- The leading event for Ibero-American investors and companies with interests in the region closes after more than 270 meeting requests
- Brazilian company Prática Producto and Peruvian company Fibra Prime announce their intention to list on BME Growth as a point of entry into Europe
- The Ibero-American Investment Meeting highlights growing Ibero-American investment in Spain and the role of capital markets in driving this trend
The Latibex Forum concludes its 27th edition today with a 50% increase in the number of investors and a 25% increase in the number of companies participating in the event, which this year was held in a hybrid format. Yesterday, the Ibero-American Investment Meeting was held at the Madrid Stock Exchange Palace, with panel discussions on current issues in the region, while yesterday and today, one-on-one meetings between companies and investors were held online. There was a record number of meeting requests, with more than 270, of which 230 were finally arranged, after coordinating the participants' schedules.
In total, 90 investors participated in this edition of the Latibex Forum, more than half of whom came from outside Spain, from countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, and the United States. The number of companies grew to 50, with companies from Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, and Spain.
In addition, the Ibero-American Investment Meeting welcomed more than 250 attendees.
"One of the clearest conclusions of the 27th Latibex Forum is that Spanish capital markets must play a decisive role in the growth plans of Ibero-American companies in Europe. Spain is the natural bridge between both sides of the Atlantic, and BME's growth markets are the best place to channel this trend, as they provide visibility, reputation, and access to recurring financing," explains Juan Flames, CEO of BME.
The common thread running through the Ibero-American Investment Meeting has been the growing Ibero-American investment in Spain and the role that Spanish capital markets can play as a bridge for companies from that region that want to grow in Europe. In fact, two companies have announced at the Latibex Forum that they are working on their upcoming listing on BME Growth. These are the Brazilian company Prática Producto and the real estate company Fibra Prime, from Peru. BME's growth markets provide visibility, reputation, and access to financing for the companies listed on them, which can help Ibero-American companies in their growth plans in Europe. Both companies are advised by Armanext.
André Rezende, president of Prática Producto, explained on his panel that although Brazil is a large market, to be competitive they have to become international, and that listing on BME Growth will allow them direct access to investors. Ignacio Mariategui, founder of Fibra Prime, said that the Spanish market offers the company the possibility of having more liquidity, issuing capital in the medium term, diversifying the investor base, and investing in assets in Spain. For her part, Mirari Barrena, general director for Ibero-America at Armanext, explained that stock exchanges are the cornerstone for countries to have large companies, and that Spanish capital markets can be the gateway into Europe for top-tier small and medium-sized Ibero-American companies.
Throughout yesterday, various panels were held on current issues. In the opening panel, Susana Sumelzo, Secretary of State for Ibero-America, underscored the value of multilateralism and recalled that Spain is the second-largest investor in the region and the leading sender of remittances and development aid for many Ibero-American countries. For his part, Luis Isasi, chairman of Santander Spain, highlighted the positive evolution of the Ibero-American economy and also emphasized the advances in financial inclusion in the region and the great potential of the EU-Mercosur agreement. José Luis Rodríguez, a partner at Cuatrecasas, said that Spanish investment in Ibero-America has tripled in the last fifteen years and that the flow of investors is increasingly unidirectional.
The remaining panels dealt with issues such as the region’s macroeconomic situation, its investment opportunities, and the structural commitment of Spanish investment in Ibero-America.
Santander was the main sponsor of the event, which also had Cuatrecasas, CFA Society Spain, Morningstar, Armanext, and World Television (wtv.) as sponsors, and Instituto BME, Instituto Español de Analistas, Economática, Atribus, and the Brazil-Spain Chamber of Commerce as collaborators.
You can find more information about the Forum on its website and the photos of the event on this link.