Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the United Kingdom

Etiqueta: Codorníu Raventós

COPA DEL REY DE GOLF

On the morning of Friday 13th July, fuelled with adrenaline and excitement to leave the office and London smog behind for the day, some 50 participants, including members of the Chamber and non-members as well as H.E. the Ambassador of Spain, Mr. Carlos Bastarreche, joined us for our very first Copa del Rey de Golf tournament. Set in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, Studley Wood Golf Course proved to be the perfect venue for our guests, some of whom flew over from Spain specially to be there.

The day began with a welcoming breakfast of bacon butties during which participants eagerly greeted one another and started to gather into their teams. The majority of the teams were made up of four players, most of which represented certain companies, whilst the rest were formed of individual players; a perfect opportunity to network in a relaxed and friendly setting.

After breakfast, we received a warm welcome from golf club owner, Ken, who explained to us the rules and 18 hole golf system as well as reminding players of the all-important prizes up for grabs and how to win them. The teams then dispersed in various directions, some zooming off in their buggies, ready for a shot gun start. 18 holes spread over undulating countryside certainly kept the players busy and ensured a long run of golf.

The Copa del Rey de Golf was open to players of all levels. As our teams went off to practise golf, a smaller group went to take part in the golf clinic. An intimate team of six learnt all the basics from how to drive and use the irons on the driving range, to how to putt and chip on the greens. There was much concentration and laughter as some of our participants discovered a new talent.

The day was broken up by a midday treat of tapas, paella and ice-cold beer, generously provided by Chamber members Paella Fella and Mahou, which certainly helped to reenergise and hydrate players on a particularly hot and sunny day. The food was very much enjoyed by all and the halfway house provided a great meeting point for teams to catch up and compare their scores so far.

Upon returning to the club house, guests enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch with Raventós Codorníu wine out on the sunny terrace with views of the green whilst cheerily exchanging stories about their day.

Friday the 13^th may be unlucky for some, but it certainly wasn’t for our lucky winners. With the opportunity of taking home some fantastic prizes, players upped their game and a fair few strong competitive streaks were revealed. Some of the prizes up for grabs included a mini break for two to Portugal and £10,000 for a hole in one, kindly provided by London Property Partners. Sadly no one managed to get a hole in one, however our winning team came from Barclays who won a trophy, Cordoníu Raventos wine and day passes to come back to Studley Wood Golf Club. The 2^nd and 3^rd placed teams also won prizes courtesy of Cordoníu Raventos and Studley Wood Golf Club. Other prizes also went to players for: longest drive, nearest to the pin, longest putt, longest walk and clinic winner, sponsored by DLF Group Mobility Services , Iberia and Iberia Express.

It was with great pleasure that all proceeds from the Copa del Rey de Golf went to two wonderful charities: Cris Cancer and Centro Social de Mayores. Cris Cancer facilitates and develops research to help beat cancer and Centro Social de Mayores is an organisation that welcomes and unites retired Spanish citizens living in the UK. Both charities are making a real difference to people’s lives.

A charity raffle was organised with a wide selection of fantastic prizes ranging from restaurant vouchers, to a whole Iberian sliced ham, to return flights to Madrid. This would not have been possible without the kind sponsorship of Mahou-San Miguel, Moonz, Ibérica, Raventos Codorníu, 5 Jotas, Zela, London Property Partners and Studley Wood Golf Club for providing the prizes.

We would also like to express a special thanks to DLF Group and Paella Fella, Chamber members, for sponsoring the tournament and to Ken and Anna from Studley Wood Golf Club for their hospitality and tremendous organisation.

Lastly, we would like to thank all of our guests for attending and for such a memorable day. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did and had the opportunity to meet and connect with both fellow members of the Spanish Chamber and other companies represented, not to mention practising your swings! We certainly all enjoyed some fresh air, exercise and great company.

Please click here to see photos of the event.

01/08/2018
NEW YEAR’S DRINKS RECEPTION 2018

On Tuesday 30^th January the Spanish Chamber of Commerce held its annual New Year’s Drinks Reception, the first corporate event of 2018. This year the event was held at Skinner’s Hall, a beautiful and traditional Grade 1 listed building in the City of London. On this occasion the event welcomed Rt Hon Greg Hands MP as Guest of Honour. Mr. Hands was appointed as Minister of State in the Department for International Trade on 15 July 2016, and was elected the Conservative MP for Hammersmith and Fulham in 2005, and for Chelsea and Fulham in 2010.

The event began with guests being welcomed into the main hall as they arrived where they were offered a glass of wine or cava. There was then an extended opportunity for them to meet and network with each other over a selection of freshly cut Spanish ham and cheeses.

It was soon time for the speeches. Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber, began proceedings by welcoming attendees and providing a brief summary of the Chamber’s principal achievements from 2017, including an announcement of the new Patron members that we are pleased to have gained. He went on to thank all members for their ongoing support to the Chamber as well as describing its principal aims for the coming year, before concluding by highlighting the importance for both Spain and the UK to maintain their special relationship regardless of the outcome of Brexit.

The President went on to welcome Greg Hands to the podium and thanked him profusely for joining us for the occasion. Mr Hands went on to speak about the prosperous commercial relationship between Spain and the UK, two countries whose diplomatic ties go back 500 years. This included recently the visit of King Felipe and Queen Letizia to London last summer; demonstrating the strength of the two countries’ longstanding bilateral relationship. He went on to speak about the vital importance of Spain as the UK’s 7^th largest trading partner, with figures showing that UK exports of goods to Spain had increased by over 15% in the year to November 2017 compared to the same period a year ago; with equally impressive statistics of investment in each other’s economies. He also highlighted that Spanish banks have the largest presence of all foreign banks in the UK. He went on to speak about Brexit and his belief that it is critical that the UK and Spain continue to collaborate as global advocates of free trade. He described why he is certain that the strong economic ties between the two countries will not only withstand the changes brought about by the UK leaving the EU, but also be able to continue become stronger.

The evening proved to be another great success and we were pleased to see so many of our members in attendance, with over 150 representatives of both Spanish and British companies having been present. Following the speeches guests had a further opportunity to meet and wish each other a happy new year while continuing to enjoy the high quality products which were so kindly provided by our sponsors.

We would like to sincerely thank our Patron Codorníu Raventós for providing the generous and curated selection of cava and red and white wine that was served during the evening as well as Nicolás y Valero, member of the Chamber, for their contribution of the delicious Spanish ham and cheeses.

If you missed the reception, you can watch the video here and see the full image gallery here.

We also encourage you to browse our Upcoming Events section in order to keep up to date with future Spanish Chamber corporate events, seminars and other activities.

07/02/2018
VIII Gala Dinner

On the evening of Wednesday 6^th December 2017, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain held its VIII Annual Gala Dinner at Christ Church Spitalfields in central London. The iconic venue provided the perfect setting for the Chamber’s final corporate event of 2017 and to celebrate the end of another busy year full of successful events held for its members.

The black tie event, to which almost 250 guests were in attendance, was presided by the Ambassador of Spain Carlos Bastarreche Sagües and welcomed António Horta Osório, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, as its esteemed Guest of Honour.

The highly anticipated event began with guests being welcomed in from the cold with a glass of Anna Blanc de Blancs cava, kindly provided by our Patron Codorníu Raventós, before having the chance to network with other guests. During this time there was also delicious Iberian ham being carved for the guests to enjoy which was courtesy of our member Brindisa and COVAP.

Following the drinks reception, guests took their seats at each of the round tables and became acquainted with those sitting with them, if they were not already. The Ambassador then led a toast to the King of Spain and the Queen of England each in turn, whilst both of the respective national anthems were played.

Guests then went on to enjoy a delicious three course feast, accompanied by red and white wines provided by Codorníu Raventós which perfectly complemented the meal.

After the dessert was cleared, the speeches began. The Ambassador of Spain spoke first, detailing the important commercial relationship between Spain and the UK and how the two countries should aim to continue to strengthen their links. The Guest of Honour António Horta Osório spoke next, recounting key aspects of his career path to date as well as crediting the important work of Spanish companies in the UK this year; followed by Eduardo Barrachina, Treasurer of the Chamber and acting on behalf of the President.

After the three speeches drew to a close, guests were able to chat with each other some more; meeting new connections and exchanging their impressions of the evening. The event came to an end late in the evening, with a pleasant and memorable evening appearing to have been had by all.

We would like to warmly thank our members and their guests for joining us on this special occasion marking the end of another year of successful Chamber activities. We would moreover like to express our gratitude to our generous sponsors Codorníu Raventós and Brindisa for their contribution with the wines, cava and ham which were served throughout the event.

Please click here to access the complete gallery of pictures of the VIII Gala Dinner. You can also access a short video summary of the event by clicking here.

For further information about the Chamber’s events in 2018, do not hesitate to visit the Upcoming Events section of our website www.spanishchamber.co.uk or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter.

14/12/2017
130TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND DINNER

On Wednesday 14^th June we held the 130^th Annual General Meeting and Dinner, one of the most important events of our institution. This year the event took place at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, one of London’s traditional Livery Halls and one of the oldest still in activity.

On this special occasion, we were honoured to have Ms. Marisa Poncela García, Secretary of State for Trade, as our Guest of Honour.

The Annual General Meeting was held at the impressive Parlour room in Merchant Taylors’ Hall.

As it is traditional, the Annual General Meeting, exclusively for members of our institution, preceded the drinks reception and dinner that would follow later in the evening. The members’ meeting took place at The Parlour, one of the most exclusives spaces of Merchant Taylors’ while the drinks reception took place at the beautiful terrace Courtyard Garden.

During the members’ General Meeting, the Executive Committee of the Chamber presented the Financial Statements of 2016, as well as the Memorandum of the activities and events organised by the Chamber during the mentioned year. Afterwards, H.E. the Ambassador of Spain presented a macroeconomic analysis of the Spanish economic situation and provided data regarding the bilateral relationship between Spain and the United Kingdom, highlighting the importance of the trade balance.

We would like to highlight that this year we had elections for the Committee of the Chamber. These elections are taking place every 4 years when 22 of our members are chosen to become part of the Committee of the Chamber.

Members of the Chamber voting for the election of our Committee.

Those of our members who could not attend the Annual General Meeting were voting via post during the previous week, whereas the other members had the opportunity to vote in person.

Once the Annual General Meeting had concluded, the drinks reception began at the Courtyard Terrace. With favourable weather, our guests had the opportunity to sample iberico ham provided by our member Boqueria, paired with cava from Codorníu Raventós Patron of the Chamber.

Attendees had the opportunity to start business conversations with representatives of Spanish and British companies during the drinks reception.

After the drinks reception, guests were ushered to the Great Hall where dinner would be taking place and went on to take their seats. The proceedings of the dinner started with H.E. the Ambassador of Spain leading the traditional loyal toasts in honour of the King of Spain and the Queen of Great Britain. Both Spanish and British national anthems were played during the loyal toast.

Everything was ready at Merchant Taylors for our guests to enjoy our 130th AGM Dinner.

Before the dinner was served, it was time for the traditional round of speeches. To begin with, the President of the Chamber, Mr. Javier San Basilio, took the floor to thank members for their continuous support and express his gratitude to all attendees for joining us on such a wonderful evening.

The President of the Spanish Chamber then gave the floor to H.E. the Ambassador of Spain, Mr. Carlos Bastarreche, who expressed his sincere gratitude to the institution for allowing him to share such an important evening with our members and attendees, and kindly introduced our Guest of Honour, Ms. Marisa Poncela García, Secretary of State for Trade.

Ms. Marisa Poncela, Secretary of State for Trade

During her speech, Ms. Marisa Poncela García expressed her gratitude to the Spanish Chamber for the invitation to be the Guest of Honour on such an important evening. She provided the audience with an interesting and detailed insight of economic indicators across the United Kingdom and Spain. As a final note before closing her speech, Ms. Marisa Poncela García underlined the importance of maintaining close economic relations between Spain and the United Kingdom, in spite of the uncertain future that Brexit could bring about to the trade relations between both countries.

When speeches ended, our guests could enjoy a delicious dinner. The atmosphere was vibrant and relaxed as our Patrons, members and their guests mingled and exchanged their impressions of the evening, which provided a great opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues and members.

The magnificent Great Hall was the perfect setting to hold the dinner for this special occasion.

Finally, we would very much like to thank our members and their guests for joining us on the occasion of our 130^th Annual General Meeting and for sharing such a special evening for our institution. We are truly grateful to our Patron Codorníu Raventós for their contribution with the wines and cava that were served throughout the event as well as Boqueria, member of the Chamber, for their kind contribution of a delicious iberico ham served during the drinks reception.

Please click here to access the complete gallery of pictures of the 130^th Annual General Meeting. For a short video on how the evening went, please click on the following link 130^th Annual General Meeting Video.

For further information about events in 2017, do not hesitate to visit our Upcoming Events section at www.spanishchamber.co.uk or subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly updates in your inbox.

22/06/2017
ANNUAL PATRONS’ DINNER 2017

On Tuesday 28^th March the Spanish Chamber organised the Annual Patrons’ Dinner. The event was held at the Spanish Embassy and H.E. the Ambassador of Spain Mr. Carlos Bastarreche Sagües was our exceptional host for the evening. This event allowed our Patrons to meet the newly appointed Ambassador in a relaxed and intimate dinner.

The main dining room was perfectly set up for the traditional Annual Patrons’ Dinner.

Our guests were welcomed with a selection of canapés that they could enjoy while tasting the selection of cava and wine, which was kindly sponsored by our Patron Codorníu Raventós, as well as beers kindly provided by our Patron Mahou-San Miguel during the pre-dinner reception. This was the perfect opportunity for new Patrons to introduce themselves and get acquainted with the rest of representatives in attendance.

After the reception, Patrons proceeded to the dining area to take their seats and get ready to enjoy a three-course dinner which consisted of avocado salad with braised tomatoes, beef Wellington with potatoes and bacon millefeuille, and finally chocolate mousse with almond croquant.

Before dinner was served Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber, opened the evening with a special speech expressing his gratitude for the support that Patrons provide to this institution and warmly thanked the Ambassador for kindly welcoming the Patrons on his first event with the Spanish Chamber.

The traditional dinner allowed new Patrons to get acquainted with the rest of companies within this membership category.

He also mentioned the new Patrons that the Chamber has gained since the last year’s dinner which were: CaixaBank, CLH -PS, Gestamp, Indra, and OHL Desarrollos. Furthermore, he took the opportunity to remind attendees of this year’s Annual Golden Award which would take place the following week, on Tuesday 4th April, again at the Embassy.

Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber, thanked Patrons for their cotinuous support.

After the President, it was the turn of H.E. the Ambassador Mr. Carlos Bastarreche Sagües, who began his speech by thanking the Spanish Chamber for the organisation and gave an overview of the current economic and political situation in the UK and Spain in the context of Brexit, and the role Spain may play in Europe in the near future. As he mentioned, the link between the two countries is stronger than ever, with the UK currently being the first destination for Spanish investments.

H.E. Mr. Carlos Bastarreche Sagües during his address to the Patrons.

After the speeches, it was time for guests to enjoy the dinner and later to move on to the main reception room, where coffee and petit fours were served. Attendees enjoyed thus the end of the event in a comfortable atmosphere and could exchange impressions with the Ambassador and the President of the Chamber. This was the perfect closure for this exclusive gathering.

Patrons had the opportunity to enjoy the grand and relaxed atmosphere of this exclusive event.

We would like to thank our Patron Codorníu Raventós for their generous support providing the wines and cava served during the event and also special thanks to our Patron Mahou-San Miguel for kindly sponsoring the beer at this special evening.

Finally, we are grateful to our Patrons for their attendance and we look forward to seeing them at the next Patrons’Event.

To see the complete pictures of the evening, please click here.

If you would like to be updated on forthcoming activities, do not hesitate to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Alternatively, you can also check out our event in the UPCOMING EVENTS section within our website.

29/03/2017
ANNUAL PATRONS’ DINNER

On Monday 14^th March the Spanish Chamber organised the Annual Patrons’ Dinner. The event was held at the Spanish Embassy and H.E. the Ambassador of Spain Mr. Federico Trillo-Figueroa was our exceptional host for the evening. On this occasion, we were honoured to count on the attendance of Mr. Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive at the London Stock Exchange Group, as our Guest of Honour for the evening.

One more year, Patrons gathered at the Spanish Embassy for this exclusive dinner.

Our guests were welcomed with a selection of canapés that they could enjoy along with cava and wine during the pre-dinner reception. This was the perfect opportunity for our Patrons to greet in a relaxed manner and catch up with each other before dinner.

After the reception, Patrons proceeded to the dining area to take their seats and get ready to enjoy a three-course dinner which consisted of baby cuttlefish with onion cream, veal tenderloin with Port and Mustard sauce, a mushroom cream and potato fondant, and finally apple millefeuille with walnuts, custard cream and lemon sauce.

Guests during the reception that was held at the main room of the Spanish Embassy.

Before dinner was served H.E. the Ambassador Mr. Federico Trillo-Figueroa opened the evening with a special speech welcoming all the attendees to the Embassy. After the Ambassador, it was the turn of Mr. Javier San Basilio, President of the Spanish Chamber, who continued by expressing his gratitude for the support that Patrons provide to this institution.

He also mentioned the new Patrons that the Chamber has gained since the last year’s dinner which were: Codorniú Raventós, Ernst & Young, Goldman Sachs, Grange Hotels, Konecta, Lloyds Bank, Mahou San Miguel, SCA ONTIER and Telefónica Digital. Furthermore, he took the opportunity to remind attendees of this year’s Annual Golden Award which would take place next 21^st of April again at the Embassy residence.

From left to right: Mr. Javier San Basilio (standing), President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, Mr. Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive at the London Stock Exchange Group and Guest of Honor, and H.E. Mr. Federico Trillo-Figueroa, Ambassador of Spain.

He then gave the floor to Mr. Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive at the London Stock Exchange Group and Guest of Honor of this special dinner.

Mr. Rolet was appointed to the Board in March 2009 and appointed Chief Executive later that year. He has a wide career in the financial sector, having worked in Lehman Brothers from 2000 to 2008 and previously at other enterprises such as Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, Credit Suisse First Boston or Goldman Sachs.

Mr. Xavier Rolet, Guest of Honour, during his speech at the dinner.

After the speeches, it was time for guests to enjoy the dinner and later to move on to the main reception room, where coffee and petit fours were served. Attendees enjoyed thus the end of the event in a comfortable atmosphere and could exchange impressions with the Ambassador, the Guest of Honor and the President of the Chamber. This was the perfect closure for such a fantastic evening.

We would like to thank our Patrons for their attendance and we look forward to seeing them at the next Patrons’ Event.

Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions to the Guest of Honor before dinner.

If you would like to be updated on forthcoming activities, do not hesitate to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Alternatively, you can also check out our event in the UPCOMING EVENTS section within our website.

22/03/2016
PATRONS’ CLUB | WINE AND IBÉRICO HAM TASTING

The Spanish Chamber of Commerce hosted a very special event on Thursday 11^th February. Our Patrons and Benefactors had the unique opportunity to attend a wine and Ibérico ham tasting in one of the most outstanding suites of Grange Hotels, Patron of the Chamber.

To start off the evening, our top-tier members were welcomed at the Presidential Suite of the Grange City Hotel, with a glass of delicious Anna de Codorníu Brut Rosé kindly provided by Codorníu Raventós, Patron of the Chamber, while enjoying the breathtaking views of the City of London.

Codorníu Raventós and Spanish Ham Master, Patron and member of the Chamber respectively, provided a delicious wine and ham for the event.

The event was a perfect chance to foster relationships between our top-tier members and develop new professional relations.

Igor Urra, our Secretary General, requested attention in order to thank all the attendees and to briefly introduce the speakers for the event. He announced Óscar Urrutia, Rioja & Prestige Wines Manager at Codorníu who, as a wine expert, engaged the audience with the history of Bodegas Bilbaínas, the oldest bottler of wine in Spain and nowadays part of Codorníu Group. He took our guests through the evolution of the vineyards and milestones achieved since its foundation, highlighting how the winery has maintained the personal style that has given its flagship label, Viña Pomal, international presence.

Óscar Urrutia, Prestige Wine Manager at Grupo Codorníu and wine expert during his engaging speech about Bilbaínas Winery.

Mr. Urrutia then gave way to José Sol, ham master carver in the UK and founder of Spanish Ham Master, Member Company of the Chamber. He opened his speech with a little history of the business, since its birth in 2010 as a company dedicated to covering events around the Jamón World. Mr. Sol explained how his company is specialised in events around the world of ham, giving support and advice in the business industry. He also showed his pride of being the ambassador of 5J-Cinco Jotas, known as the best ham in the world.

José Sol, ham master carver and founder of Spanish Ham Master, during his friendly and pleasant presentation.

Once the speeches had finished Patrons and Benefactors had the opportunity to mingle while attending a first-class carving service guided by one of the top ham carvers in London and to pair it with the superb velvety flavoured Viña Pomal Reserva.

We would very much like to thank everyone who shared this evening with us. We are also extremely grateful to Grange Hotels, for having kindly hosted this event giving us the opportunity to enjoy the astonishing views over London’s skyline and helping us to create a fantastic atmosphere.

The spacious suite allowed the guests to mingle in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere

Likewise, we are also sincerely grateful to Codorníu Raventós for their continuous support providing the cava and red wine and to Spanish Ham Master, member of the Chamber, for having kindly provided once again Ibérico ham for this unique event.

Should you want to have a hint of the activities we organise for our members, do not miss the opportunity to join us at future events by signing up to our weekly newsletter or browsing our Upcoming Events section on our website.

23/02/2016

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