Yesterday, partners Miguel Ángel Blanca and Claudia Vargas Puccio of Spence Clarke had the pleasure of attending the annual SUR in English Gala held at the impressive Les Roches Marbella campus.
The event, organised by SUR in English, brought together business professionals, sponsors and organisations from across the Costa del Sol for an evening celebrating business, community and the international population that has made this region its home.
Upon arrival at Les Roches Marbella, guests were welcomed in the reception area where professional photographs were taken before the ceremony commenced. We were particularly pleased to be joined for one of the photographs by our friend David Andrews, Advertising Manager of SUR in English, who has long been a familiar face within the Costa del Sol business community.
Following the photography session, guests were invited into the conference hall where the formal proceedings began.
The first speakers of the evening were David Andrews and Rachel Haynes, Director of SUR in English. They spoke about the important role the newspaper has played, and continues to play, in helping foreigners who relocate to Spain remain informed and connected to their local communities. They highlighted how SUR in English continues to provide valuable information to readers whilst maintaining strong support from sponsors and advertisers throughout the Costa del Sol.
The audience then heard from José Emmanuel “Manu” Soler, Campus Director of Les Roches Marbella. His presentation outlined the remarkable growth of the institution since its early days, when it operated from a Marbella hotel with only 30 students. Today, the campus is home to approximately 900 students representing a wide range of nationalities, reflecting both the international reputation of Les Roches and the appeal of Marbella as a centre for education and hospitality training.
Representatives from CaixaBank also addressed those present and introduced HolaBank, a division specifically designed to assist international clients moving to or living in Spain. They explained how multilingual support enables the bank to communicate effectively with clients from many different countries and backgrounds.
The evening then moved to the presentation of two awards recognising organisations that have made a significant contribution to the international community.
The first award was presented to Hospital Internacional HM Santa Elena in Torremolinos. The award was received by Dr Virginia Grando, who explained that one of the hospital’s strengths is its ability to communicate with patients in multiple languages whilst providing the high standards of care and attention that international residents and visitors require. A member of the nursing team, Daphne, also spoke warmly about her many years working at the hospital and acknowledged several colleagues who had attended the ceremony alongside her.
The second award was presented to De Cotta Law. Speaking on behalf of the firm, Jonathan Sutton reflected on the history of the practice, which was founded in 1983 by John De Cotta and Jaime Santafé. He highlighted the international nature of the firm and its commitment to assisting clients from around the world who choose to live, work or invest in Spain.
A particularly touching moment followed when flowers were presented to retiring partner Sandra Wrightson in recognition of her many years of service and dedication to the firm. Sandra joined De Cotta Law in the early 1990s and later became Honorary Legal Adviser to the British Consul of Malaga, a position that reflected both her professional expertise and longstanding contribution to the expatriate community.
The ceremony concluded with a light-hearted speech from Javier Florido of De Cotta Law, who remarked that this would be the firm’s first award of the year and expressed his hope that Spain’s national football team would soon receive another when winning a future World Cup.
Following the presentations, guests were invited into the beautiful gardens of Les Roches Marbella where drinks and canapés were served. We were informed that both the catering and hospitality services were being provided by students of the campus. It was a pleasure to see the students applying their skills in a real-life environment and demonstrating the professionalism for which Les Roches is renowned. The service was excellent throughout the evening and the quality of the food was equally impressive.
The event concluded with a large group photograph of all those in attendance. Whether Miguel Ángel and I managed to secure a visible position within the crowd remains to be seen, as height has never been one of my particular strengths and there were certainly many people gathered for the occasion.
We would like to thank SUR in English, David Andrews, Rachel Haynes and the entire team involved in organising such an enjoyable evening. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow professionals, celebrate the achievements of respected organisations and recognise the important contribution made by the international community across the Costa del Sol.
