The award is organised annually by the Círculo de Empresarios, Círculo de Economía and Círculo de Empresarios Vascos, with the patronage of the Royal Family. Carme Riera, President of the Judging Panel, member of the Spanish Royal Academy, and Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona announced the winner on 5th March.

Apart from Riera, the judging panel is made up of important figures and well-known names in Spanish social and business circles: Santiago Muñoz Machado (Director of the Royal Spanish Academy); Sara de la Rica (Director of the ISEAK foundation); Victoria Camps (Emeritus Professor of Moral and Political Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona); Victoria Prego (Assistant to the Editor of the digital newspaper El Independiente); María Blasco (Director of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre); Núria Cabutí (CEO of Penguin Random House); Juan Manuel Bonet (Spanish art and literature critic, poet and museologist); and José Luis García Delgado (Ph. D. in Law and Professor of Applied Economics).

The panel’s decision is based on his contribution to Spain’s economic and social development over decades, during which he has created jobs, internationalised the company’s activities and contributed to the improvement of the community and the country’s well-being, whilst perfectly balancing professional activities with social, artistic and cultural initiatives, all of which make him an example for future generations.

 Throughout its six editions, the Reino de España Award has sought to highlight the career of a major business figure in terms of job creation, investment, and internationalization, who has contributed to the progress and well-being of Spanish society and who has set an example for future generations. Previous winners were Enrique de Sendagorta Aramburu, José Ferrer Sala, José Antolín, Mariano Puig and Plácido Arango. The award is a replica of a Medal of Merit from the time of Charles III of Spain, originally dating from 1764.