Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría highlights opportunities of Biden’s infrastructure plan

Cuatrecasas has hosted the closing of the Tenth Spain-United States Business Forum, an event that brought together political and business leaders and experts from the infrastructure and renewable energy sector to discuss the infrastructure plan approved by the Biden Administration, and its transformation in the United States.

The event was inaugurated by Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, partner and vice president of Cuatrecasas, who highlighted the important contribution of Spanish companies to developing global transport and telecommunications infrastructure, with the corresponding progress. Santamaría also emphasized how the future of Spanish companies lies in their international expansion, noting that for this to happen “in addition to NATO membership, we must defend the strengthening of bilateral relations between the US and Spain.”

José Luis Bonet, chair of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, then took the floor to highlight how our country has become a global benchmark in implementing and developing transport infrastructure, thanks to it having been equipped in recent years with the best transport and telecommunications infrastructures in the world. As Bonet explained, this in turn “has enabled us to develop the image of a strong country with a significant influence that has helped with the outsourcing of the SMEs.”

Alan D. Solomont, chair of the board of directors of the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce, then took the floor to discuss actual data of the estimated investment involved in the US infrastructure plan, and the opportunity that it could provide for many Spanish companies. Then Conrad Tribble, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of the United States of America in Spain, underscored the millions of jobs that this investment plan will create, modernizing the nation’s structure and converting the climate crisis in an opportunity. Lastly, Tribble emphasized that “this plan will be a significant occasion for leading Spanish construction companies to help the US in achieving its business objectives in infrastructures.”

Another series of talks included the participation of Isaías Táboas, chair of Renfe; Pedro Azagra, corporate development director at Iberdrola; Daniel Muñiz, counsel at Brookfield Infraestructure Partners; and Manuel Olivares, managing director America at FCC.

The Forum was closed online by the Secretary of State for Trade—Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism—Xiana Méndez, who reaffirmed the good bilateral relations between Spain and the US following the tensions of recent months, thanks to the fact that the Spanish Administration has made every effort to increase the flow of investments with the US, as well as participating in transport infrastructure projects. In concluding, Méndez recalled the importance of promoting the private sector to boost resources, and she shared her pride in the success of all the Spanish companies that have been able to adapt to the US market, one of the leading players of our economy.