XV Spain-U.S. Business Forum (Valencia)

José Vicente Morata

José Vicente Morata Estragués is a Spanish businessman and institutional leader with an extensive career in the business and chamber network. He currently serves as President of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce and of the Council of Chambers of Commerce of the Valencian Community, as well as Vice President of Eurochambres, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Coming from a family business background —he represents the fourth generation of Puertas Morata, a Valencian industrial carpentry company— Morata has combined entrepreneurship with public service. Throughout his career, he has actively promoted the internationalization, digital transformation, and competitiveness of SMEs, both in Spain and across Europe. He is also Honorary Consul of Estonia in Valencia and has received several national distinctions for his contribution to the business community.

Alan D. Solomont

Alan D. Solomont, A70, A08P, former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra and a lifelong social and political activist, was the Dean of Tisch College from 2014-2021. He now serves as Dean Emeritus. From January 2010 until July 2013, Solomont was the United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra. As President Obama’s representative, Ambassador Solomont helped to strengthen Spain’s cooperation with the United States on matters of economic and global security. He was a tireless advocate for American companies doing business in Spain, and he supported investment by Spanish companies in the United States. He and his wife Susan also promoted the values of volunteering and citizen service throughout Spain. Today, Solomont chairs the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, whose mission is to promote trade and investment between the U.S. and Spain, and he is a board member of the U.S.-Spain Council, an organization of government officials and business leaders committed to strong bilateral relations between Spain and the United States.

Pablo García Macías

Pablo García Macías is an experienced banking executive with nearly 16 years at CaixaBank, where he currently serves as Executive Director of the Representative Offices. Throughout his career, he has held several leadership roles in International Banking and Foreign Trade, including Director of International Representative Offices and Foreign Trade Assistant Director within the Corporate and Institutional Banking division. Based in Madrid, Pablo has played a key role in strengthening CaixaBank’s international presence, supporting cross-border operations, and fostering relationships with corporate and institutional clients worldwide.

Isabela Lara White

Isabela holds the position of economist in the International Economics & Markets. Graduated in Economics from Boston University and Master in Macroeconomic Policy and Financial Markets from the Barcelona School of Economics, before joining CaixaBank she worked at AV Securities as an economic and market research analyst for the wealth management area. Her current areas of study include macroeconomics, especially US monetary policy and activity, and financial markets.

Daniel Soler

Daniel Soler Pico is a seasoned finance executive with nearly two decades of experience in financial management, business planning, and corporate auditing. Since 2016, he has served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Power Electronics, a leading company in the power conversion industry based in Valencia, where he oversees global financial strategy and performance. Before that, he worked for almost 10 years at Coca-Cola Iberian Partners, holding roles such as Business Planning & Controlling Manager and Finance Controlling Specialist, contributing to integration and transformation projects across Spain. He began his career at Deloitte, where he spent three years as an Audit Team Lead. Daniel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Valencia.

Carlos Castejón

Carlos Castejón is an experienced professional in international sales and marketing, with a solid track record in product and service marketing across both online and offline distribution channels. His career spans wholesale and retail markets in regions such as Europe, MENA, CIS, Latin America, and Asia, where he has developed deep expertise in market analysis and in managing short- and long-chain distribution models. Recognized for his strategic vision and ability to understand customer needs across diverse markets, Carlos focuses on building lasting business relationships and implementing strategies that deliver measurable results.

Manuel Peris

With over two decades at DAS Audio, Manuel Peris has played a key role in shaping the company’s global success. After beginning his career as Controller and Founder of DAS Audio America, he went on to serve as Financial Director and, since 2013, as CEO. Under his leadership, DAS Audio has evolved into a forward-thinking brand at the forefront of the professional audio industry. In an exclusive interview with PALM + AV-ICN, Peris discusses leading a family-owned business, the company’s growth strategy in India, and his vision for expanding DAS Audio’s presence in the pro audio market.

Pedro Francisco Ramos

Pedro Francisco Ramos Josa holds a PhD in Peace and International Security from the General Gutiérrez Mellado Institute (2013) and a degree in Political Science and Sociology from UNED (2002). He is the author of several essays on politics and currently serves as a Criminology professor at the Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes (UEMC). Since 2017, he has taught in the online Criminology program at UEMC, where he also supervises final degree projects and serves on thesis committees. He is a researcher in the International Security Research Group at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria’s Institute of International Politics. Additionally, he has been a guest lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Administration I at the Complutense University of Madrid. His academic background includes multiple specialized diplomas in intelligence, transnational crime and security, conflict prevention, international crisis management, and criminal profiling.

Antonio Barba

Antonio Barba is a lawyer specializing in international tax law, with nearly three decades of experience advising Spanish companies investing abroad and foreign investors in Spain. Since beginning his practice in 1996, he has focused on providing strategic legal and tax counsel in complex international project finance, including build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects such as desalination plants, power installations, highways, and transmission lines, as well as in the acquisition of assets like ships, aircraft, and renewable-energy infrastructure. He currently serves as Coordinator of the Group of Experts in International Tax and Transfer Pricing at the Spanish Association of Tax Advisors (AEDAF) and as an associate lecturer at Instituto de Empresa and ESADE’s LLM programs. His expertise has been recognized by Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 directories.

Ronny Vaisman

Ronny Vaisman focuses his practice on corporate transactions and general corporate advice, including M&A, finance, and commercial contracts, assisting both US and international clients, particularly Latin American and Spanish companies, banks, and financial institutions. In 2024 he obtained an LL.M. in Corporate Law from New York University School of Law, where he was a Graduate Editor of NYU Journal of Law & Business and a board member of NYU Law & Business Association. Prior to joining Dunning Vallejo & MacDonald LLP, Ronny worked as a Corporate Associate at Cuatrecasas in Chile, where he focused his practice on domestic and cross-border M&A and finance transactions, advising clients in the natural resources, financial, technology, and payment card industries. He is a native Spanish-speaker and has a basic comprehension of Hebrew.

Matt Stanford

Matt Stanford is a seasoned talent acquisition leader with over 20 years of experience helping innovative companies identify and attract exceptional talent. At Russell Tobin, he partners with clients across all stages of growth — from start-up to IPO and beyond — providing both retained and contingent search, as well as interim contract and embedded recruitment (RPO) solutions. His Europe Embedded teams specialize in hires across Technology, Sales & Marketing, Finance & Strategy, and HR, supporting organizations in building high-performing teams across key business functions. Matt has successfully led executive search assignments for roles including CFO, COO, CMO, VP of Sales (EMEA), Director of Transformation, Finance Director, Strategy Director, HR Director, and Director of Talent Acquisition.

John Coronado*

*PENDING CONFIRMATION John Coronado is a senior U.S. Commercial Service officer with more than 28 years of experience advancing U.S. trade and investment worldwide. He has held leadership roles across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, serving in Madrid, Islamabad, Istanbul, Panama City, Chicago, London, Tel Aviv, and Buenos Aires. Currently based in Madrid as Commercial Counselor and Senior Commercial Officer, he leads efforts to strengthen U.S. commercial ties with Spain and support American businesses abroad. He studied at the University of the Pacific (USA), Universidad del Salvador (Argentina), and Universidad de Granada (Spain).

Toño Pons

Toño Pons is the President of Importaco, an international food company specializing in nuts and mineral water. He holds a degree in Economics and Business from the University of Valencia, an MBA from Instituto de Empresa, and completed the ADECA Program at San Telmo. Throughout his career at Importaco, Toño has held key positions including Commercial Director and General Manager of the Nuts Business, gaining extensive experience in strategy, operations, and international markets. Since his appointment as President in 2018, he has been leading the company’s growth strategy, emphasizing health, sustainability, and specialization, while driving innovation and operational excellence across all areas of the business.