The Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce reviews the evolution of the foreign trade sector in the 21st century. Riera highlights the qualitative and quantitative leap made by Spanish companies, but warns of the need for SMEs to grow and look towards non-traditional markets such as Southeast Asia to maintain competitiveness in an uncertain geopolitical environment.
La Chamber of Commerce of Spain It is a public law corporation that acts as a representative, liaison, and coordinating body for the territorial Chambers of Commerce. Its fundamental mission is to defend the general interests of commerce, industry, services, and shipping. The entity is configured as a key instrument for the regeneration of the economic fabric, supporting Spanish companies—with a special focus on SMEs—in their processes of internationalization, improvement of competitivenesstraining and digitalization. Chaired by José Luis Bonet, the institution actively collaborates with public administrations and manages European funds to boost economic growth and job creation.
Immaculate Riera She is the Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. With a solid professional background in the economic and legal fields, Riera possesses in-depth knowledge of the workings of public and private institutions. A law graduate with specialized training in economic policy and international taxation, she has played a key role in facilitating dialogue between the business sector and government. In her current position, she leads the Chamber's executive strategy, coordinating initiatives to promote the presence of Spanish companies abroad and strengthen the national productive fabric in the face of global challenges.
How do you assess the first 25 years of the 21st century for the internationalization of Spanish companies? What do you consider to have been the main milestones, challenges, and most significant developments in our foreign trade at the start of the century?
Immaculate Riera: First of all, I want to congratulate Foreign Company For these 25 years of history, a period that coincides with a profound transformation of our economy. If we have to make an assessment, the Spanish economy has, in this quarter of a century, impressive qualitative and quantitative leap, an advance that has gone hand in hand with internationalization.
You are a prime example of how this process has benefited our growth. Furthermore, we have achieved this progress by overcoming critical moments. It has been a decisive evolution where openness to the world has ceased to be an option and has become a structural pillar of our economy.
What is the main strategic role that the Spanish Chamber of Commerce plays in supporting the internationalization of companies, and how do you plan to evolve that role?
GO: Internationalization is in the DNA of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the entire chamber system. As our president, José Luis Bonet, often says, our mission is to support, advise and help companies in its competitiveness. This is our commitment from the defense of the general interest.
We have one special sensitivity towards small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While many are already making progress in expanding internationally, the major challenge ahead is supporting them to grow even further: in markets, in products, and through improved global competitiveness. Our goal is to encourage them to be bolder, and chambers of commerce, as institutions, are the best ally to support them in this process.
Looking at the short and medium term, what are the biggest challenges and, at the same time, the clearest opportunities you identify for our country's foreign trade and business?
GO: We live in a context of constant change where companies need to demonstrate a great ability to anticipateInternationalization carries risks, as does innovation, but You have to take risks to growFrom the cameras we help manage that uncertainty, especially in a complicated geopolitical scenario, perhaps with more uncertainty than at the beginning of the century.
The Spanish company faces two major challenges. The first is the continuous improvement of competitiveness, understood as product innovation, market access capability, and talent development. The second major challenge is the market diversificationTraditionally, markets like Latin America were more comfortable due to linguistic and cultural affinity, but today they present a certain complexity.
In today's globalized world, which hasn't disappeared but is being redefined, companies must look to areas where we've had less of a presence. I'm referring specifically to Asia and the entire Southeast Asian regionwhich boasts the highest growth rates globally. Diversification is a decisive factor that mitigates risks and enables much stronger growth.
To help businesses navigate this scenario, what new products, tools, or key services are you promoting from your organization, and what makes them especially relevant right now?
GO: We work on designing training programs, awareness campaigns, and activities that help companies not only understand the markets but also gain a better understanding of themselves. Many SMEs are unaware of their considerable capabilities until they receive the appropriate institutional support.
We must be ambitious. Our goal is for the approximately 53.000 or 54.000 companies that make up the middle market regular exporters become 100.000 or 150.000To achieve this, we have various tools at our disposal, including the management of European funds (ERDF and European Social Fund), which are vital resources for entrepreneurship and competitiveness.
In addition, we rely on our network of 44 Chambers of Commerce abroadThese teams play a crucial role alongside the trade offices. Their priority is ensuring that SMEs feel supported both at their source and at their destination. We want companies to make the qualitative leap from exporting to investing and to overcome their fear of venturing abroad, because the capabilities are there.
5. What trend or imminent change do you consider crucial for the coming months? And as a final thought, what key piece of advice or fundamental recommendation would you give to any Spanish exporting company to succeed in its internationalization?
GO: We are convinced that our growth depends on internationalization. To achieve this, it is essential to promote a global framework that fosters it; that is why we are strong advocates of multilateralism and the latest generation of trade agreements.
Regarding recommendations for companies, it's true that each market has its own specific characteristics and barriers to entry. Entering alone is very difficult. The key lies in... find the right allieseither through local partners or other structures. If the information phase is successfully completed and the partners When appropriate, the results will come.
Looking back, these 25 years are a success storyAlthough Spain internationalized later than other European countries, its progress has been remarkable. This is true not only for large corporations but also for SMEs that are leaders in niche markets and enjoy significant international prestige. Ultimately, internationalization is a cultural changeAnd I think we're doing very well.
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In summary, Immaculate Riera, general director of the Chamber of Commerce of SpainHe highlights the structural transformation of the national economy over the last 25 years. In an interview with Foreign Company, it points out market diversification towards Southeast Asia and institutional support for the SMEs as fundamental keys to facing the current scenario of geopolitical uncertainty.
A qualitative leap in 25 years of internationalization
The evolution of the Spanish economy in the 21st century has been marked by a paradigm shift. According to [the author] Immaculate RieraSpain has made an "impressive qualitative and quantitative leap," where opening up to the outside world has ceased to be a commercial option and has become a structural pillar of the productive fabric. Despite having reached internationalization later than other European partners, the result is described as a "success story".
The Chamber of Commerce of Spain, a public law corporation chaired by Joseph Louis BonetThe mission focuses on defending the public interest by supporting businesses. The current focus is on... SMEs, with the aim that they not only begin their expansion abroad, but also grow in markets and products, improving their global competitiveness.
Objectives and tools of the Chamber Plan
To meet the challenges of the next decade, the institution has ambitious plans to broaden Spain's export base. The key objectives and resources mentioned by the Director General are detailed below:
| Area of Action | Data and Strategic Objectives |
|---|---|
| Export Base | Moving from the current ones 53.000 - 54.000 companies (middle market) at a figure of 100.000 to 150.000 exporters regular basis. |
| Outdoor Network | Support through 44 Chambers of Commerce abroad and collaboration with commercial offices. |
| Finance | Chronic Disease European funds (ERDF and European Social Fund) for entrepreneurship and competitiveness. |
| Target Markets | Priority focus on Asia and Southeast Asia due to their high growth rates. |
Challenges: Competitiveness and the shift towards Asia
Riera identifies a geopolitical context of greater uncertainty than at the beginning of the century, forcing companies to constantly anticipate future developments. In this scenario, the executive points to two major challenges for Spanish companies:
- Continuous improvement of competitiveness: Understood as a combination of product innovation, market entry capability and, fundamentally, talent development.
- Market diversification: Although Latin America remains a natural market due to linguistic affinity, the Chamber urges companies to look towards areas with less of a Spanish presence. "Diversification is a decisive factor that neutralizes risks," says Riera, pointing directly to Asia as the key region for solid growth.
To facilitate this transition, the Chamber works on awareness programs that help companies to carry out an internal diagnosis of their capabilities, which are often unknown to the organizations themselves until they receive the appropriate institutional support.
Key points and frequently asked questions about business internationalization
Why is it urgent to diversify into Asia?
Because it is the region with the highest growth rates worldwide. Although Latin America offers cultural comfort, the redefinition of globalization demands a presence in Southeast Asia to mitigate risks and ensure solid growth.
What role do European funds play in the Chamber's strategy?
These are vital resources that the Chamber manages (specifically funds) Feder y European Social Fund) to promote entrepreneurship, training and competitiveness, enabling SMEs to make the leap from exporting to investing.
What is the main advice for an SME that wants to export?
Don't go alone. The key to success lies in seeking out the right allies, whether through local partners or by relying on institutional structures such as the network of chambers abroad, to overcome barriers to entry and the complexity of new markets.
