Less than a decade ago, South Korea was still often compared to Thailand or other Southeast Asian countries in business terms. The truth is that the Republic of Korea has experienced what they call an "economic miracle," achieving the title of the world's seventh largest exporter in 2021. With a cutting-edge technology industry and an administration characterized by its speed (pali-paliThanks to its industrialization and collaboration with the private sector, South Korea has positioned itself in recent years as one of the world's major industrial powers, with companies like Samsung, LG, SK Telecom, and Hyundai in its portfolio. It has a higher GDP per capita than Spain, at €33,491 according to official 2024 data, and its unemployment rate is below 3%. The lessons that South Korea can offer Catalan companies are numerous and include a strong commitment to industry as the main economic driver, world-class infrastructure, an education system focused on research and innovation, and a deep pride in their country and its culture. HallyuA concept that encompasses everything related to Korean culture and has placed them on the global map.

When the cranes suddenly stopped, much of Catalonia was left scarred. Concrete skeletons, empty sidewalks, unfinished streets. Many of the scars of the housing bubble on the urban landscape remain intact. But that bursting also left a less visible, even poisonous, legacy. In 2007, Catalonia built 80,000 homes, the highest figure in recorded history, in a year that saw more than 100,000 sales. Last year, around 13,000 homes were completed, far fewer than 18 years ago—although the number of transactions was almost the same—but above all, fewer than the number of households created. Specifically, 2.77 times more homes should be being built than are being finished, that is, about 30,000. In Catalonia, out of a population of 8 million, it is projected that up to 355,000 households will be excluded from the housing market in the next 15 years, according to the Sectoral Territorial Housing Plan (PTSH).

The experience of renting an apartment in Barcelona is stifling. But it's especially so for one party, who sees how the enormous imbalance between the scarce available supply and the infinite demand leaves them with zero negotiating power and, therefore, less room to avoid excessive or even abusive clauses.

"Leave Catalonia? No, and now!" This is often the response given over the years by several Catalan supermarket managers when asked if they intended to go out and see the world, or at least to expand their business in the rest of Spain. The distribution sector—and, above all, the food sector—is often closely tied to its territory, with zero-mile policies, values, and proximity that make it difficult to leave the region that protects them. Furthermore, well-known brands are often tied to a specific territory, which can generate hostility when trying to break into the market.

The business world has historically been associated with male leaders in suits and ties. The demand for a greater female presence in management positions has been a topic of theses and proposals from business associations for decades, to the point that parity is increasingly becoming a tool for assessing organizations' corporate policy. Little by little, the situation is improving: according to the latest data from Grant Thornton, Catalonia has 44.2% women in senior positions, the highest rate in Spain. In fact, the percentage recorded by the report this year in Catalonia has increased by 8.2 points compared to last year, placing the Principality 5.8 points above the Spanish average (38.4%). Since theCompaniesWe bring you a selection of 10 influential female executives in the Catalan economy, including established figures and lesser-known profiles.