Nadia Calviño, President of the EIB, receives the ‘Public Figure of the Year Award' from UPF-BSM

The UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) presented the Public Figure of the Year award this Friday to Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), in recognition of her leadership as the first woman to head the institution, driving initiatives with social impact and promoting cohesion, sustainable development, and the green and climate transition. The award also acknowledges her strong advocacy for gender equality and female leadership.

Political authorities, executives, and business leaders from the country’s main companies attended the award ceremony, which was held at the UPF-BSM headquarters and where Calviño herself accepted the prize. José M. Martínez-Sierra, the school’s General Director, opened the ceremony and handed the award to Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona, who then presented it to the recipient.

The ceremony was also attended by Alícia Romero, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia; M. Eugènia Gay, Deputy Mayor of the Barcelona City Council; Soledad Núñez, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Spain; Silvia Alsina, Chair and CEO of Roman and Vice President of the UPF-BSM Board of Trustees; and other representatives from the city’s civil society, business sector, and institutions.

This is the third edition of the award granted by the UPF Barcelona School of Management, presented on this occasion by Elena Busquets, Director of The New Barcelona Post. The first edition of the award went to the FC Barcelona women’s team, and the second to the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni.

“Here at UPF-BSM, we firmly believe that education happens not only in academia, but also through the example set by values and role models. This award recognizes the work of outstanding public figures who have made an extraordinary impact on society. In the case of Nadia Calviño, the impact of her appointment to the EU’s main financial institution has been clear and immediate,” Martínez-Sierra stated.

In defense of multilateralism

Nadia Calviño expressed her gratitude for the award: “It is a great honor to receive this recognition from the UPF Barcelona School of Management, an educational environment full of young people eager to learn, progress, and change the world.”

During her speech, the EIB President defended multilateralism, stressing that “it is essential for Europe to have a strong voice in the new world order.” According to Calviño, such leadership is grounded in three principles: change, which is the new normal “and therefore requires adaptation, flexibility, and the ability to manage uncertainty”; a return to fundamental values such as vision, determination, trust, and integrity; and the need to maintain perspective, because “to lead, you must look up, listen carefully, look around, and embrace and respect different viewpoints.”

Calviño also defended the European Union’s political, economic, and social model: “Let us not forget that the European Union has overcome every crisis and remains the best place to live, because in every crisis we have seized opportunities to adapt, change, and advance in our integration.”

Finally, the EIB President reviewed the challenges the European Union faces in maintaining its leadership in the current geopolitical context. “All we lack is a single market that enables economies of scale and the financial muscle for companies, ideas, and technologies made in Europe to grow and fully develop here. And the diagnosis of what needs to be done is clear and unanimous: we must integrate markets, boost investment, simplify rules, and build strong international alliances.”

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, who presented the award to Nadia Calviño, thanked UPF-BSM for its efforts to elevate the Public Figure of the Year Awards, noting that “what society and students need are role models—people who have shaped an era—and Nadia Calviño is one of them.”

He also emphasized the importance of leadership by individuals like Calviño: “What remains truly significant and relevant is not technology or infrastructure, but people, leadership, and the values that inspire that leadership.”

A politician committed to female leadership

Alícia Romero, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia, read the achievements of the award recipient. Romero explained that since Calviño took office, more than half of the annual loans granted by the institution have been allocated to projects accelerating the green transition, both within and beyond the EU. “In Spain, under her leadership, the EIB invested 12.3 billion euros in 2024, of which 60% went toward climate action,” Romero noted.

Romero highlighted several milestones achieved under Calviño’s leadership at the EIB, with special emphasis on her defense of gender equality, underscoring her “tireless” commitment to female leadership.

“The EIB President has publicly demonstrated her commitment to parity by firmly refusing to participate in debates and economic conferences where she would be the only woman, insisting that gender-balanced representation must be the norm,” Romero stressed.

The minister also highlighted the many initiatives that the EIB has promoted under Calviño to foster gender equity and parity, including the Women Climate Leaders Network, a European network of female leaders in climate action, environment, and sustainability, and the Gender Financing Lab, an initiative launched with the European Commission to help commercial banks improve access to credit for women-led SMEs.

“Nadia Calviño is an example of a woman who has used power to transform, to change cultures, and she is a role model for many of us here. Her transformative leadership is what opens pathways.”