The Honorary Vice President of Almirall and Honorary President of the Catalan Association of Family Businesses (ASCEF), Antonio Gallardo, was one of three guests at the business round table entitled “The family business: managing with values“, held at the ASCEF Annual Meeting.

“I have always said that we are not a family business, but a business family. It is important for the family to remain together,” Mr Gallardo said. “If we never have to sell the company, the family’s money has to remain together and keep working in the same line and with the same vision,” the Honorary President of the ASCEF added.

“The values of a family business distinguish it from the rest since we have a different vision and approach and we think about the continuity of the company in the hands of our children and grandchildren.”

“It is important to have a vision that is shared with the whole family,” continued Mr Gallardo, who also underlined how important it is for the whole family to know what is being done in the company and to always take family difficulties into account as “not everything always gets resolved.”

Mr Gallardo highlighted the internationalisation of family businesses as the great challenge for the future, saying that those who emerge best from the current crisis “will be those who make around 80% of their total sales abroad.”

Pablo Lara, General Director of the Education Area and Member of the Board of Grupo Planeta, and Ramon Agenjo, the Director and Secretary S.A. DAMM, joined Mr Gallardo at the business round table at the ASCEF Annual Meeting.