Francisco J. Riberas, EL MUNDO Motor Protagonist Award

Francisco J. Riberas (Madrid, 1964) is the Protagonist of the Motor Gallery EL MUNDO 2022. He has earned this award for his extensive and successful professional career, which today places him at the head of Gestamp, the Spanish multinational that supplies metal components to a large number of car manufacturers throughout the world.

He also holds other positions within the family holding company and is a member of the Board of Directors of companies such as CIE Automotive, Telefónica and Wallbox.. In addition, since the end of 2021 he has been the president of Sernauto, the association of the auxiliary auto components industry.

Another Spaniard on the list

With a double degree in Law and Economics and Business Sciences, Riberas – who last year received the Order of the British Empire – adds his name to a prestigious award that began in 2006 and that since then almost all the industry's top executives have received. automobile world. Before him, three other Spaniards were worthy of this distinction: Francisco Javier García Sanz (VW), José Vicente de los Mozos (Renault) and José Muñoz (Hyundai). The award ceremony will take place in Madrid on November 6.

His professional career began in 1988 in Gonvarri, the family business founded by his father and two other partners in Burgos in 1958 from a sheet steel workshop.. He joined it as director of corporate development and years later he would become its CEO.

Presence in 24 countries

In 1997, Francisco J. Riberas founded Gestamp, of which he is currently executive president. In this time, the company has become a giant that employs more than 40,000 people in 24 countries, where it has 115 production plants and 13 R&D&I centers.. An international vocation that means that the Spanish manager spends a large part of his work time on board a plane between Europe, America and Asia.. The company's maxims have always been two: being there where the cars it helps build are manufactured and betting on the excellence of its products.

The first company in its sector in Spain, Gestamp has been listed on the stock market since 2017 and last year it had a turnover of 10,726 million euros, with a net profit of 260 million. In the first six months of this year, the company has broken records in all its financial parameters, with sales of 6,273 million and a net profit of 162 million euros.

More than 50% of income from electric cars

This is the case after achieving a 30% increase in the content of parts with the Gestamp seal present in vehicles worldwide in the last five years.. And the result of a strategy based on “geographical diversification, an innovative and differential product portfolio and with a focus on leading the transition towards electric vehicles.”. In fact, the company expects that in five years more than 50% of its revenue will come from electric cars.

Francisco J. Riberas is the first major executive in the automotive auxiliary industry to receive this award, so it is also recognition of a strategic sector that is behind 75% of the value of a car.. Because, hand in hand with brands and often in the shadows, auto parts suppliers based in Spain invoice more than 37,000 million a year, generate more than 203,000 direct jobs and export up to 60% of their production.. Thanks to giants like Gestamp, but also others like Antolin, Ficosa or CIE Automotive.