Demetrio Carceller Arce, executive president of the Damm group of food and beverage companies and president of the energy company DISA, has received this week the Business Leader of the Year award, granted by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce -United States in recognition of the “international growth, innovative leadership, and commitment to responsible and sustainable growth of these companies.”
Specifically, the institution’s Board of Directors has recognized Carceller Arce for being “a transformational leader who, through investment in talent, technology and innovation, and international expansion, has promoted transformation within the companies he runs and has turned them into leading companies in their respective sectors”.
In the period in which Demetrio Carceller Arce has been executive president of Damm, the company has multiplied by five the number of employees and currently both companies have more than 10,000 collaborators, with a global presence. In addition, the Board of Directors of the Chamber has valued the extraordinary international development of Damm in the last 10 years, currently reaching more than 30% of the group’s activity.
On the other hand, Alan Solomont, president of the Board of Directors of the Chamber and former ambassador of the United States in Spain, highlighted “Demetrio Carceller Arce’s commitment to the circular economy and the environment that make him an example to follow in the field of corporate social responsibility and which, among other things, has led him to align Damm’s strategy and operations with the objectives of the 2030 agenda”. The ambassador also recognized “his important work at the Damm Foundation and his great contribution to society through the promotion of cultural, sports and social initiatives, and help for the most vulnerable”.
The award ceremony took place during the annual gala held by the Spain-United States Chamber of Commerce in New York. The event was attended by more than 200 representatives of politics, business and finance from both countries.
During his speech, Carceller Arce thanked the Chamber for the recognition, highlighting the important role that this institution and its members play as promoters of the close connection and alliance between Spain and the United States. “We must remember those who worked hard to build these relationships. Your example and generosity should continue to be a source of inspiration for our decisions. For this reason, I consider myself one more link in the chain of those who passionately defend that we make the most of our shared opportunities”, stated Carceller Arce.
The executive president of Damm and president of DISA wanted to remember during his speech the influence that American culture has had throughout his professional and personal career. Carceller Arce completed his university studies in the United States at the prestigious Duke University, an experience that, as he himself pointed out, “marked him as a person” and allowed him to acquire knowledge and values that have been fundamental in his career.
“I know that, although we sometimes see things differently, the United States and Spain share, both historically and socially, a common humanity. We share a perspective in which tradition, roots, and homeland are important, and in which all of this is compatible with the desire to transform and innovate. We are both creative cultures, open and outgoing, and often spontaneous. We are lucky, since this vivacity that we share is more necessary now than ever”, said Carceller Arce.
