PVBLIC Foundation marks 10 years of its Ibero-American summit at the UN and awards Enrique Riquelme

PVBLIC Foundation held the 10th edition of the Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano at UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 25, with Spain as the focus country and a broad agenda spanning energy, oceans, AI and finance. Enrique Riquelme Vives, president of COX, received the 2026 Impact Award for his leadership in the energy transition.

Why it matters: - The Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano has become the main Spanish-language gathering during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, giving Ibero-America a dedicated space to shape regional priorities. - The summit’s 10th edition put energy transition, blue economy, artificial intelligence, finance and social inclusion in the same room, signaling where regional cooperation is heading. - The event’s emphasis on alliances points to a practical shift from broad ambition to project financing, implementation and cross-sector execution.

What happened: - PVBLIC Foundation held the 10th Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano on Sept. 25 at UN headquarters in New York. - Spain served as the focus country for the 2026 edition. - The summit ran under the theme “Iberoamérica Transforma: Energía, Océanos e Inteligencia para un Futuro Compartido.” - Enrique Riquelme Vives, president of COX, received the Premio de Impacto Iberoamericano 2026. - Riquelme also joined a fireside chat on a just energy transition with Juan Verde, an international strategist and sustainability consultant. - Sergio Fernández de Córdova, executive chairman of PVBLIC Foundation, said the organization launched the summit 10 years ago to give Ibero-America its own space in Spanish during UN High-Level Week.

The details: - The 10 thematic pillars were energy transition, blue economy, artificial intelligence, bioeconomy and natural capital, financial architecture, multilateralism, social cohesion, sport and health, culture and identity, and civil society. - A panel titled “De la Ambición a la Acción” examined how major goals can become investment decisions and business transformation. - The panel was moderated by Víctor Malagón, executive director of Pacto Global Red Colombia. - Participants included Juan Verde, Álamo Solutions and María del Mar Whittaker, corporate responsibility director at ABRA Group. - Gustavo González de Vega, vice minister of Economy and Internationalization of the Government of the Canary Islands, delivered a keynote on oceans and island territories. - The Government of the Canary Islands backed the summit and contributed to the program with an Atlantic and insular perspective on the blue economy. - Emilio Gutiérrez, general director of Academy and International Development at Atlético de Madrid, spoke about sport as a school of life. - Álvaro de Miguel, secretary general of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, introduced the sport, health and social transformation block. - Eduardo Frisicaro presented MagiCup. - A panel on “Nuevos Motores de Transformación Social” featured Miguel Espinosa, executive chairman of Grupo Nordestada, Frisicaro and De Miguel, with Ariana Stolarz of Accenture Song moderating. - Antonio Magraner, president of the Confederation of Spanish Young Entrepreneurs, and Martina Amengual, global director of Operations and Territorial Development at Scholas Occurrentes, discussed how to prepare young people to learn, start businesses and lead in the age of AI. - The summit’s finance-focused close featured Íñigo Fernández de Mesa, chairman of Rothschild & Co Spain, and Zurab Pololikashvili, former secretary-general of UN Tourism. - Virginia Villar Arribas, deputy director of the Private Sector Partnerships Division at the World Food Programme, delivered the closing keynote before the award presentation. - COX, the Spanish-origin global water and energy company, served as a key partner of the edition. - PVBLIC Foundation said its work has reached more than 1 billion people in 125 countries through programs and partnerships.

Between the lines: - The summit framed Ibero-American development as a coordination problem, not just a policy problem, with energy, water, financing and talent treated as linked challenges. - The presence of regional institutions, sports bodies, civil society groups and private capital suggests the summit is designed to translate diplomatic visibility into operational partnerships. - The award to Riquelme underscores how energy transition has become a centerpiece for regional business leadership and international recognition.

What's next: - PVBLIC Foundation said its next decade will focus on strengthening alliances and turning them into investment, capabilities and concrete opportunities for communities. - The summit’s agenda suggests future editions will keep prioritizing implementation in energy, water, oceans, finance and youth development. - COX’s role in water and energy infrastructure positions the company to remain part of the regional transition conversation.

The bottom line: - The 10th Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano turned a UN-week gathering into a platform for regional coalition-building, with energy transition and alliance-based implementation at the center.