The call for youth voices to be heard echoed loudly during a recent congress in Baracaldo, where the king spoke to an audience that skewed older than the average age. In a room nearby, hundreds of younger attendees in their twenties mingled with seasoned executives during a coffee break, and the monarch took the opportunity to engage with them as well.
Nearly every topic imaginable filled the CEDE Congress agenda. Geopolitics and industrial challenges, the rise of data and artificial intelligence, strategies to reduce inequality, ways to counter inflation, and the future of energy topped the list. A notable moment came from Eduardo Anitua, who even demonstrated breathing techniques as part of a broader focus on well-being. Larry Fink of BlackRock shared his perspective on the importance of stakeholders and how their interests relate to shareholders. The event featured four of Ibex 35’s leading players: José María Álvarez-Pallete of Telefónica; Antonio Brufau of Repsol; Juan Ignacio Goirigolzarri of CaixaBank; and Francisco Reynés of Naturgy. Pablo Hernández de Cos, President of the Bank of Spain, and Antonio Garamendi, head of CEOE, were also present and contributed to the debate. Their presence underscored a moment where younger and older generations intersected on economic policy and business leadership.
The discussions did not shy away from hard questions about policy and strategy. Isidro Fainé, president of CEDE, Fundación Caixa, and Criteria, offered a concise synthesis of leadership in uncertain times. In under an hour, he mapped out an integrated approach to growth that centers on clear direction, people, and productivity. He framed the core question as a call to action: what is needed now? His answer pointed to a multi-part engine requiring coordination across functions, guided by a well-defined energy, purpose, and shared values. The engine has several branches, with three pillars emphasized in particular. First, translating strategic insight into actions that move beyond the market where ideas are cultivated and customers are found, a concept aligned with strategic frameworks popularized by management theorists. Second, the human factor, the team and its members, whose influence often surpasses that of raw materials or technology. Third, productivity, acknowledged as a historically weaker area for Spanish companies and a target for stronger growth and scale. He urged executives to seize opportunities within the European market, urging a disciplined use of time and a reconsideration of how work life intersects with personal life. The debate on balancing in-person and remote work remains open, tailored to the nature of different jobs and the capabilities of available tools.
“Professional growth is a long-distance race,” Fainé explained. He tied entrepreneurial energy to leadership, persistence, and the encouragement of teams while honoring the freedom that fuels innovation. A leader, he argued, must align actions with words and beliefs. His closing message urged courage and optimism, insisting that resilience is essential no matter how challenging the circumstances may appear.
Behind this keynote is a persistent question about the timeless traits of effective leaders. The author suggests that the essence of strong leadership endures across generations. The reflection touches on the intuition of Ford, Jobs, Musk, and Bezos as examples of forward-thinking figures. It then asks how leadership might evolve, particularly in light of shifting employment patterns and the demands of future professionals. In a landscape where workforce dynamics vary between the United States and Europe, the piece considers what will matter most for retaining key personnel and nurturing young talent. It argues that incentives alone will not suffice, and it points to a broader understanding of career alignment, culture, and purpose as decisive factors.
The piece closes with a provocative question: Are the top managers listening to the voices of the young people within their organizations, those who will eventually assume the most influential roles? It frames the current era as a revolution not only in technology but in labor, inviting readers to consider how leadership must adapt to a changing world of work and shifting employer-employee relationships.