This is only one of the moments collected by the book, which includes key milestones of a pioneer and disruptive company that opened their way to many others that would come behind in the liberalization of the Spanish electricity market and that, at present, is synonymous with internationalization, innovation and firm commitment to sustainability and energy transition.
In its presentation, the CEO and founder of Factorenergia, Emili Rousaud, spoke about the trajectory of the company, its footprint, its future and the challenges of the energy sector with the Professor of Economy and former Conseller Francesc Xavier Mena – author of the prologue -, together with the author of the book, Manuel López Torrents, in a session moderated by the journalist Martí Saballs.
Throughout its almost 180 pages, the reader discovers the beginnings of Factorenergia – initially inscribed as Energy Factory Group SL – and the professional career followed by Emili Rousaud before embarking and leading a company that today invoices more than 650 million euros and adds a team of 400 people, with subsidiaries in Mexico, Portugal, Bulgaria or Chile and expansion plans in Brazil and Morocco, among others.
Future challenges
Already in the prologue, Professor Mena uses the concept of ‘Captain of Industry’ to define the role of Emili as an entrepreneur and the contribution of factoring to progress and social welfare. It emphasizes that the corporate development of the company is a real reference of the Learning By Doing process, in which the solidity of the project and the creation of value has been prioritized.
During the conversation there was emphasis on the future of the energy sector in Spain and in the pending subjects, in addition to the challenges of the energy transition in progress, here and in Europe. The figure of the entrepreneur, the importance of a talent and commitment team and the values of a company to grow and be profitable also focused part of the debate, placing the experience of Factorenergy in the focus.
“We have been growing based on effort, assuming challenges, such as those that involve entering new markets, and if a feature defines factoring is resilience, since we operate in a sector in continuous change and that every year we hold us some surprise,” said Rousaud, after pointing out that he has always promoted a prudent management of resources and a low level of indebtedness.
Professor Mena has also highlighted the role of Rousaud as CEO and his contribution to progress, strengthening an electric whose footprint and presence find in several countries. “Captain of Industry are major words,” he said.
Pioneer and innovative
“Being pioneers not only implies advantages, there are also great disadvantages. But we have made our way to all who have come later, I see them as our descendants,” Rousaud also reflects in the book, edited by Lid Editorial.
In the epilogue, Rousaud writes that ‘the faith of the entrepreneur’ is “the history of an entrepreneurship, to burn the ships to build a dream, of the importance of values and the essentials that it is to have a team of talented and committed people.”
Likewise, the book recounts details of the different travel companions that has had Factorenergia – from Copccisa, Iberdrola or the JZI fund -, key moments of its international expansion, its evolution in a geopolitical context characterized by instability and uncertainty and the firm commitment to innovation, with proposals for blockchain technology for digitalization and democratization of energy.
A vision from outside
After the central part that recalls the 25 years of the company, the reader finds the reflections of five relevant personalities of the company’s world, both in the private and institutional area, related to the figure of Emili Rousaud and Barcelona, where Factorenergia has its headquarters.
These ‘illustrious guests’ contribute their vision and analysis of the role of SMEs, the importance of the entrepreneurial spirit, the energy transition or the challenges of Spain as a country. For the president of Pimec, Antoni Cañete, “it is key to promote a business culture that assesses and supports entrepreneurship, promoting a favorable environment and fair taxation for SMEs.”
For his part, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, Josep Santacreu, reflects on the energy transition, a process in which Catalonia is in line, and confirms that the fight against climate change is a collective responsibility in which the business world must contribute decidedly and from the public sphere they must act fighting the excess of regulations and bureaucracy.
The general director of Barcelona Global, Mercè Conesa, affects the role of cities to promote the economic progress of their companies and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, attending to their needs. Defend more role models as starring Emili Rousaud and the business commitment of Factorenergia.
Likewise, until recently president of the Circle of Economy, Jaume Guardiola, reflects on the importance of fighting the low productivity of the Spanish economy and is committed to providing more resources and reducing obstacles to the smes’ fabric so that they can gain size and innovate, grow and create employment.
Finally, the president of Colonial Real Estate, Juan José Brurtera, who was director of the Degree on Banking Marketing of Rousaud, considers that the CEO of Factorenergy is “a born entrepreneur” and emphasizes the importance of its legacy for the development of the economy and the creation of a more sustainable future.
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