Spain Insignificant?

[Marbella]

I went out with an old friend last night, English guy who has lived and worked in the US for a number of years. He always teases me about spending every holiday in Spain, and quite justifiably I think, feels that I should widen my horizons by travelling to other countries.

In amongst the good-natured banter last night was a discussion about Spain's place in the world today. I'm no Zapatero fan as you may know from my other posts, I think he has done a lot of damage to Spain's international reputation, but we won't go there in this thread please. The question was: outside of sport and entertainment, are there any Spaniards that have made it outside of their own country in business, politics, science...anything in the last few years?

He teasingly said something along the lines of: in the world today, "Spain is insignificant". Red rag to a bull:mad: but I could only think of:

1) Javier Solana: former secretary general of NATO and now the same but of the European Union. Hugely influencial and seen very recently getting involved in the new middle-eastern conflict.
2) José Maria Aznar: former president, understandably popular in the US and now on the board of Rupert Murdoch's News International. Like him or loathe him, he does have influence and he was right up there with Bush and Blair before the Iraq war.
3) Christina Domecq: yes, the legendary sherry family - minor example this but I really admire the way this smart businesswoman has built her new business Spinvox (http://www.spinvox.com/), the voice to text service. Clever use of technology gaining a lot of interest and financial investment here in the UK.

Got any others? I'd love to send this guy a long list of Spaniards who are making waves now or for example where Spain is leading the world in scientific/technological (medical? ecological?) research. Or is Spain really insignificant?

[Edith]

How about all those Spanish artists (painters, film makers etc.) who are known around the world such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Gaudí, etc? These people will be remembered for years to come.

[Pepino]

It's a very old link but the story behind it is probably just as relevant. It's the guy who started the Zara clothing chain store that seems to be on every high street in the UK these days...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1346473.stm

[Marbella]

How about all those Spanish artists (painters, film makers etc.) who are known around the world such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Gaudí, etc? These people will be remembered for years to come.

Of course but I mean in the last few years and outside of entertainment.

[Marbella]

It's a very old link but the story behind it is probably just as relevant. It's the guy who started the Zara clothing chain store that seems to be on every high street in the UK these days...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1346473.stm

That's a good one thanks. There are many examples of businesses that started in Spain and then using that cash bought or expanded into the rest of the world (Telefonica buying O2 for example). But what about a Spaniard, educated in Spain and then went on to become CEO of an international company that didn't start in Spain?

[Edith]

Of course but I mean in the last few years and outside of entertainment.

Art is more than 'entertainment' - it's part of our culture, like literature. Walt Disney is entertainment.

[Marbella]

Art is more than 'entertainment' - it's part of our culture, like literature. Walt Disney is entertainment.

Okay, outside of Arts and Entertainment. Gaudi, Miro, Picasso and Dali are dead anyway. No riding on past glories here, I'm talking about now, right now, 2006 or the last few years. Spaniards who have world influence from what they are doing NOW, not what they did many many years ago!:)

[Marina]

Pepino is right, Amancio Ortega from zara started with a small business in Galicia and where he used local female workers to cut and put the clothes together. When zara started to grow there was not a main factory but lots of small workshops all around Galicia with 10 to 15 women each.

Other great example is Emilio Botin and his daughter Ana Patricia Botin that have expanded their business Santander Central Hispano Bank into South America and recently bought Abbey National bank. (I love to see their logo when I wander around the streets of Oxford).

I'll think of some more and get back to you.

[Marbella]

Other great example is Emilio Botin and his daughter Ana Patricia Botin that have expanded their business Santander Central Hispano


Yes, good one. But, if there is someone who made it outside of Spain without first building a business in Spain then that would be perfect. The reason for this is that Spain has been seen as protectionist (still is to a certain extent) and it has been easier for businesses like Zara to build up a fortune in Spain before going onto the global stage. There is the old story about the UK company Next being stopped from opening stores in Spain because Zara didn't want the competition.

[greytop]

On this the technology front link to Translations site (http://zenitservices.com/Translations/2006/SpanishTechnology.html) has examples and also agrees with Marbella's friend to some extent.
Maybe the real brains in Spain know when & where they are well off, and stay here!

[Alan]

2) José Maria Aznar: former president, understandably popular in the US and now on the board of Rupert Murdoch's News International. Like him or loathe him, he does have influence and he was right up there with Bush and Blair before the Iraq war.

I don't know. Spain was just about the only country supporting the US and UK. I don't think it was so much that Spain or Aznar had influence than the US and UK using Spain to try to make the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" seem more international. And no wonder he was voted out: the people did not agree with the "war" at all.

[Marbella]

On this the technology front link to Translations site (http://zenitservices.com/Translations/2006/SpanishTechnology.html) has examples and also agrees with Marbella's friend to some extent.
Maybe the real brains in Spain know when & where they are well off, and stay here!

That's a brilliant link Greytop, thanks:thumbs-up: . The example of those 2 young engineers is exactly what I like to see.

I have found a Spaniard called Fernando Rodes who is CEO of a major French media company called Havas.

[ValenciaSon]

How about the famous engineer/architect Calatrava? I can't remember his first name. He designed the Olympic stadium in Athens, the new bridge in Boston and I don't know how many other structures besides all the new ones in Valencia and other parts of Spain.

[Marbella]

How about the famous engineer/architect Calatrava? I can't remember his first name. He designed the Olympic stadium in Athens, the new bridge in Boston and I don't know how many other structures besides all the new ones in Valencia and other parts of Spain.

Perfect:thumbs-up:

Just reading about one of his projects, just $29m for the cheapest property. Think I'll have 2 ...

http://www.80southstreet.net/

[Alan]

And we can't take a walk through any major city without going into Mango . . .
. . . I hate Mango.

[ValenciaSon]

Who is Mango?

[parubin]

I personally think Spain is arguably one of the 4 or 5 most influential civilitations of western culture, to describe it as 'insignificant' could be quite daring.

If you ask for a list of some influential 'not dead' spanish people some of these come to mind :

FILM : Banderas, Cruz, Almodovar, Amenabar, Bardem, Coixet

ARCHITECTURE : Ricardo Bofill, Santiago Calatrava, Rafael Moneo (all world class architects with many significant buildings, prices and recognition)

POLITICS and LEADERSHIP : Felipe González, King Juan Carlos, JMª Aznar, Rodrigo Rato (managing director of the IMF), Javier Solana (former Secretary General of NATO)

LITERATURE : Miguel Delibes, Francisco Ayala (both long time canditates to nobel prize), Javier Marías, Carlos Ruiz Zafón (both world wide best sellers).

MUSIC and DANCE: Paco de Lucía, Vicente Amigo (Flamenco Guitar), Plácido Domingo and José Carrera (opera tenors), Joaquín Cortés

SCI-TECH : Pedro Duque (NASA astronaut, veteran with two space missions)

SPORT (the list here is long but the better known are) : Raúl, Seve Ballesteros, Fernando Alonso, Rafa Nadal, Pau Gasol, Miguel Indurain...

CUISINE TRENDS : Ferrá Adriá (repeatedly named world's best cook), Juan Mari Arzak,...

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS : Emilio Botín (President of Group Santander, Europe's Biggest Bank Group and World's Ninth owner of multiple subsidiaries worldwide such as Abbey National in the UK), Francisco Gómez Roldán (CEO of Abbey National), César Alierta (President of Telefonica Group, owner of O2), Rafael Del Pino (owner of Ferrovial, the biggest infraestrure group worlwide, owner of the concession of many highways in the US, Canada, UK, the London Underground, and owner of the BAA : British Airport Authority), Florentino Pérez (president of ACS-Dragados, one of europe's biggest construction and engineering company), Amancio Ortega (owner of Zara), Manolo Blahnik (one of the most known fashion creators)...

The list of not-dead influential Spaniards goes on...

Of course it is not mandatory to know all these people, but I would call it an act of a bit of arrogance/ignorance to consider Spain 'Insignificant' in the world today.

[Marbella]

I want to exclude sport, arts and entertainment, not because it isn't important but just because it is too easy an example to offer. Spain is right up there of course in these fields, the facts speak for themselves.


ARCHITECTURE : Ricardo Bofill, Santiago Calatrava, Rafael Moneo (all world class architects with many significant buildings, prices and recognition)


Good thanks. I always think of the son of Bofill when I see that name. :D


POLITICS and LEADERSHIP : Felipe González, King Juan Carlos, JMª Aznar, Rodrigo Rato (managing director of the IMF), Javier Solana (former Secretary General of NATO)


Rato is a perfect example, thanks! Not sure what Felipe González does now outside of Spain? Juan Carlos is recognised as a model for all royal families, agree with that.



SCI-TECH : Pedro Duque (NASA astronaut, veteran with two space missions)
CUISINE TRENDS : Ferrá Adriá (repeatedly named world's best cook), Juan Mari Arzak,...


Didn't know about Pedro Duque (how educational this is turning out to be for me!)

Adriá is a genius, agreed.


Of course it is not mandatory to know all these people, but I would call it an act of a bit of arrogance/ignorance to consider Spain 'Insignificant' in the world today.

Just a tease between friends, so don't be offended.

[Alan]

Who is Mango?

What. It's a Spanish clothes shop with branches all over Europe.

[intrepida1981]

How about Custo Barcelona, a designer who started his line clothing in New York City and started to enjoy his success there.

And another designer is Amaya Arzuaga who I think is based in London. :)

[guapo]

Wikipedia has a long list of famous Spaniards at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Spaniards

Some of these have been mentioned elsewhere in this thread. But here are a few that seem to still be alive (with Wikipedia you can never be certain) and are making a name for themselves outside of Spain:

Santiago Calatrava (http://%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Calatrava) Architect who has created some spectacular buildings all over the world including North America.

Enric Miralles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enric_Miralles) died in 2000, but worth a mention since he produced the Scottish Parliament building.

Josep Borrell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Borrell) President of the European Parliament (not sure how impressive that is?)

Rodrigo Rato (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Rato) Director of IMF

Pedro Duqueè (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Duque) Astronaut

Margarita Salas Biochemist

Manuel Castells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Castells) Sociologist

Xavier Sala i Martinè (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xavier_Sala-i-Martin) Professor of economics at Columbia University



and the final one and my favourite:

Manuel Jalon Corominas - inventor of the mop and a disposable syringe (what more do you want!!!) El mundo has an article El hombre que nos puso de pie (http://www.elmundo.es/magazine/m24/textos/fregona1.html)

[Marbella]

and the final one and my favourite:

Manuel Jalon Corominas - inventor of the mop and a disposable syringe (what more do you want!!!) El mundo has an article El hombre que nos puso de pie (http://www.elmundo.es/magazine/m24/textos/fregona1.html)

Good one, a Spanish inventor and from my wife's home town, Logroño.

[osvaldo]

Juan Antonio Samaranch - IOC president from 1980-2001.

Antoni Tàpies - abstract & expressionist painter.

Ferrán Adrià - world renowned chef of El Bulli restaurant.

Carme Ruscalleda - owner and chef of Restaurant Sant Pau. She is one of only two women in the world that hold Michelin's highest rating of 3 Stars.

Ricardo Boffill - Architect, world-class buildings such as Shiseido, in Ginza, Tokyo, the Christian Dior Headquarters, Cartier Headquarters, France, the Barcelona Airport, The National Theatre of Catalonia, in Barcelona, The New Palacio de Congresos, Madrid. Also, other major projects, such as The Grand (the tallest residential building in the world), Project 2000 (the tallest office building in the world), and Dearborn Centre (Dearborn and Adams) currently under construction in Chicago.