F E AT U RE FROM MADRID TO HEAVEN In the first of a mini series on Madrid, five FIDI Affiliates explain why this world metropolis of art and culture has much to look forward to. By Andrew Bennett S ituated at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid is a well-connected metropolitan city. Not only is it the Spanish capital, but it is also the main financial and business decisionmaking centre in Spain, and a gateway to Latin America and other global markets. Having experienced the pain of the past decades financial crash which was fuelled by the real-estate bubble Spain is re-emerging and forging ahead with its economic recovery. Madrid is now a target for increased foreign and federal investment. The cluster of corporate headquarters, embassies and many government institutions based within the city, plus its central location within Spains transport infrastructure, make it appealing. Madrid is a great place for international companies, 78 FF290 pp78-89 City on the Move.indd 78 because its a very open city, says Christian Moericke, Directorat FIDI Affiliate Transportes Fluiters Internacional. Really, nobody is from Madrid; everybody is from somewhere else. You will find people here from various countries and from all over Spain. Madrid is among one of the richest cities in Europe and is a hub for international movers because of the high levels of demand generated by the city especially from the corporate sector. Madrid has established itself as one of the most important cities in corporate moves, said Alberto Galasso, CEO at Hasenkamp Spain. These moves represent approximately 60 per cent of our turnover, followed by the diplomatic moves and, to a lesser extent, private ones. Many multinational companies centralise their WWW. F I D I . OR G 13/03/2019 12:55