CEIM helps international investors engage with public administrations and identify opportunities for expansion and reinvestment. This effort, Garrido notes, is paying off: it not only makes life easier for international companies, but also turns them “into the best ambassadors for what is happening in Madrid and for the opportunities the region has to offer.”
For nearly five decades, CEIM has defended the interests of Madrid’s business community. For those unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe CEIM’s mission and its role within the economic ecosystem of the Community of Madrid?
CEIM is the Madrid Business Confederation, which since 1978 has defended the interests of Madrid-based companies before public administrations and the general public. We are the most representative business organization in the Community of Madrid, comprising companies and business associations of sectoral, territorial, and cross-sectoral nature. We are present in more than 200 areas of representation at the national, regional, and local levels, giving a voice to Madrid’s businesses.
Our main mission is to promote business development for the benefit of the general interest, making a tangible contribution to the progress and well-being of the Community of Madrid. Our experience, capacity for dialogue, and close relationship with various administrations make us the leading business reference in the region.
Moreover, we place special emphasis on supporting family businesses, the self-employed, and SMEs, ensuring that their voices are not only heard but also translated into concrete measures that facilitate their growth and competitiveness.
CEIM brings together entrepreneurs with highly diverse profiles. From your experience, what qualities define Madrid’s businesspeople? What distinguishes the region’s business ecosystem?
I do not believe there are major differences between a Madrid-based entrepreneur and one from Andalusia or Catalonia. An entrepreneur is someone who steps forward and, with passion, commitment, teamwork, and strategic vision, brings a project to life. What does change is the place where they choose to undertake that project, and this is where Madrid stands out. Madrid offers the right conditions for entrepreneurs to choose our region to invest, set up their businesses, and create jobs. Above all, Madrid champions business freedom and legal certainty, which are synonymous with economic and social growth.
The economic and social context of our region has indeed influenced certain traits of Madrid’s entrepreneurs, who tend to be more open to foreign markets and value strategic alliances. The fast-paced economic environment and strong competition in Madrid foster a recognizable agility and dynamism, with a clear focus on innovation and technological transformation. This is further encouraged by the fact that Madrid’s productive fabric is less centred on traditional sectors and more on digital services, startups, and the knowledge economy.
In recent years, Madrid has established itself as one of Europe’s main investment hubs. How has CEIM experienced this evolution, and what changes have you observed in business activity?
The region’s evolution in recent years has been remarkable. The Community of Madrid is now an international benchmark, standing out as an open, competitive, and attractive territory for investment.
Madrid has become the gateway to Europe and Latin America for many foreign companies, thanks to the favourable conditions that allow businesses to operate without unnecessary constraints. In addition, we offer a stable, transparent, and reliable regulatory environment, as well as access to qualified talent and modern infrastructure.
In your opinion, which public policies have been key to strengthening the region’s competitiveness? Do you see a need for additional policies to continue attracting foreign investment and, above all, to ensure these investments grow and remain in Madrid?
We have always advocated that the formulas that encourage entrepreneurs to invest and improve their competitiveness include a favorable tax model, an attractive regime for the self-employed and SMEs, simplification of administrative burdens and elimination of overregulation, legal certainty, institutional stability, promotion of business freedom, social dialogue, a clear commitment to talent, excellent transport and communications infrastructure, and genuine public-private collaboration.
If we add to this scenario our strategic location, the quality of our infrastructure, exhibition and convention spaces, an innovative and educational ecosystem, top-tier healthcare and education, and an unprecedented cultural, sports, gastronomic, commercial, and leisure offering, we have the perfect map explaining why Madrid leads in attracting investment and creating businesses.
This is the path we have followed and must continue to follow to ensure investments remain in Madrid: legal certainty, competitive taxation, and the talent-infrastructure mix. Policies such as the Open Market Law, the anti-overregulation initiative, and strategies like Internationalization, Employment, or the Industrial Plan 2026-2030 all contribute to this goal.
CEIM represents a wide range of sectors. Which would you say are currently driving the region’s economic dynamism? Are there sectors with great potential that still need more support or visibility?
Overall, Madrid’s business fabric is characterized by its dynamism and commitment to digitalization, innovation, and talent—qualities intrinsic to all sectors in our region.
However, the recent boom in tourism has directly boosted related sectors such as commerce, hospitality, culture, transport, and communications. We must also highlight the growing visibility and competitiveness of industry, service industry, and the biopharma sector, which should increasingly contribute to the region’s economic and business structure. Sectors related to construction, urban planning, technology, digitalization, as well as transport and logistics, are also fundamental pillars for the proper functioning of our economy.
It is important to continue addressing issues that generally hinder business competitiveness, such as overregulation, labor costs, or absenteeism. Taking firm and decisive action on these will directly result in greater wealth and employment for all Madrid residents. We also face challenges such as the current housing shortage and energy supply, given the sharp increase in demand and the need to ensure supply quality.
We must not forget rural Madrid, which combines its tourism potential with a robust agri-food production, boasting its own designations of origin in wines and extra virgin olive oils, and a clear commitment to ecology and proximity to consolidate a modern and competitive primary sector.
The Confederation offers support and guidance to foreign companies operating in Madrid. What exactly does this service entail? How do companies typically approach CEIM, and what aspects of this support do they value most?
Indeed, we have an Investor Services department, created as a joint initiative between CEIM and the Madrid City Council during the pandemic, when the scope and duration of the resulting economic crisis were unknown and potential relocations had to be avoided. This support is now well established, and we continue to assist foreign firms to maintain their productive activity and encourage new reinvestments that increase their production capacity and associated employment.
We organize meetings to gauge their views on the city’s business climate and learn from best practices in other regions, which we study with the municipal team for possible application in Madrid. We listen to companies—something CEIM excels at—respond to their requests for information on regulatory frameworks, available aid, and the administrative contacts they need to resolve specific issues; we foster connections with institutions, organizations, and companies—in short, we make life easier for foreign investors in Madrid.
As for the channels through which companies reach CEIM, they are countless. The CEIM team is highly proactive, participating in numerous forums, committees, and events where this service is presented. As often happens when something is done well, companies in our aftercare portfolio recommend us to firms in their sector or country of origin with whom they have relationships.
Companies particularly value having at their disposal an institution like CEIM, the home of Madrid’s entrepreneurs, to serve them with no other interest than to help, to quickly and easily connect them with the administration—in this case, the Madrid City Council—and to make Madrid an increasingly attractive destination for foreign investment and talent, and a more business-friendly environment. The leverage effect is very visible, as the companies in which we, together with the City Council, invest daily efforts, are the best ambassadors for what is happening in Madrid and the opportunities the city offers.
Beyond the initial landing, what other services do international companies turn to once they are operating in the region? What needs do you most frequently identify?
In addition to ongoing support and individualized aftercare provided by CEIM, and as a clear example of public-private collaboration, international companies have a wide range of needs, including those related to relocating management teams to our region.
From a business perspective, to mention a few specific needs, they seek support in managing administrative procedures with various public administrations, information on regulatory matters, help identifying opportunities for expansion and reinvestment in Madrid, or access to agents within Madrid’s business ecosystem and qualified talent.
CEIM was one of the sponsors of the Madrid Investment Forum held in 2025. What is your assessment of the event? Does it help reinforce Madrid’s international reputation as an attractive investment destination?
Without a doubt, the Madrid Investment Forum is a great initiative that has brilliantly captured the essence of our region and our companies to showcase it to the world. It is a space for dialogue, connection, and analysis of why Madrid is already the best destination for investors. Moreover, it brings together the key players behind this achievement: companies, public administrations, and business organizations.
I would also like to highlight the event’s commitment to all the territories that make up the Community of Madrid, working in collaboration with territorial associations, which are also part of CEIM. This is a major success, putting not only the capital but also all surrounding territories—each with its own competitive advantages—on the international map, collectively positioning the Community of Madrid among the world’s top investment destinations.
Let us not forget that Madrid has recently been recognized, for seven consecutive years, as the “World’s Leading Meetings & Conferences Destination” at the prestigious World Travel Awards. Although this award is focused on the meetings (MICE) tourism sector, it positions us as a highly valued destination for investors and organizers due to our excellent infrastructure, connectivity, security, and quality of services.
From the perspective of business leaders, how would you assess the talent concentrated in the region? Are there specific skills or sectors where you see a mismatch between market needs and available training?
The Community of Madrid is undoubtedly a prominent talent hub, which certainly encourages investment and business creation, and, in a virtuous circle, attracts new talent.
The high proportion of qualified talent, leadership in technological employment, strong investment in R&D, growth in STEM education—with nearly 15,000 students in science, engineering, and IT degrees—high labour internationalization, and the robustness of coworking spaces all demonstrate that the Community of Madrid possesses the key conditions of a dynamic and attractive professional and technological talent hub. However, significant mismatches persist: a shortage of intermediate profiles and specialized trades, along with gaps in digital skills and scientific and technical disciplines.
In a country with the highest unemployment rate in the European Union, it is paradoxical that, in the Community of Madrid alone, there are more than 30,000 unfilled vacancies affecting virtually all sectors: hospitality, transport, construction, healthcare, industry, technology.
This situation, which already creates critical challenges for many companies to grow or even meet current demand for their products and services, demonstrates the urgent need to intensify academic and professional guidance policies from an early age, so that young people can understand the realities of the labor market by sector and profession. There is also a need for structural and operational measures from public employment services, including accelerated training and reskilling, as well as guidance and activation of currently unemployed talent to design personalized labour insertion plans.
It is also essential for companies to promote policies to attract, reskill, and retain senior talent, whose experience is key to competitiveness and the training of junior professionals.
Based on CEIM’s experience supporting national and international companies, what would you say differentiates the Community of Madrid from other regions in Spain and Europe as a destination for investment, growth, and business development?
Despite national and international political and economic uncertainty, the Community of Madrid has positioned itself as a reliable region that offers guarantees to investors and entrepreneurs. In summary, I would say that the Community of Madrid stands out from other regions in Spain and Europe due to several strategic factors that have made it a preferred destination for investment and business development: leadership in foreign investment; strong economic growth, which has led our GDP per capita to surpass the European average and is on track to represent 20% of the national GDP; an attractive and agile tax environment; first-class infrastructure and connectivity; talent, education, and innovation; and a quality of life and urban appeal comparable to major European cities.
Without a doubt, it is the best place to invest, work, and build a life project. And it is not just my opinion—the facts speak for themselves.