The delegate for Economy, Innovation and Finance, Engracia Hidalgo, presided over the awards ceremony, held in the auditorium of CentroCentro.
The Delegate for Economy, Innovation, and Finance, Engracia Hidalgo, presided over the ceremony recognizing the contribution to the city's economic development made by executives and foreign-owned companies based in the capital. Currently, more than 12.000 foreign corporations from over 100 countries operate in Madrid. The capital leads Spain in foreign investment, generating nearly 693.000 jobs in the Community of Madrid related to this sector, according to 2023 statistics.
During the event, held in the auditorium of CentroCentro at the Cibeles Palace, the delegate expressed her gratitude for "the continued confidence of international investors and businesspeople in the city" and emphasized "Madrid's ability to offer stability and opportunities for professional and personal development to the world's most innovative talent." This capacity to attract human talent contributes to the city, in her words, "becoming increasingly open, innovative, cosmopolitan, and competitive."
The speeches and awards ceremony were accompanied by performances of various classical music pieces by the Camerata Musicalis Symphony Orchestra, such as The diversion in Re, by Mozart; the Spanish Suite, by the composer Dimitri Shostakovich; Nighttime music in the streets of Madrid, by Boccherini; or the first movement of Capriol Suite, Warlock.
The awards were given to ten companies for their contribution to innovation and entrepreneurship and for their commitment to the capital, and to ten professionals who have distinguished themselves through their leadership and their contribution to Madrid's global profile. They were presented by Delegate Engracia Hidalgo and by the President of the Madrid Business Confederation-CEOE (CEIM), Miguel Garrido.
In 2024, Madrid received €26.305 billion in foreign investment, according to the Foreign Investment Registry. This figure, in Hidalgo's words, "marks the second-best historical result since 1993." "Madrid is thus consolidating its position as one of the leading European capitals for investment, innovation, and growth. This dynamism reflects the sustained confidence of international investors and our region's capacity to offer stability, talent, and opportunities," the delegate concluded.