ESADE Alumni invites you to "Economic outlook for 2018. Risk analysis: Catalonia, the Spanish economy and the world", a talk in the Refresher Program series by F. Xavier Mena, chair of economics at Ramon Llull University and regular professor at ESADE.
The political scenario in Catalonia is the most uncertain factor regarding the 2018 outlook for the Catalan and Spanish economy. The growth cycle of companies in Catalonia now faces the challenge of sustaining the recovery experienced in 2015-17, overcoming the negative figures of the fourth quarter of 2017 and reversing the relocation of corporate headquarters. For its part, the European Union will be fostering new financial reforms and Brexit negotiations, whilst the European Central Bank will bring its policy of low interest rates to an end. In the United States, the November elections will reveal the electorate’s support for the Trump administration’s economic policies whilst the new chairman of the Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates.
The 2018 risk analysis also includes the volatility of virtual currencies, China’s financial deleveraging, tension in the oil market, and other variables.
F. Xavier Mena
Chair of Economics at Ramon Llull University. Doctor and Bachelor of Economics. Degree in Law. Professor at ESADE, where he has been head of the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting, director of the DAF Programs (MSc) and visiting professor at several business schools and universities including CEIBS, Shanghai. Former president of the Jesuit Xavier Foundation. Former researcher (FPI) at the Directorate General of Science Policy. Former member of the Community of European Management Schools Evaluation Committee, member of the Editorial Board of academic journals, member of the Group of Industrial Competitiveness Experts, member of the Board of Governors of the College of Economists, member of Eurostat, co-director of the EU ''Phare'' Programs in eastern countries, and president of the International Conference on the Indo-European Economic Relationship (New Delhi, India).
In the professional field, he has been the director of Consultur (Editur group), economist in the Directorate General of Economic Programming and economist in Banco Sabadell’s Department of Systems and Control. Adviser to the private equity firm Ardian Investment (London, Paris) and member of various boards of directors. He has been a consultant and carried out projects commissioned by international organisations and companies in a total of 48 countries, in such diverse industries as energy, tourism, infrastructure, finance and social services.
In the public sector, he was formerly the minister of Enterprise and Employment in the Government of Catalonia (2010-12). President of the public agency for business competitiveness, ACCIÓ. President of the telecommunication and IT centre, CTTI. President of the energy institute, ICAEN. President of the tourism agency, ACT. President of the trade, crafts and fashion consortium, CCAM. President of the public employment service, SOC.
We are very much looking forward to seeing you all there!
