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Interviews 30th May 2014

GBS: “The restructuring of Colonial shows a changing trend in the Spanish property sector”

MADRID | By Ana Fuentes | As the Spanish property sector becomes fashionable again, we set our eyes in one of the most-commented moves these days: listed developer and owner Colonial’s €1.26m capital increase and €1bn debt restructuring. President of GBS Finanzas Pedro Gómez de Baeza managed to form a complex puzzle including the entrance of billionaire industrialist Juan Miguel Villar Mir with a 24.4% stake. Mr Gómez de Baeza joins us to talk about an “extremely challenging” operation that began in 2008 and only bore fruit at the third attempt, but also shows a changing trend.

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Interviews 23rd May 2014

Luis Solana: “European telecoms mostly need to promote technological solutions” (II)

MADRID | By Fernando Barciela| In the EU of 28 each telecom market is different.
 That is one of the reasons explaining why it is very difficult for Europe to reach a reduced market of just three operators like the US, as Luis Solana said. Another challenge for the sector in the region is to push technologies up to avoid it becomes a simple ‘utility’. At the moment, Telefonica tries to help the industry gathering new ideas for startups in all the company’s territory- Spain, UK, Germany, LatAm and so on- via its entrepreunership device Wayra.

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Interviews 20th May 2014

Luis Solana: “Finance and energy sectors need to be closely monitored” (I)

MADRID | By Fernando Barciela | As the election day approaches, we bring you a series of special interviews focused on economic perspectives for the EU citizens and companies. Today we focus on the telecom sector, which is experiencing a deep transformation in the continent. Former chairman of Spanish Telefonica Luis Solana, currently responsible for the company’s entrepreneurship activities, comments on the main challenges ahead, as well as the need of surveillancance over the EU banking and energy sectors, and the inevitable downsizing of the welfare state in the region. Nonetheless, he was a socialist elected MP in Spain for five years during the transition period.

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Interviews 16th April 2014

“Spain will repeat its success as tourist destination in 2014”

FRANKFURT | By Lidia Conde | Co-manager at Europe’s leading travel group TUI Oliver Dörschuck considers that “Spain is by far the most important tourist destination for TUI and its clients.” However, for him what matters most today is not the destination, but the hotel, which has to bring the best experience to the client.

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Interviews 11th February 2014

Standing Out in a Crowded Industry

NEW YORK | Guest post by Evan Horowitz | Do you ever feel like some customers can’t tell the difference between you and your competitors?  I once worked with a leading office supply retailer in the US.  They confided to me that they did research where they stopped customers in their stores and asked, “What store are you in?”  Many customers named the chain’s major competitor. From a unique customer experience to lowering the price, there are many ways of standing out. The secret is to choose only one.

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Interviews 24th January 2014

INTERVIEW to Antonio Tajani: In the Panama Canal crisis, “Europeans speak with a unique voice. That’s already a message.”

BRUSSELS | By Jacobo de Regoyos | The consortium responsible for the Panama Canal expansion, led by Spanish company Sacyr, and the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) agreed on negotiating a new framework until next February 1 in order to achieve a definitive solution to the economic problems of the project and ensure its conclusion. EC Industry Commissioner and Vice-President is doing everything he can to make both parties come to terms. Although everyone is avoiding the word “mediation” not to interfere with the arbitration process set by contract, Antonio Tajani does want to mediate. However, at the time of this interview with The Corner he has not met with any person in charge of the Latin American country yet. The enthusiasm he showed offering his help has not been corresponded across the Atlantic so far.

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Interviews 6th January 2014

TetraLogic CEO: Obamacare May Impact Drug Industry in Long Term

NEW YORK | By Ana Fuentes | In some countries like India or Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical companies face a crucial year. What about the U.S.? Will the Obamacare, for example, impact them in any way? Kevin Buchi, CEO of TetraLogic, a mid-sized pharma that just went public and is focused on small molecule drugs against cancer, among others, tells us about the investors’ fears.

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Interviews 22nd July 2013

‘There is a lot of funding for startups in India but competition is huge’

By Ana Fuentes | When he started working in IT in the late 70s in India, Srikanth Vasuraj had to explain to his clients how to pronounce the word “computer”. Today, technology in his country is a $108 billion industry and through his own consultancy firm, Nodiva, Mr. Vasuraj helps start-ups with business strategies and innovation.  His 33+ years of experience include Business Leadership, Strategic Planning and P&L Management in India, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. He talked to The Corner from his headquarters in Bangalore (India).