The European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion celebrated last Friday, 21 January 2022, the solemn presentation of the 1st Edition of the European Award for the Best Professional Career, during a gala dinner at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid. The recipients of the European Award for the Best Professional Career were a selection of extraordinary professionals from different fields

Madrid January 21, 2022

The event, hosted by the journalist and communicator David Valldeperas, took place in the historic and famous Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid to recognise the extraordinary work carried out by the various award winners.

The European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion awards the European Lifetime Achievement Award to those organisations and companies whose activities have raised these precepts to the highest level of excellence. In doing so, they are not only an example and an inspiration to their peers, but also an engine of progress and growth for the society.

From the European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion we can only acknowledge and thank them for this work, and at the same time we would like to encourage companies and professionals to continue working along these lines to build the future from our present.

The evening began with the arrival of the award winners and authorities in the lobby of the Westin Palace Hotel. The award winners were received by the organisers of the European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion and were presented with a surgical mask to comply with the Covid-19 regulations and protocol in an exceptional manner. After the unavoidable photocall and the corresponding photographs, the protagonists were briefly interviewed and then taken to the dazzling Salón Neptuno, where the ceremony of the 1st European Award for the Best Professional Career began.

With an exceptional presenter -David Valldeperas-, the evening opened with a musical performance by the outstanding singer of musicals, Luis Polo, interpreting the song of the Hymn of Joy, which provides the soundtrack to the values that Europe represents.

He was followed by the President of the European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion, the writer and academic Mr. Luis María Anson y Oliart, who dedicated a few words to the honorees.

Next, the European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion awarded the title of Honorary Member to Father Ángel García Rodríguez, priest and founder of La Cruz de los Ángeles and nowadays Mensajeros de la Paz, an organisation dedicated to the care of orphaned children, to which the European Society for Social and Cultural Promotion made a donation.

The award winners were, in this order:

D. Antonio López Garrido, an entrepreneur who has dedicated five decades of his life to the lighting industry. ALG is synonymous with innovation, quality and customer service.

After him, Ms. Sonia Fernández Núñez, Director of Engineering and Manufacturing at Recreativos Franco, a company recently integrated into GRUPO ORENES, received her award for its commitment to sustainability through technology and innovation to create efficient models.

Next to receive his award was Mr. Marc Royen Peters, who began his business activities on the Costa Tropical of Granada in 1980, and since 1997 has been president of the PROCONSULT group, a benchmark brand that promotes an energy future of self-sufficiency and sustainability in the world.

The next honoree was Ms. Inmaculada Palomo Lucena, who specialises in the construction of 100% customised and sustainable homes such as the Geosolar House. She is currently an architect and technical delegate for Grupo Index.

She was followed by Mr. Rafael Rendón, General Manager at Bodegas Fundador, who is credited with transforming the business into a modern company, both in its products and processes.

The next award winner was Mr. Carlos Paramio Fuertes, founder of Grupo Macap, a comprehensive training, human resources and occupational risk prevention consultancy. It has more than 700 clients and a very diversified field of action.

Mr. Juan Gonzáles Herrero, who has more than 20 years of experience in management positions in the banking and insurance sector, of which he worked for more than 5 years at Banco Santander as Territorial Head of Banking, Insurance and Pensions, received his award.

It was then the turn of Mr. Manuel Hernández Cansino, current CEO of FINETWORK, the company that has become the alternative in telecommunications. He has extensive experience in this sector (ORANGE, AHÍ+) and in the consumer sector (PROCTER & GAMBLE SPAIN, PESCANOVA).

The next professional was Mr. Juan Manuel Lombardo, PhD in Computer Science and economist, with twenty-five years of professional experience in the field of innovation and current General Manager of FIDESOL.

It was then the turn of Sergio Palacián, CEO of MERIDIEM GAMES, an independent project dedicated to the distribution and production of video games for all platforms.

Next to collect his award was Mr. Salustiano Torre Casado, a professional with more than 15 years of work experience as Coordinator of European R&D&I Projects and Technical-Scientific Manager for the R&D&I Procurement and General Affairs Services.

The next winner was Mr. Francisco Javier Lara Salmerón, creator of VIVEROS MAS DE VALERO, S. L., which has grown from half a dozen employees to what it is today: a nursery producing ornamental plants with 250 workers.

D. Manuel Benavente Cuesta is the next speaker, who has been the general director of the Fundación Hospital General de la Santísima Trinidad (FHGST) for more than a decade, a job he combines with the training of new health professionals.

The next honoree was Mr. Jorge Almoril, creator of La Botica de los Perfumes, which currently has more than 190 shops throughout Spain and in some countries abroad.

It was then the turn of Mr. Antonio Romero, technical director and director of operations of Pilotes GENISOL and together with Ms. Maria Isabel Gómez, manager of the company. With more than 30 years of experience in special foundations and construction of photovoltaic plants.

After him, Mr. Jose Carlos Redondo Herrera received his tribute for his more than 15 years of experience in the communication sector, and in particular, for his internationally valued and awarded project NOMADS TURISMO; and a great trajectory in the strategy and implementation in different national and international territories.

Joaquín Riera Buendía, an economist who has been managing the company ARGUS CONTROL SECURITY, dedicated to software research and development, for the last 7 years.

Of course, the award was also presented online to the winners who could not be present at the event, and they left a message of thanks to The Society.

The first to receive it was Mr. José María Eraña, current Country Manager at Ingram Micro Services Spain, who highlighted the fundamental role of PEOPLE management in the change of society and progress.

The next professional to be honoured was Mr. Sidney Stockwell, current Commercial Director/Assistant Manager at CHÁVEZ Y CLARK SL (SUPER-MEX FOODS).

Next, Mr. Antonio Morera Vallejo, president of GRUPO MORERA, & VALLEJO, an Andalusian multinational company dedicated mainly to the insurance sector, businessman and entrepreneur for more than 40 years, received his award.

Finally, Ms. Eva Molina Barber, who leads a multidisciplinary team in charge of the expansion and internationalisation projects of HPS Hospitales, received her award.

Each of the award winners had their own particular tribute in the form of a few words and a video dedicated to their work and career, as well as the opportunity to address their audience in a short speech.

Once the awards ceremony was over, the essential family photo was taken and finally a memorable gala dinner was served.