On November 13th, we celebrated our 30th anniversary at Neptuno Palace in Madrid. Under the theme "Technology for Digital Reinvention," the event brought together leading figures from the technology, business, and political spheres, including our president, Constantino Fernández, as well as politicians Miguel López-Valverde, Minister of Digitalization of the Community of Madrid, and Juan Corro Beseler, Manager of the IAM of the Madrid City Council, to reflect on the impact of digitalization on the private sector and public administrations.
The day began with a welcome from journalist and master of ceremonies Julia Varela, who highlighted Altia's role in the technology sector and its commitment to growth through each project.
After the welcome, our president, Constantino Fernández, highlighted the milestones achieved in these thirty years, "from our listing on BME Growth in 2010 to our international expansion, consolidating our position in the European market with offices in nine countries and more than 4,000 employees."
In his speech, the executive emphasized "our firm commitment to sustainable growth and the search for and retention of talent, and the choice of Madrid as the city to celebrate this anniversary, as it has become a key location for Altia and its growth. We look forward to consolidating our presence in Europe and continuing to innovate in the field of digital transformation."
Round Table
The event included a panel discussion on Technology for Digital Reinvention, featuring leaders from the public and private sectors.
Juan Corro Beseler, manager of the IAM at Madrid City Council, highlighted some of the main advances achieved in digitalization within the public administration. For Juan Corro, “the most important aspect has been the digital relationship with citizens. Previously, 79% of transactions were carried out over the counter; now, approximately 80% of the City Council's general application processes are done electronically. Madrid has become one of the most digitalized cities in the world, completely transforming the user experience, making it more user-friendly and accessible from anywhere a citizen may be. Furthermore, City Council has digitized its internal operations.”
María Ángeles Vicente, CIO of Alsa, addressed the role of innovation in the transport sector, considering that her company has bet on three aspects: “on the one hand, the customer, giving them digital tools not only for purchasing tickets but also providing information during the trip,” highlighting that currently “more than 70% of operations are already digital.” Secondly, “safety, in order to prevent accidents ,” and finally, “betting on operational efficiency with the goal of achieving zero emissions in a few years .”
For his part, Ignacio Rivera, CEO of Hijos de Rivera, shared how technology has driven the company's growth, both nationally and internationally, highlighting how digitalization is helping them "sell more and be more efficient in operations," being "a great help in being closer to our customers ." The executive emphasized that digital transformation has helped them "change many things internally; for example, we are using quantum computing in product testing."
For the panelists, technologies such as cybersecurity and big data are transforming organizations' internal processes and improving their competitiveness. They emphasized that artificial intelligence has become the most disruptive element of recent decades since the emergence of the Internet, reimagining the future of all industries and society in general.
This was followed by a keynote session led by Silvia Leal, an expert in technology and future trends, who addressed the impact of artificial intelligence and the change it represents for businesses and society, stating that “it will mark a before and after in the field of productivity .” Leal mentioned three technologies that, in the coming years, will become the new digital wave: “ quantum computing , the generation of new materials , and immersive experiences .” Leal believes that what we have known until now as the metaverse “will be called spatial computing, and this will profoundly transform the business world.”
For the communicator, AI and other technologies will be at the heart of businesses in the coming years, offering three pieces of advice for successful adoption: “don't be afraid of something going wrong; keep learning nonstop; and, finally, don't judge without testing .” Leal concluded by asserting that we are living in an extraordinary time of emerging technologies, “and we have to test these technologies.”
To conclude the event, Miguel López-Valverde, Regional Minister for Digitalization of the Community of Madrid, emphasized the importance of Madrid being an attractive environment for technology companies. "We want Madrid to be the ideal place for companies to establish themselves. And this business growth is only possible if workers and students have the necessary skills," he explained. Therefore, the Community of Madrid is moving forward with a shock plan aimed at meeting the demands of companies in the economic and labor fields, thus preparing citizens with the skills the sector needs.
For the Minister, " Madrid wants to be at the forefront of technology, and public-private collaboration is essential for us to evolve in this direction." López-Valverde expressed his enthusiasm for the future, emphasizing that "we continue to work with great enthusiasm so that companies like Altia, which has been collaborating for almost seven years on essential projects, such as those in healthcare and justice, continue to grow in the Community of Madrid," reinforcing Madrid's role as an innovative ecosystem favorable to technological development.
We closed the event with a cocktail party that allowed us to toast with all attendees—clients and collaborators—to continue growing by making us grow and to 30 more years of driving change in companies .
