Cableworld, CCS Arquitectos and ITC Packaging led the gala marking the twenty-seventh AEFA Awards edition. The event celebrated innovative family businesses that drive wealth creation, jobs, and social value in the Alicante region and beyond. The keynote highlighted how continuous value and adaptive capacity keep family enterprises resilient, even amid challenging times, and emphasized the importance of sharing successes with the wider community.
The AEFA Awards focus on recognizing the enduring trajectories of family businesses and their role in economic and social development. Their impact in the province of Alicante is showcased through innovation, internationalization, entrepreneurship, and competitiveness that support local growth and sustainable livelihoods.
The ceremony also honored the Manuel Peláez Castillo Honorary Award recipient, economist José María Gómez Gras, for a career built on collaboration and long-standing support for Alicante’s business ecosystem. This recognition is a cornerstone of the annual gathering, which brings together a diverse group of business leaders, politicians, and civic officials from the region and beyond. The audience included high-level figures such as the head of regional government, municipal leaders, and representatives from major financial and business organizations.
Organizers worked closely with authorities and institutions to stage the edition, with support from Generalitat, Diputación de Alicante, CaixaBank and the Elda City Council.
During the speech, the AEFA President expressed concerns about the near-term outlook, noting inflation pressures driven by global events and the Ukraine conflict. The message urged governments to enact targeted measures to curb energy costs and to implement tax relief that safeguards micro and family-owned economies. The emphasis was on avoiding inflationary spirals that could erode competitiveness and job creation.
award ceremony
The mayor of Elda inaugurated the award ceremony for the twenty-seventh edition. The CaixaBank Award honored ITC-Packaging for its commitment to innovation, creativity, reinvention, and internationalization. Rafael Valls accepted the accolade from Xicu Costa, CaixaBank’s regional director for the Valencia Community.
Costa remarked that CaixaBank supports the vital role of family enterprises and AEFA, reaffirming pride in backing a new edition that recognizes entrepreneurs who contribute to economic and social development and regional employment through dedication and leadership.
Economist José María Gómez Gras then accepted the Manuel Peláez Castillo Foundation’s honor. Manuel Peláez, together with Juan Perán, champions the Family Business Chair at UMH, underscoring the importance of succession planning and family governance for regional prosperity.
The Alicante Provincial Council awarded CCS Arquitectos for its strong values and continued support of the regional family business fabric and AEFA. The presentation was made by Carlos Mazón, who noted ongoing efforts to reduce administrative burdens and to support investment during inflationary periods. The award honored the leadership of Carlos Company, his wife Pilar Selma, and their children for their long-standing engagement with the business community.
Mazón emphasized that recognizing these firms helps set a positive benchmark for others to follow, while stressing continued legislative support to ease costs and enhance competitiveness.
The final accolade of the gala went to Cable World for introducing fiber-driven technologies that connect thousands across Alicante, Murcia, and Valencia. The award highlighted the company’s ability to integrate new generations into its operations, while prioritizing innovation, sustainability, and corporate responsibility. Mario Miralles and his family accepted the prize, symbolizing a forward-looking approach to regional growth.
Puig underscored the strength, values, and capacity of family businesses in Alicante, stressing that boosting liquidity and investment will help sustain the economy over the next decade. He noted that more than 180 million euros would be directed toward liquidity support, loan subsidies, and favorable terms, with careful management to avoid dependence on volatile benchmarks like Euribor. The overarching message was clear: supporting the corporate ecosystem is essential to feeding broader economic momentum.