The OHL Group participates in the 2014-2020 Conference on European Fund Strategy, arranged by IESE Business School

The OHL Group, through the Innovation & Sustainability Management, has participated in the 2014-2020 Conference on European Fund Strategy, arranged by the Public Management Center of IESE Business School in collaboration with EY (Ernst & Young). The event, which focused on programs to finance research and innovation projects in the European Union (EU) –Seventh Framework Program for Research & Technological Development (7PM) and Horizon 2020 (H2020)- was attended by relevant personalities, to include Cristóbal Montoro, Minister of Finance and Public Administrations, who presided the inauguration along with María Jesús Escobar, an EY partner, and Francisco Iniesta, manager of IESE Business School, Madrid Campus.

The OHL Group was represented by Manuel Villén, Innovation and Sustainability Manager, who participated in the round table entitled 2007-2013 Balance of Structural Funds, presenting success stories and lessons learnt further to 7PM financing.

Manuel Villén pointed out that innovation is a determining factor in the Spanish economy and referred to OHL’s Strategic Plan, with which the Group “is strengthening its traditional commitment both to RDI investment and Corporate Social Responsibility”. Furthermore, the Innovation and Sustainability manager highlighted the role played by innovating public purchasing (CPI, by its Spanish acronym) as an instrument to promote innovation and development, and to make the company competitive abroad.

The Framework Programs, which started up in 1984, are the EU’s main legal and economic instrument to finance Community research in Europe. The 7PM successor program is referred to as H2020 and will remain in force until 2020. Amongst other objectives, the aim of this program is to create a science of excellence with which to reinforce the EU’s position in the world’s scientific scenario, developing technologies to increase European competitiveness and investigate important issues affecting European citizens, such as health, food and agriculture.