The president of Association for the Development of Family Businesses of Navarre (ADEFAN)Iñaki Ecay, called this Friday for “active policies for the promotion and protection of family businesses”. He also recalled “capillarity and transversality” as well as “the multiplier effect” that more than 170 business families associated with ADEFAN represent for the regional economy. And it is for this reason that he considered that “from education to taxation, Navarre has a lot to improve”.
The demonstrations of Iñaki Ecay They took place during the presentation of the VIII ADEFAN Navarra Family Business Award at Bodegas Ochoa. an act, sponsored by CaixaBank with the collaboration of ARPA Conseil Lawyerswhich brought together nearly 200 guests at the Luze El Toro hotel in Pamplona, most of them members of its association.
To them all, Écay informed them that “this week” it reached an agreement with the La Caixa Foundation which, through CaixaBankwill collaborate in “Family business in the classroom” a program he described as “key for ADEFAN» since, just last year, it reached 30 educational centers and exceeded the 1,500 Navarrese students of ESO, Baccalaureate and FP participating.
Iñaki Ecay added to this agreement the recent launch of a new edition of the title Expert in business management from the Chair of Family Business at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) as well as the relaunch of the Youth Forum of its association with a new office headed by Bernat Lizaso, from the company Resitex. “Young people and training are two pillars on which ADEFAN “She is concentrating all her efforts because they are essential to ensure the future of the family business in Navarre,” he assured.
Previously, the territorial director Ebro CaixabankIsabel Moreno, in her welcome speech to the participants of the event, defined business families as “one of the most strategic assets of Navarre”. In this sense, he highlighted “their solid turnover and job creation”. Also, their responsibility, their commitment, their efforts, their knowledge and their efforts “to achieve a future of progress, development and growth for all,” he added.
From there, according to Darkthe economic fabric is facing various challenges: digitalization, geopolitical tensions and constant innovation. However, in the case of family businesses, these challenges are compounded by other, more specific challenges. Among these, he cited increasing the commercial dimension to improve competitiveness, attracting and protecting talents for sustainable development, and adequate planning for generational succession to ensure continuity. “All of them, and many others, he was confronted with success Bodegas Ochoa“, he said, going on to highlight how they managed succession, a crucial factor which, in his view, “can determine the continuity and long-term success of the company.”
He also mentioned his commitment to preparation and constant training to conclude that Ochoa Vineyards It is “the story of a passion, that of the development of a wine from an authentic terroir, whose grapes come from vines which grow faithfully to the heritage of previous generations”.
WORDS OF PRAISE TO BODEGAS OCHOA
On the other hand, the president of ADEFAN He devoted the rest of his speech to recognizing “the extraordinary journey” of Bodegas Ochoa, awarded the VIII Navarre Family Business Award awarded by your association. A company, he recalled, “with 180 years of history and managed by six consecutive generations”. “These types of companies are real symbols that mark us and show us the way forward for those of us who come from behind,” he added.
He especially stopped at the figure of Javier Ochoa. “At only 20 years old and without any experience in the wine sector, he took on the challenge of continuing the modernization process started by his father,” he said. Iñaki Ecay who considered that “he could have given up, but he demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit that led him to become an essential reference in Navarrese viticulture”. “If today our cellars are professionalized and our wines recognized for their quality, it is largely thanks to their constant and meticulous work,” he declared.
Likewise, he mentioned the Javier Ochoa’s wife, Mariví Alemán“which in the 80s was one of the first to promote the internationalization of the company, which was not common at that time,” he emphasized. For the president of ADEFANTherefore, the figure of Alemán “is the demonstration of the power of Navarrese women in the family business” as well as “a clear reflection of the role that mothers, sisters and daughters play” in this type of business. A legacy that he extended to his descendants, Adriana and Beatriz, who took over the management of Bodegas Ochoa in 2016. Among the latter, he highlighted how they were prepared and trained to fully assume the challenge of management with guarantees . “This is a message that we, at ADEFAN, wish to emphasize: the transmission of testimony between generations must be based on professionalization. Only in this way can we ensure continuity and avoid the disappearance of our family businesses,” commented Iñaki Ecay.
For the president of Association for the Development of Family Businesses of Navarre“Ochoa Vineyards “It is an example that shows that with passion and effort, one can overcome all obstacles and reach heaven.” “Nothing is impossible, the sky is the limit and for us, that sky is a stronger and more competitive Navarra, driven by our family businesses,” he concluded.
HONOR, COURAGE, AUTHENTICITY
THE sisters Adriana and Beatrizfor their part, expressed the “sincere gratitude” of Ochoa Vineyards for having received the prize awarded by ADEFAN. “It is an honor that we receive with humility and with great joy because it recognizes the collective effort of six generations and the commitment of all those who have worked and continue to do so with us,” they noted.
For Adriana OchoaFurthermore, being a family business “means much more than an organizational structure, it is a way of life”. “If there is something that has characterized us, it is to remember, on a daily basis, that in addition to being a company, we are a family. We have taken care of this link above the income statements and this has allowed us to keep our values alive generation after generation,” he added.
In the same spirit, your sister, Béatrizequated the family concept with “protection, trust and support” while emphasizing how they work “with local suppliers and professionals” to contribute to the development of Navarre “and, in particular, of the Middle Zone”, where they are installed. “We are also committed to teamwork. Part of it is there and, for that, I would like to thank them because their commitment is enormous and their involvement is admirable,” he concluded.
Regarding the price received, they stressed that “it is a crucial motivation” since it coincides with “a generational change” that began ten years ago. “We will never tire of thanking our parents for the respect, generosity and trust that they have transmitted to us,” they expressed. From there, the two sisters outlined their vision of facing challenges “with the courage to take risks, betting on the new without forgetting the usual, being creative and authentic.” “Whoever is looking for all this will find it in our wines,” they conclude.
ABOUT ADEFAN
THE Association for the Development of Family Businesses of Navarre (ADEFAN) It is currently made up of more than 170 companies spread across the entire geography of the Autonomous Community. All of them also carry out their activity in very varied sectors (industry, commerce, communication, design, services, lighting, textiles, construction, real estate, transport, food, catering, distribution and repair of vehicles). In total, its turnover exceeds 3.5 billion euros.
