SEPI Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales

• With this ceremony are officially opened the commemorative activities for the 75th anniversary of this news agency; among them stands out the historical exhibit
• The ceremony was attended by several hundred guests from the financial, political, cultural and sports worlds

The Crown Prince and his wife have chaired this evening the inauguration of the new head offices of the news agency AGENCIA EFE, a building which is technologically fitted for facing the challenges which the fourth largest news agency in the world will have to contend with in the 21st century.

The Government’s Vice President, Ms. Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the Deputy Secretary of State for Communication, Ms. Carmen Martínez de Castro, SEPI’s Chairman, Mr. Ramón Aguirre, and that from EFE itself, Mr. José Antonio Vera, waited for their Highnesses Felipe and Letizia at the news agency’s main door, which is located at Avenida de Burgos in Madrid.

EFE’s Managing Director, Mr. Ignacio Sanz, as well as other high ranking officers of company greeted also the Princes who, after posing for the photos with their hosts, went to the Domestic News editorial department where they met its Head, Mr. Carlos Gosch, and the Director of the editorial team, Ms. María Luisa Azpiazu.

A great deal of representatives from the political, entrepreneurial, journalistic, cultural and sports world attended this event, which means so much for the news agency, a Spanish state-owned company which is present in 120 countries, and which this year reaches 75 years since its establishment.

Sponsors

On behalf of the sponsors came to the Edificio Génesis Isolux Corsán the following personalities; the Chief Executive Officer of the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Mr. Miguel Arrufat; the Head of the Fundación Banco Santander, Mr. Borja Baselga; and the Director General for Communication of Iberdrola, Mr. José Luis González Besada, as well as that from Repsol, Ms. Begoña Elices; and the Deputy General Manager for Communication of Bankia, Ms. Amalia Blanco.

The list was completed with Caixabank’s Territorial Head for Madrid, Mr. Juan Carlos Gallego; the Managing Director of Mahou-San Miguel, Mr. Alberto Rodríguez-Toquero and that from Fundación Aquae, Mr. Gonzalo Rodríguez; and the Heads of Communication of Coca-Cola Iberia, Mr. Miguel Mira; that from Mercadona, Mr. Antonio Martínez; from Gas Natural Fenosa, Mr. Jordi García Tabernero; and the Head for Public Affairs of Telefónica’s Chairman Office, Mr. Francisco de Bergia.

Also came to EFE’s head office the Chaipersons from Mapfre, Mr. Antonio Huertas; Indra, Mr. Javier Monzón; RENFE, Mr. Julio Gómez-Pomar; Red Eléctrica de España (REE), Mr. José Folgado; Hewlett Packard (HP), Ms. Helena Herrero; and Grupo Arturo, Mr. Arturo Fernández; as well as the Vice President from Acciona, Mr. Juan Ignacio Entrecanales.

Corporate world

Besides the sponsors, the event was attended also by other significant personalities from the financial world, such as KPMG’s Chairperson, Mr. John M.Scott; Sacyr Vallehermoso’s Chairperson, Mr. Manuel Manrique; and the Chief Executive Officers from FCC, Mr. Juan Béjar; and Ferrovial, Mr. Íñigo Meirás.

Accenture’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Vicente Moreno; and that from Deloitte, Mr. Fernando Ruíz, were able to talk with the Chairperson of Técnicas Reunidas, Mr. José Lladó; with that of CLH, Mr. José Luis López de Silanes; that of Philips España, Mr. Juan Sanabria; or that of Cofares, Mr. Carlos González, besides the Chairperson of Llorente & Cuenca, Mr. José Antonio Llorente.

Seopan’s President, Mr. Julián Núñez, or that of Unesa, Mr. Eduardo Montes, also had the opportunity to discuss issues regarding the construction and electricity industries, perhaps with the President of the agency in charge of promoting competition in Spain, the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), Mr. José María Marín Quemada, or with the President of the Spanish bank association, (AEB), Mr. Miguel Martín.

On his part, the Chairman of Marca España, Mr. Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros, had the opportunity to depart during this event with representatives from Banco Santander, BBVA, Banco Popular, Iberia, Canon España, CEOE or Corte Inglés, besides those from Gas Natural; Ferrovial, Peugeot and the carmakers’ association ANFAC, which also attended this event.

Furthermore, all day long many personalities from the financial and entrepreneurial world sent to Agencia EFE congratulations messages for its 75th anniversary, praising its “professional, strict, objective and high-quality” work, which turn it into “a world level reference for journalism”.

New building

EFE’s new building is located on the North of Madrid and is fitted with the most sophisticated technological systems for the challenges which the fourth largest news agency in the world and the first in the Spanish language will have to face.

The Crown Prince and his wife visited six of the fifteen floors which the news agency occupies in the building, which is located at no. 8 Avenida de Burgos and which is owned by SEPIDES, a company which is part of SEPI, EFE’s sole shareholder.

Thus, they had the opportunity to get to know the work made by the journalists who carry out their tasks in the different news departments, such as Domestic News Department, International, Culture, Sports, Graphics, Television and Radio.

After signing in the visitors’ book of the news agency, they held a meeting with the authorities and sponsors, chairing an inaugural ceremony, during which they will unveil a commemorative plaque.

Commemorative activities for the 75th anniversary

With this ceremony take place the official opening of the commemorative activities for the 75th anniversary of this news agency, among which stand out a historical exhibit which will be set up at Casa del Lector, located at the exhibition halls of naves del Matadero in Madrid.

This exhibit will make possible to evoke, through images, the most significant moments during EFE’s 75 years of life, with its technological evolution and its news landmarks which took it from a small premise at the street Vitoria in Burgos to becoming the first news agency in the world in the Spanish language.

Agencia EFE and Grupo SEPI

AGENCIA EFE belongs to Grupo SEPI, a corporate holding which includes a total of 16 state-owned enterprises in which it has direct, majority shareholding participations, with a workforce of more than 75,000 professionals in 2012; it also includes the Spanish state-owned television and radio corporation, Corporación Radiotelevisión Española, which is attached to SEPI, and one public foundation. Equally, SEPI has direct minority shareholdings in a further nine companies, and indirect shareholdings in more than one hundred companies.