On the evening of Wednesday 6th December 2017, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain held its VIII Annual Gala Dinner at Christ Church Spitalfields in central London. The iconic venue provided the perfect setting for the Chamber’s final corporate event of 2017 and to celebrate the end of another busy year full of successful events held for its members.
The black tie event, to which almost 250 guests were in attendance, was presided by the Ambassador of Spain Carlos Bastarreche Sagües and welcomed António Horta Osório, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, as its esteemed Guest of Honour.
The highly anticipated event began with guests being welcomed in from the cold with a glass of Anna Blanc de Blancs cava, kindly provided by our Patron Codorníu Raventós, before having the chance to network with other guests. During this time there was also delicious Iberian ham being carved for the guests to enjoy which was courtesy of our member Brindisa and COVAP.
Following the drinks reception, guests took their seats at each of the round tables and became acquainted with those sitting with them, if they were not already. The Ambassador then led a toast to the King of Spain and the Queen of England each in turn, whilst both of the respective national anthems were played.
Guests then went on to enjoy a delicious three course feast, accompanied by red and white wines provided by Codorníu Raventós which perfectly complemented the meal.
After the dessert was cleared, the speeches began. The Ambassador of Spain spoke first, detailing the important commercial relationship between Spain and the UK and how the two countries should aim to continue to strengthen their links. The Guest of Honour António Horta Osório spoke next, recounting key aspects of his career path to date as well as crediting the important work of Spanish companies in the UK this year; followed by Eduardo Barrachina, Treasurer of the Chamber and acting on behalf of the President.
After the three speeches drew to a close, guests were able to chat with each other some more; meeting new connections and exchanging their impressions of the evening. The event came to an end late in the evening, with a pleasant and memorable evening appearing to have been had by all.
We would like to warmly thank our members and their guests for joining us on this special occasion marking the end of another year of successful Chamber activities. We would moreover like to express our gratitude to our generous sponsors Codorníu Raventós and Brindisa for their contribution with the wines, cava and ham which were served throughout the event.
Please click here to access the complete gallery of pictures of the VIII Gala Dinner. You can also access a short video summary of the event by clicking here.
For further information about the Chamber’s events in 2018, do not hesitate to visit the Upcoming Events section of our website www.spanishchamber.co.uk or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter.