Miami-Dade Beacon Council Conducts Economic Development Mission to Spain to Attract Business and Grow Jobs in our Community
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Maria Camacho
Feb. 16, 2017
Thanks in part to cultural and language ties, Miami-Dade and Spain have a strong and longstanding investment partnership with more than 12,000 Spaniards living in Miami-Dade, more than 400 Spanish companies doing business in Florida and trade figures reaching nearly $926 million (25 percent increase from previous year).
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is partnering with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Florida to continue building job-generating investments by embarking on an economic development mission to Spain from Feb. 21 to March 1.
Chair Jaret L. Davis, Greenberg Traurig Miami Co-Managing Shareholder, and Interim President & CEO Sheldon T. Anderson will lead the mission that includes meetings in Madrid and Barcelona with top company prospects in a variety of industries.
“We look forward to the opportunity to meet with more than 100 Spanish companies and highlight Miami-Dade’s world-class infrastructure, multicultural and multiethnic workforce and strategic geographic location,” Davis said. “Spain is already a strong trade partner with Miami-Dade and we expect this trip will help us to further strengthen those relationships through one-on-one meetings in both Madrid and Barcelona.”
In Madrid, the Council is partnering with Enterprise Florida, the GMCC and the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami to hold two multi-sector business seminars, one at the Madrid Chamber of Commerce (*), and another held the same day at a luncheon sponsored by BBVA Bank Spain. The delegation includes a GMCC team and the North Miami Mayor Smith Joseph.
The seminars will provide specialized presentations by the Council, Enterprise Florida and Miami-Dade private sector representatives including a speaker from Kaufman Rossin discussing tax considerations and Greenberg Traurig about legal considerations.
“Spain is Miami-Dade’s top foreign direct investment partner thanks in large part to the long-term efforts of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council,” said Carlos Somoza, International Tax Principal for Kaufman Rossin. “The economic impact of bringing these high-paying jobs is significant and widespread throughout our community.”
In Barcelona, Council leadership will attend the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry. Last year, more than 100,000 people attended and 2,200 companies exhibited products and services.
This mission marks the 16th economic development mission to Spain since 1998. Spanish business presence in Miami-Dade has grown steadily in recent years. Since 1996, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council has assisted 102 Spanish companies in locating to Miami-Dade County, creating nearly 3,000 direct jobs and more than $223 million in new capital investment.
The County’s official economic development partnership is currently working with 12 Spanish companies interested in relocating or expanding in our community. Spanish companies located in Miami-Dade include: BBVA Compass Bank, Eulen, Ferrovial, Informática El Corte Inglés, MAPFRE, OHL USA, and Telefonica USA.
*At time of print, 93 companies were registered to attend the seminar.
