On Wednesday, 8 June, in London, Spain’s Official Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain held its General Members Meeting. 

This event is one of the institution’s most significant acts, as it gathers Chamber representatives and its member companies, which have been backing up this institution that is more than a hundred years old. 

After the meeting, which took place in the offices of White & Case, a member company of the Chamber, a likewise traditional formal dinner was held, chaired by the Ambassador and attended by Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, Chairman of the Villar Mir Group and OHL, as a Guest of Honor. Approximately 200 people, between institutional representatives and entrepreneurs of the English-Spanish business community, gathered at this celebration.

The Villar Mir Group and its contribution to growth in the United Kingdom

Both Spain and Great Britain are privileged members, both in commercial relations and mutual investments, and have close ties in historic, social, cultural, economic and business terms. The Villar Mir Group is an example of such business links.

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, Chairman of the Villar Mir Group and of the OHL Group, has helped promote relations between both countries. The head office of Ferroglobe is located in London, a company resulting from the recent merger between Ferroatlántica, 100 % owned by the Villar Mir Group and world leader in metal silicon production, and Globe Specialty Metals, one of the main producers of metal silicon and special alloys containing this chemical component.

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir’s firm commitment to the United Kingdom resulted in his decision to acquire, in 2014 and in a joint venture with the prestigious Hinduja Group, the historic Old War Office, headquarters of the War Office and operations center of Sir Winston Churchill during the II World War. As pointed out by Juan-Miguel Villar Mir: “Thanks to our experience in the urban refurbishment of emblematic buildings, we will now take on a project to rehabilitate this great building, which enjoys a relevant position in United Kingdom’s political and social history”.

As regards the promotion of business relations, Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, Chairman of the Villar Mir Group, was already rewarded in late 2013, in New York, with the Business Leader of the Year prize, granted by the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The award distinguishes those business leaders who have made a significant contribution to economic growth in Spain or the U.S., helping improve business relations between both countries.

Javier San Basilio, president of the Spain’s Official Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, first on the right side, together with Juan-Miguel Villar Mir and Federico Trillo.