The analysis and reflection on the challenges posed by the global economy to engineering and business competitiveness is the focus of the National Engineering and Business Summit, a biennial event organized by the Association of Senior Engineers of Andalusia (ASIAN). Our colleague José Mazo recently attended the latest edition, held at the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) in Seville.
Under the title, Productivity and Talent: Strategies for Sustainability , a select group of expert speakers from various fields of knowledge, with proven experience in business and innovation, shared insights into a range of solutions to the current and future challenges of an increasingly global and specialized market. They also explored the implications of business productivity and talent management for corporate sustainability, as well as their role in generating environmental and social value.
The first of the two panels at the Summit focused on productivity and sustainability and featured contributions from Jorge Acitores, Director of the La Rábida Energy Park at Moeve; Miguel Hernández del Campo, Head of Department at Tragsatec UT5; Eva Laín, CEO of Lain Tech; Lourdes García, Energy-Industry Director at Ghenova; and José Romero Anchuelo, Head of Defense and Engineering Programs at Navantia. The session was moderated by Aurelio Azaña, CEO of Azcatec.
The speakers emphasized that business productivity and sustainability are closely interconnected, highlighting that for a company to be considered truly sustainable, it must be environmentally responsible, socially engaged, productive, and economically viable. Practices such as automation, agile processes, resource optimization, remote work, and inclusive teams not only enhance sustainability but also improve productivity across companies, organizations, and public administrations.
The second panel delved into talent management and featured Celestino Martínez, Human Resources Director at Naturgy; Isabel Reija, President of the National College of ICAI Engineers; Javier Bécares Barbosa, CEO of Genera; Vicente Vegazo Rivero, HRBP SITE Bahía de Cádiz at Navantia; and Francisco Javier Alfaro Garrido. Head of People & Digital Corporate at AYESA, and Patricio Moreno, Talent & Executive Manager Air Power at AIRBUS. The panel was moderated by Javier García Colino, Business Development Director at EOI.
In this regard, the panelists agreed that effective talent management is crucial for business competitiveness, highlighting the importance of identifying, attracting, and retaining top professionals—especially young talent—to support generational renewal, drive innovation, and ensure sustainability.
