- Asunción Soriano, who was previously the CEO of Spain, now becomes the global CEO of the consultancy, and will lead the new strategy together alongside Founder and Executive President, Núria Vilanova.
- The company separates the functions of presidency and CEO with the aim of consolidating the growth and governance process.
- The consultancy, which closed 2023 with a turnover of €43.8 million, expects to reach €50 million this year. By 2028, they hope to reach €100 million in turnover through an organic and inorganic growth strategy.
- Last year ATREVIA made notable acquisitions, including Microbio Gentleman, Nueva Comunicación Uruguay, and the publication ‘Coche Global’. Additionally, in early 2024, the company finalized the purchase of Ulises Comunicación.
ATREVIA (21 March 2024) – ATREVIA, a global Communication and Corporate Affairs company, has launched a Strategic Plan that outlines the company’s expansion route until 2028. It involves high-level organizational changes that will deepen the path of best practices and the implementation of ESG commitments, as well as reinforcing the Group’s global orientation.
Asunción Soriano, president of ATREVIA Spain, and Núria Vilanova, Founder and Executive President
Thus, Asunción Soriano, president of ATREVIA Spain, will also assume the position of global CEO, working alongside Founder and Executive President Núria Vilanova, in the implementation of the Strategic Plan. Soriano is responsible for guiding the multinational communication and corporate affairs company, to overcome the challenges set out in the plan which contemplates growth at an organic and inorganic level. For her part as president, Vilanova will oversee strategy and positioning, corporate culture, and the development of new businesses.
The new global CEO of ATREVIA, who joined the Company in 1996, has led the business in Spain in recent years and held the global vice presidency of Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs, and Culture and People practices. She holds a degree in Information Sciences, a Master’s in Corporate Communication from Complutense University, PLGP, and PDG from IESE Business School (2020). Soriano is a co-director of the Internal Communication and Corporate Culture Observatory with the IE Business School and Capital Humano (WK), and a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of Adigital, the Executive Committee of the Spanish Network of the Global Compact (United Nations), the Advisory Council of the Seres Foundation, the board of trustees of the Más Familia Foundation, and the Women in Leadership Committee of the American Chamber / AmCahSpain. She also co-directs the annual report “Women on Boards of Directors and Management Committees in Spanish listed companies,” which ATREVIA has been producing with IESE (Women and Leadership Chair) since 2010. She is a co-author of the books “Comunicar para Transformar” (Communicating to Transform) (LID/IE, 2014) and “De los Zeta a los Silver” (From Gen Z to Boomers) (Plataforma Editorial, 2021).
A reinforced CODIR
The new Strategic Plan also includes the strengthening of the company’s management committee. Thus, Antonio Fernández-Galiano adds to his position as chairman of the advisory board as the position of Vice President of Strategic Projects; Vice President Isabel Lara will be responsible for the Global Brand & Experience division, the creative agency La Luna, and the strategic supervision of ATREVIA Portugal; Isabel Grifoll, vice president and director of the Barcelona office, will assume the supervision of the Global Health practice from CODIR. Fernando Claver will become Vice President M&A. Lastly, Caridad Saboya, current chief financial officer, will become Global Corporate Vice President, working closely with the HR, Marketing, and Communication departments, and with the Digital Transformation, Data, and AI department led by Fernando Galvache. During an important period for technology, this plays a vital role in the growth plans.
It is worth noting, as a novelty, the recent appointment of Daniela Agra as the director -country manager at ATREVIA Portugal. The company holds vice presidencies in Latin America in the Andean Region, Brazil, South America, and Mexico, as well as an office in Brussels.
Additionally, the consultancy has a Strategic Advisory Board made up of Ignacio Ferrero, Juan Miguel Sucunza and Javier Vega de Seoane, under the chairmanship of Antonio Fernández-Galiano.
Transformation to meet new challenges
Global Executive President of ATREVIA, Núria Vilanova, sees this new stage as a great opportunity that will benefit customers, who are always at the center of any strategy: “After 35 years as president and CEO, we take this step that separates ownership from management of the company. This will allow me to dedicate myself to my three great passions: strategy, ‘blue oceans’, culture and anticipation. Another important focus is the CEAPI project – Business Council Alliance for Ibero-America – which, as president, allows me to promote the growth of Ibero-America through entrepreneurship, values of social impact and dialogue with politicians and institutions.”
For her part, Asunción Soriano, the new global CEO of ATREVIA, points out that the main objective of this new stage is “to grow and consolidate ATREVIA as an innovative international consulting firm and a benchmark in communication, public affairs, strategic positioning and marketing, helping our clients in environments of opportunity and complexity. From listening and in-depth knowledge of geopolitical or social environments and trends to design the best strategies, creativity in messages and formats, and of course technology and digitalization as facilitators of segmentation and impact. At the base of everything, it is ATREVIA’s formidable team of 600 professionals: talent, diversity, values and the genuine culture of commitment to the objectives of our clients, which has characterized us since the beginning.”
2023: A year of inorganic growth
The company closed 2023 with a turnover of €43.8 million, 25.1% more than the previous year, which had a turnover of €35 million. It closed the 2023 financial year with an EBIT of €4.08 million. The Spanish multinational is one of only two communication consultancies in Spain to appear in the ‘top 100’ of the largest global agencies (Global PR Agency Ranking PRovoke Media), improving its position compared to previous years.
In the ambitious Strategic Plan, ATREVIA plans to increase the group’s turnover to around 100 million euros by 2028. Moreover, ATREVIA expects to reach a turnover of 50 million euros by 2024.
Over the past year, the company has given renewed impetus to its inorganic growth strategy, announced in 2022, which includes an initial investment of €10 million for the purchase of companies that reinforce or complement its services. Specifically, during 2023, three operations were acquired: Microbio Gentleman, Nueva Comunicación Uruguay and the Coche Global masthead.
With Microbio Gentleman, who allows great penetration in the field of health, ATREVIA reinforces its great expertise in Pharma. Microbio Gentleman’s clients include Uriach, PortAventura World, Laboratorios Stada, Danone, Munich, Jean Leon, Grupo Planeta and Marea.
Furthermore, ATREVIA’s Mobility division, Grupo Mobilitas, added a new header, ‘Coche Global’ to the list of companies that were acquired in 2022: ‘Autofácil’ and ‘FormulaMoto’. With this addition, the practice is strengthened by linking communication channels, which reach three million people, with knowledge in the areas of sustainability, public affairs, market research, creativity, social mobilization and community creation of the company.
Strong in Latin America
In 2023, ATREVIA Latin America closed the acquisition of Nueva Comunicación Uruguay, a leading corporate communication and public affairs agency in its country. This transaction allows ATREVIA to expand its presence and expand its offer of communication services in the region, which already operates directly in 12 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic.
Nueva Comunicación by ATREVIA, as it is now called, provides strategic advice and comprehensive solutions in the areas of communication, PR, influencer marketing, marketing, and corporate affairs management. This type of plan has worked for Movistar-Telefónica, BBVA, Globant, Diageo, Tres Cruces, Grupo TATA, Este Arte, Honors, La Buonora, Alcance, BAS, Ibope, Prune, Zadig & Voltaire, and Alsea, among others.
The acquisition in Uruguay marks the company’s second acquisition in Latin America in a short period of time. In 2022, ATREVIA acquired Apple Tree’s digital business in Colombia.
More acquisitions during the year 2024
In January 2024, ATREVIA finalized a new acquisition, , a company with a long history in internal communication, employer braUlises Comunicaciónnding and CSR. Its clients include Microsoft, 3M, Mahou, Telpark, Banco de España, Ikea, Makro, Banco Santander, Wolters Kluwer, Farlabo, Anaya, Naturgy, RGA, and Generali.
ATREVIA does not rule out new operations. Its focus is currently on continuing to grow in Latin America and in Portugal, whereATREVIA celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
A BCorp company and recognized by Ecovadis
During 2023, ATREVIA joined the BCorp community, certifying all its offices around the world, passing a rigorous evaluation process. Another milestone was the silver medal that Ecovadis, the largest provider of international sustainability certifications, rewarded to ATREVIA.
In 2023, the Company also became part of the Executive Committee of the Global Compact, an alliance it joined many years ago, with the Spanish Network joining as a member of the Executive Committee.
About ATREVIA
We are a global communications and corporate affairs company, with our own presence in 15 territories (Spain, Portugal, Brussels, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic and Uruguay) and partner companies in 30 other countries. We have 600 professionals of 30 nationalities and multidisciplinary profiles.
We have developed a methodology that allows companies to solve complex problems, with multiple stakeholders, through listening, strategy, creativity, and different agency and consulting practices.
We believe in commitment, in the fact that from what we do and how we do it we can be activists for change, drivers of a sustainable future. Because there is a way of communicating, of making sustainability plans, of defining the purposes and culture of companies, the relationship with shareholders and stakeholders, that makes the difference. Because change is now in the hands of companies.
And we can help companies integrate change into every decision. Creating movements, dialogue networks, studies, and advising every day with a focus on people.
ATREVIA, because today Communication has new challenges.
