Body anticipates the return of more companies after La Caixa: "It won't be the last"

MadridThe Spanish government is enthusiastic about the decision this Wednesday by the La Caixa Foundation, on which the CriteriaCaixa holding company depends, to return the headquarters to Barcelona after having left more than seven years ago. It is the second return of a large company to Catalonia this 2025, after Banc Sabadell decided to take the step last January, in the midst of a hostile takeover by BBVA. Once again, for Pedro Sánchez's executive it is one more sign of the return to "normality, stability, legal security" after the Process, in the words of Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo on Thursday. "The political situation has an impact on the economy," he said in interviews with RAC and TV3, from where he directly linked the "perspectives" offered by Salvador Illa's government to the "logical" decision of the entity and was convinced that other companies will follow the same path. "It will not be the last," he said.

The president of the Generalitat has also applauded the decision, which he describes as "good news for Catalonia." In fact, he has chosen to "thank" the move. "This is important news, positive for Catalonia," he said on Wednesday, claiming that it is "confirmation that we are on the right path." "Institutional stability, rigor and legal security are positive and help to make these decisions [...]. When you work and don't make noise, things end up getting on track," he concluded, Roger Palós reports. Once again this Thursday, the socialist has affirmed that "the return [of the headquarters] shows that it is time to bet on Catalonia." "Let no one doubt it. A Catalonia in full performance is good for everyone, for Catalonia and for Spain," he said.

Also in the Catalan political sphere, the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, has defended that "the past, present and future" of La Caixa is "inseparable" from the Catalan economic reality. "No one should have ever forgotten it," he said through the social network X (formerly Twitter). In statements to Catalunya Ràdio, he also pointed out that maintaining a situation of economic stability is compatible with working with the "maximum political ambition". "We can work for a fair economy and an independent Catalonia," he argued. Junts, in turn, considered that La Caixa's decision is "the rectification of an error." Sources from the party cited by Europa Press, in fact, demanded that CaixaBank also return after moving its headquarters to Valencia in 2017.

Return of other companies

Without directly citing CaixaBank, Minister Cuerpo has assumed that more companies will make the same "rational and logical" decision as the La Caixa Foundation. "It will not be the last. We hope that more companies will make this decision. We can expect a progressive return of the companies that left because it responds to the return to normality and legal stability. It is a virtuous circle in the opposite direction to that which occurred in 2017," he said. The minister stressed, however, that these are "business" decisions and denied any pressure from the Spanish government.

The decision of the entity chaired by Isidre Fainé has been received with open arms in the Catalan business world. "I said that many relevant companies would return to Catalonia and this is being fulfilled," said the president of Fomento del Trabajo, Josep Sánchez Llibre, in a press release, where he also assured that it is "great news for the economy."

During all this time, employers' associations have been pulling strings to make returns like that of La Caixa a reality. "We have always maintained an attitude of caution on this issue, but since I became president of Foment del Treball I said that companies would return before the end of our second term; and so it is," Sánchez Llibre reiterated. Fomento anticipates that "there will be more news of companies returning soon." In fact, when PSOE and Junts negotiated "promoting" the return of companies that had left after 1-O, within the framework of Pedro Sánchez's investiture agreement, from the business environment it was seen as something that did not help. "Discretion is wanted," say sources from the Catalan employers' association.

Pimec also values ​​La Caixa's decision "very positively". "It is a natural and coherent movement", says the small and medium-sized business association. "This decision reinforces confidence in the dynamism of our territory and contributes to consolidating a more stable and competitive environment", defends the business organization. And the president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu, has admitted a "great satisfaction for everyone" after the "very positive" news that was known this Wednesday

Both in the political and economic case the story that was used with Sabadell's return is repeated. The Minister of Economy then assured that the decision of the bank from Vallecas made "perfect sense". "The process of normalisation that has taken place in Catalonia has meant that the conditions that led to the departure [of the banks and other companies during the height of the Process] have disappeared," he pointed out in an interview on Onda Cero. The bank chaired by Josep Oliu assured that today "the [political and social] circumstances no longer exist" that motivated its transfer to Alicante. "It is a matter of pride, belonging and proximity," pointed out the CEO, César González Bueno, in an interview with ARAWith Thursday's decision, the La Caixa Foundation and its investment arm, CriteriaCaixa, are leaving Palma and returning to one of the entity's towers on Barcelona's Diagonal Avenue.