Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, condecorated by the Italian Government as “Commendatore dell’ Ordine della Stella d’Italia”

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, chairman of the OHL Group and of the Villar Mir Group, has been condecorated by the Italian Government as “Commendatore dell’ Ordine della Stella d’Italia”, the top prize granted by the President of the Italian Republic, for his promotion and improvement of economic and commercial relations between Spain and Italy, bringing knowledge and innovation closer to the business world in both countries. 

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir received the award from the hands of the Italian Ambassador in Spain, Pietro Sebastiani. During a brief speech, where he pointed out the links between both countries in the world of culture, art and language, amongst other fields, he thanked the President of the Italian Republic and the Ambassador for the condecoration received, and highlighted the role played by the Italian embassy in Spain as “an essential motor of political, economic, cultural and scientific relations, between two of the largest economies in Mediterranean Europe”.

The Chairman of the OHL Group referred to his links with Italy, to include the granting of the Tiepolo Prize, which distinguishes promoters of cooperation between Italy and Spain, which he received in 2013. 

Furthermore, he recalled the projects launched with Italy through COTEC (Foundation for Technological Innovation), which he chaired between 2012-2014. In this regard, he pointed out that after it was founded in 1990 further to an initiative from HRH Juan Carlos I, “in order to narrow the gap that separated us from economies with more advanced technology”, in 2001 Fundazione COTEC was incorporated in Italy, and COTEC Portugal in 2003, leading to COTEC Europa in 2005, which integrates the three foundations. 

Finally, Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, who emphasized the need to promote sustainable growth in technology and innovation, ended his speech by stating that he intended to continue working towards promoting relations between both countries.

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir received the award from the hands of the Italian Ambassador in Spain, Pietro Sebastiani.