Quintanilla Sets Goal to Unite Alicante's Business Associations After Becoming Sole Candidate for CEV

César Quintanilla will soon add the presidency of the Business Union of the Province of Alicante (Uepal) to that of the Valencian Business Confederation (CEV) in Alicante, as he is the sole candidate for the position. This will effectively create an alliance between the two business associations, but Quintanilla aims for it to be definitive at all levels. He has taken on "the responsibility of the ambitious and necessary challenge of uniting all business organizations in the province of Alicante under a single autonomous and independent associative structure," echoing the words of his predecessor, Juan José Sellés, in 2023.

He expressed these views at the seventh edition of the Uepal Awards Gala, held this Friday in Aspe. The event featured the participation of the President of the Valencian Government, Carlos Mazón.

This collective project, Quintanilla stated, will be based on four priority points in his roadmap: making Uepal the internal organization, ensuring it represents all business sectors with its own voice and advocacy, returning the voice to the sectors; advocating and overseeing infrastructure; defending quality and affordable water in the province as a problem for the entire Alicante society; and working to ensure that the province's productive and economic sectors strongly incorporate models with a strong component in innovation, research, and digitalization, helping to create an innovative ecosystem.

He recalled that "bridges are built to go from one side to the other, and vice versa. They are bidirectional." This applies to both Uepal and CEV members as well as overcoming "the lack of territorial cohesion or the vertebration of business associationism within the Community." It is evident that Quintanilla wants to open a new era in the CEV, which absorbed the Alicante business community into an autonomous organization after the extinction of Coepa. It is not just a different stage in Alicante, but also in Valencia, where Vicente Lafuente will take over from Salvador Navarro, who declined re-election.

Quintanilla calls for more Alicante presence in Valencia, to "make them understand that, instead of trying to change us, they must understand us as we are. Something we must also apply to ourselves." He rejected the idea of the "Alicante problem." On the contrary, he emphasized: "Alicante is the solution."

Quintanilla reviewed the business community's demands, which include the need to undertake necessary infrastructure projects that are never completed in the province; ensuring a financing system for the Valencian Government and an investment plan in the province, to lift it from the last place in Spain in the General Budgets, which he urgently demanded from the Spanish Government. From his perspective, it is essential to simplify bureaucracy for businesses and ease the tax burden that does not penalize the development of companies, especially SMEs.

Meanwhile, the President of the Valencian Government, Carlos Mazón, pointed out to the more than 230 gathered entrepreneurs that "we are in Alicante's moment," which must understand that "this land has no limits, it has shown leadership," thanks to the drive of the business sector. "The province of Alicante was not looking for a new business representative in Alicante, but a business leader," he said, referring to César Quintanilla.

Mazón highlighted the development of the Júcar-Vinalopó post-transfer works and announced a second regional law on administrative simplification, which will boost new business projects, facilitate economic activity, and create jobs, in response to business demands.

Awardees

The Official College of Technical Architecture of Alicante received the Award for Promoting the Incorporation and Active Participation of Women in Business Governance Bodies.

The award for Promoting Dynamization will go to FACPYME (Federation of Commerce and SMEs of the Province of Alicante). This entity brings together companies and trade associations in the province of Alicante and carries out significant training work among its members.

The Award for Promoting the Province's Vertebration will go to Asemvega (Association of Entrepreneurs of Vega Baja), founded in 1996 as a bastion of business unity in Vega Baja del Segura, working for the economic progress and well-being of the region, respecting its identity and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

Finally, APHA (Provincial Association of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations of the Province of Alicante) will be awarded the Award for Promoting the Provincial Economy. Founded in 1977, APHA represents the province's tourism industry, highlighting the importance of continuous promotion and improvement of all the province's destinations.

Rosana Perán, Business Trajectory

At the Gala, the Honor Award for Business Trajectory was presented to Rosana Perán, Vice President of Grupo Pikolinos. Perán, born in Elche, is a prominent business leader with an outstanding trajectory in the footwear industry. She was recognized with the Dux 2024 Award as an 'Emerging Leader' for her commitment to talent and humanistic leadership.

Currently, she holds various institutional positions—occupied for the first time by a woman—such as President of the European Confederation of Footwear (CEC). Since 2008, she has also been Vice President of Grupo Pikolinos.