The Employers’ Association of small and medium Catalan firms, Pimec, has appointed Ferran Bel as its permanent representative in Madrid, signing with his former spokesman from PDeCat in Congress. Bel, born in Tortosa in 1965, will act as the association’s visible presence in the capital while also lending his voice, ears, and influence to Madrid’s corridors of power. El Periódico de Catalunya confirms that Bel will work to steer policies on labor matters and late payments, aiming to meet Pimec’s historic goal of equal participation at social dialogue tables alongside CEOE, the other leading employers’ body.
Bel is entering the business arena after a long political career. He served as the historical mayor of Tortosa for Convergence and Union, and later continued in national politics as a PDeCat deputy in the Congress, participating in the last two parliamentary terms. He was among those who avoided unilateral moves in the post-convergence space and eventually joined Junts.
After electoral momentum shifted the landscape for Pedro Sánchez, Bel chose not to lead the PDeCat list and announced his retirement from active politics last July. In response, Antoni Cañete, president of Pimec, recruited him to the organization. The signing was reportedly sealed over a dinner featuring snails as the main dish, according to sources close to the matter. Bel’s appointment in a paid role is part of Pimec’s strategic effort to extend influence into Madrid, with plans to inaugurate a physical office there soon.
During his time in parliament, Bel worked on EU-related issues and was vocal about late payments and the need for a sanctions regime to penalize ongoing delays in payments between companies beyond existing legal timeframes. In labor reform negotiations, he supported measures that included several amendments proposed by Pimec to roll back concessions enacted by the PP in 2012 and bolster protections for small businesses.
Get a seat at social dialogue
As the permanent representative of Pimec, Bel is expected to press for recognition of the association as a key negotiator within the European Union’s social dialogue framework. Up to now, the seat at the table was held mainly by CEOE, with Pimec not a member. Both PSOE and Sumar have pledged to review the status of Pimec and Conpymes, aiming to elevate them as the most representative social actors. Bel will be tasked with advancing these commitments, provided the governing coalition can reach a quorum necessary for reforms that would enable Pedro Sánchez to appoint the president.
Bel thus joins a growing list of political figures who have moved from a purely corporate stance into the world of business leadership. For instance, Josep Ginesta, currently general secretary at Pimec, previously led the Treball department under ERC until late 2020. CEOE, too, features notable transitions, including Fatima Bañez, a former minister from the PP, who now presides over its foundation. Foment del Treball is led by a figure who formerly worked alongside Bel, Josep Sánchez Llibre, illustrating a broader trend of cross-movement between politics and business circles.