Discussing disruptive trends that will impact the food business

New edition of the Senior Management Program for Food Chain Companies (ADECA) from San Telmo Business School


The first of four modules comprised in the new edition of the Senior Management Program for Food Chain Companies (ADECA) starts today at San Telmo Business School Seville´s headquarters.

Like every year, a number of food industry representatives from all over Spain and Portugal meets at the Business School to analyze the social and economic environment in the food company, develop strong personal relationships and identify business and collaboration opportunities.

In the inaugural day those taking part were San Telmo professors Fernando Faces, Joaquín Aguirre, Enrique Garrido and Miguel Ángel Llano; guests  professors Juan Enrique Cabot, MBA and graduated with honors from Harvard, and professor Peer Ederer  from CEIBS; as well as speakers Gonzalo Guillén Benjumea, CEO of Aceites del Sur-COSUR, Pablo Perversi, Chief Innovation, Sustainability & Quality Officer, Barry Callebaut and Antonio Sancha Naranjo, Director of Seeds and Biotechnologies for Spain and Portugal of BAYER, and Daniel Ramón VP R&D Health & Wellness of BIOPOLIS-ADM NUTRITION.

Participants could reflect, along with professor Peer Ederer from CEIBS, on how COVID-19 has impacted with special virulence Spain, Portugal and Europe at a time when protectionism, Brexit, geopolitical conflicts, the blight of unemployment, public debt and low productivity made growth difficult. They also thought about the policies that governments must implement in order to overcome the strong economic effects of the pandemic and anticipate the scenario that the agri-food chain will face in the coming years.


 

In this way, invited professors such as Juan Enríquez or Daniel Ramón gave a conference explaining the main emerging technologies affecting the future of food business and its potentially disruptive impact in the food chain. Also, they thought over business models and their power to respond to the global challenge of feeding the world: biotechnology, food tech, new foods, artificial intelligence, smart farming and drones in the agrarian sector or blockchain, among other issues.




The ADECA Program it is strongly strategically focused on global challenges, problems and opportunities that the food chain faces globally (from agriculture to commercial distribution). As such, ADECA is a unique Program within the European Union.


 

This is developed through the Case Method, in which, descriptions of real and complex business situations bring to the participants challenges and difficulties similar to those that entrepreneurs and managers must face in their companies.

Algunos Casos desarrollados estos días son, por ejemplo, el Caso ACESUR, donde se describe la evolución de esta empresa centenaria de producción, envasado y comercialización de aceite de oliva. Los participantes disfrutaron de la presencia de Gonzalo Guillén Benjumea, CEO de ACEITES DEL SUR-COOSUR

Some examples of case studies developed on these days were ACESUR, where it is described the production, packaging and marketing evolution of this centenary olive oil company. Participants enjoyed the presence of Gonzalo Guillén Benjumea, CEO of ACEITES DEL SUR-COOSUR. 

Gustavo Pérez Berlanga, Director de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa de Grupo TOKS y protagonista del Caso “Grupo Toks: Las empresas responsables ¿son buenos negocios?” que, de igual manera, se debatió en el programa.

It was discussed the case study “Grupo Toks: Are responsible companies a good business?”, whose protagonist Gustavo Pérez Berlanga, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility of Grupo TOKS, participated as well.

In addition, ADECA participants enjoyed “Barry Callebaut” case study with the Chief Innovation, Sustainability & Quality Officer, Pablo Perversi, a case study about the world´s cocoa industry and its grim record of social and environmental sustainability by giving alternatives.

At last it was a case study about the Monsanto purchase by Bayer, with the presence of Antonio Sancha, Seed and Biotechnology Business Director for Spain and Portugal at Bayer.

El Programa ADECA consta de 4 bloques que van desde el actual en julio hasta su clausura en octubre. Aquellos que lo cursan consolidan relaciones con empresarios y directivos de la Cadena Alimentaria, influyentes y del máximo nivel, así como desarrollar fuertes relaciones personales e identificar oportunidades de negocio y colaboración.

ADECA Program consists of a 4 blocks program ranging from the one held now in July to its closure in October. Those that participate strengthen relationships with influential and top-level businesspeople and executives of the food chain, as well as build personal relationships and identify business and collaboration opportunities.