valuable insights on economic relations between Spain and Australia.
At the meeting, the board analysed the activities carried out by SACF in the second half of 2017, paying special attention to the lunch with the Australian Chargé d'Affaires in Spain, Ambassador Timothy Kane, the Seminar on Academia and Business held at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the Air Forum. The SACF also participated in other institutional activities, such as the opening of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology campus in Barcelona, Asia Innova's institutional dinner and other activities held by the Australia Spain Business Association (ASBA).
The 2018 Action Plan includes the organisation of the 4th Australian Leaders Programme, the filming of a second video for the Testimonials series and other regular activities such as seminars and round tables, among others.
