"The search for balance between the tension of what business wants and what geopolitics imposes on us is the biggest challenge we have."

"The search for a balance between the tension between what business wants and what geopolitics imposes on us is the greatest challenge we have". challenge. Miguel Otero, Senior Analyst of International Economic Policy at Elcano, thus presented one of the conclusions of the "I Foro Business & (Geo) Politics: public affairs in the era of change" organised in Madrid by the School Law School of the University of Navarra, at partnershipwith the association de Profesionales de las Relaciones Institucionales (APRI).

The forum consisted of three round tables and brought together more than fifty professionals from different fields who stressed that public affairs is an essential function for all subjectorganisations, as it allows them to better understand how the geopolitical environment and regulation impacts on the business and minimises the impact on the profit and loss account. The speakers also stressed the importance of seeking alliances and consensus between public and private organisations.

Emili Blasco, director of the Global Affairs Center of the University of Navarra, was in charge of opening the workshop, highlighting that "for decades instability had been typical of emerging markets, while developed economies enjoyed high levels of predictability in their behaviour. But this is no longer the case, and public affairs professionals or Chief Policy Officers are becoming particularly relevant in the face of the challenges of geopolitics and business strategy".

Miguel Otero, José María Roldán, former president of the Spanish Banking Association associationand Pablo Hispan, PP spokesperson in the Foreign Affairs Committee of congress, analysed the risks and opportunities in the new international politics and geopolitics. In this area, Roldan remarked that de-globalisation "is particularly delicate and companies must know how to adapt to the trends of change".  

"Alliances help us to work. We are responsible for seeking consensus," said Jasón Besga, head of departmentInstitutional and International Relations at groupnetwork Eléctrica. Together with Juan Jesús García, Head of Industry Affairs, EMEA Amadeus IT Group and Natalia Moreno, Director of Global Institutional Relations at Telefónica, Besga discussed the role of public affairs. In the words of Natalia Moreno:"Neither the public sector nor the private sector alone is capable of responding to all the challenges we face".

Finally, David Simón, director Public Affairs at Ryanair; Carmen Peña, director of committeePresident of Cofares and former president of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP); and Juan Maggio, director legal and secretary of committeeLeroy Merlin Spain focused their interventions on business strategy on the political and regulatory diaryat the table moderated by Luisa Alli, executive president of Kreab.

María Rosa Rotondo, president of the associationde Profesionales de las Relaciones Institucionales (APRI) closed the workshopby highlighting the essential value of professionals: "The standardisation and professionalisation of the sector is something we have never ceased to represent, we are important actors in transforming reality and we are part of the democratic process, our activity has to serve to make better laws and improve public policies in any scenario".