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From left to right: Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber; Ms. Miriam Gonz\u00e1lez Dur\u00e1ntez; Mr. Juan L\u00f3pez-Herrera, Minister Counsellour of the Embassy of Spain.<\/p><\/div>\n
On such a special occasion, our member Natura Biss\u00e9<\/a> kindly sponsored a private \u201cMeet & Greet\u201d with the Guest of Honour for our Patrons, Benefactors and Members of the Executive Committee. Sali Flores and Juan Albanell, from Natura Biss\u00e9, had the opportunity to greet our Guest of Honour and exchange impressions before the rest of the guests joined this private gathering.<\/p>\n Ms. Sali Flores, Managing Director of Natura Biss\u00e9 UK, with Miriam Gonz\u00e1lez during the private \u00abMeet & Greet\u00bb.<\/p><\/div>\n After the \u201cMeet & Greet\u201d, speeches took place at the main banqueting hall. Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber, started the proceedings by welcoming attendees and wishing them a happy and successful 2017. He took the opportunity to thank members of the institution for their continuous support and announced the new Patrons which had joined since the Gala Dinner last December. He concluded by highlighting the importance for both Spain and the UK to keep working together regardless of the outcome of Brexit.<\/p>\n\n It was then the turn of Mr. Juan L\u00f3pez-Herrera, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Spain, to address attendees. In his speech, Mr. L\u00f3pez-Herrera highlighted the steady growth of bilateral investments between Spain and the UK. He explained, the challenge after Brexit is to preserve the level of bilateral relations achieved after the last three decades, not only in the economic and trade sectors but also across the boards.<\/p>\n\n Out Toast Master then welcomed Ms. Gonz\u00e1lez Dur\u00e1ntez, who took the floor and warmly thank the Chamber for having invited her to this traditional reception. Her speech raised a lot of expectation as she is a well-known professional with ample experience advising on EU and International Trade regulations. Since the June referendum, Ms. Gonz\u00e1lez has as well frequently contributed articles to national and international media on potential Brexit outcomes for British and international companies trading with the UK.<\/p>\n As an individual born and raised in a remote village in Spain, Ms. Gonz\u00e1lez argued she was the perfect example of how you can still feel a citizen of the world once you come to live in this country. She only had words of praise for the opportunities she has had since arriving in the UK. Ms. Gonz\u00e1lez regretted that a country that had welcomed so many with open arms, and had been instrumental in the consolidation of the European Union, was now challenging the same principles it once helped build.<\/p>\n\n She showed her concern regarding the recent political changes in the United States and the upcoming uncertainty in several European countries that will hold presidential elections in the coming months. However, she believed that in challenging times such as these, where major players seem to be adrift regarding the direction to follow and with so much at stake, Spain may take this opportunity to emerge as a leading force in the international arena. In a speech that was loudly applauded, Ms. Dur\u00e1ntez concluded by saying that each of us should do the best they can, one step at a time, to avoid being a mere spectator of decisions that affect our future.<\/p>\n\n The evening proved a huge success among our members yet another year on, with over 200 representatives of both British and Spanish companies in attendance. Guests had the opportunity to wish a happy new year to fellow colleagues and taste the wonderful products offered by our kind sponsors.<\/p>\n\n We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our members Estrella Damm <\/a>for providing the beer that was served during the reception as well as Nicol\u00e1s y Valero,<\/a> also member of the Chamber, for their kind contribution of a Spanish ham and a delicious selection of cheeses. We are also thankful to Wines from Rioja<\/a>, which provided a generous and curated selection of white and red wines for this special evening.<\/p>\n\n![\"newyearreception_02feb17-63\"](\"https:\/\/spanishchamberofcommmerceingreatbritain.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/02\/newyearreception_02feb17-63.jpg\")
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