• At the end of 2025, the Network comprised 130 ambassadors living in 35 countries; today, that map expands to 42 countries across five continents.

• With this 'Summer Meeting', the City Council of Valladolid reaffirms its commitment to this overseas community—part of the Valladolid Now action plan—aimed at continuing to attract professionals and fostering the internationalization of local companies.

• The event featured a keynote address by Julio Ceballos Rodríguez, one of Spain’s leading experts on the Chinese market and China’s impact on global economy and geopolitics.

• Additionally, the 'Network Beacons' (Faros de la Red) were introduced: key reference professionals who will offer support in their respective countries to any people from Valladolid in need of guidance.

The Valladolid Ambassadors Network doubles in size and boosts its international outreach with 245 professionals in 42 countries

The Innovation and Economic Development Agency of the City Council of Valladolid (IdeVa) brought together today at the Fundación Eusebio Sacristán facilities more than 60 professionals from the Valladolid Ambassadors Network who work in some of the world's leading economic, business, scientific, and academic hubs.

All of them share a strong bond with Valladolid, a desire to contribute to the city’s development, and bring their talent to various fields across 42 countries (7 more than at the end of last year). This was highlighted during their second official gathering—following the first meeting in December—which brought together institutions, companies, and universities committed to opening new collaboration opportunities and strengthening their role in the city’s internationalization.

The Mayor of Valladolid, Jesús Julio Carnero, expressed his gratitude for the generosity of these professionals, emphasizing that:

With this 'Summer Meeting', the City Council of Valladolid reaffirms its commitment to a Network that forms an integral part of the Valladolid Now action plan, designed to continuously attract professionals and drive the international expansion of local businesses.

In this regard, Carnero underlined that "from the outset, the Municipal Office for Projects and Investment Attraction merges talent, business, academia, and public administration into a true meeting point—thanks to the joint efforts of the City Council of Valladolid and CEOE Valladolid—playing an increasingly significant role in international visibility, opportunity attraction, and economic development."

For his part, the President of CEOE Valladolid, Carlos Magdaleno, stated that "the Overseas Valladolid Talent Network, integrated into the Valladolid Ambassadors Network, must become a useful and accessible tool for our local companies. The Beacons will enable two-way connections: supporting Valladolid-based businesses in their international growth while identifying projects, investment, and talent that can find in Valladolid the ideal place to thrive. The challenge now is to turn the collective knowledge and relationships gathered by the Network into concrete opportunities."

This initiative has been developed in collaboration with CEOE Valladolid, a strategic partner of the Network aimed at reinforcing the connection between overseas talent from Valladolid and the city's business ecosystem to pursue new paths for internationalization, investment, and growth.

During the event, new personalized membership cards were handed out—a named credential that recognizes membership in this international community and symbolizes each ambassador's commitment to promoting Valladolid. Those unable to attend in person will receive theirs by mail.

Network Beacons 

One of the major developments presented during the meeting was the creation of the 'Beacons' (Faros), leading professionals from Valladolid building their careers in strategic international markets. They will act as hosts in a two-way journey: serving as a key point of support for Valladolid companies seeking to expand abroad, and acting as a gateway for international projects looking to set up in the city.

The first five 'Beacons' of the Network—who joined the event via live video link—are María Moreno (South Africa), David García (Germany), Víctor Escolar (India), Cristina Rivas (Singapore), and Salvador Moreno (Mexico). All of them are seasoned international professionals who are putting their experience and contact networks at the service of Valladolid's economic development.

Keynote by Julio Ceballos Rodríguez, International Business Development Consultant

The day also featured a conference by Julio Ceballos Rodríguez, an international business development consultant, author, and one of Spain's top specialists on the Chinese market and China's impact on global geopolitics and economics. Drawing on over two decades of professional experience in Asia, Ceballos delivered a talk entitled 'Networks and Talent in the New World Order: Opportunities and Challenges', where he stressed the vital role played by professional networks and international talent in a global landscape marked by profound economic and geopolitical shifts.

Virtual Ambassador Support Office

At the same time, the Virtual Ambassador Support Office was officially launched. This digital platform is designed to maintain a more direct and permanent line of communication with ambassadors, facilitating dialogue and strengthening the bond between the city and those pursuing their careers abroad.

Because the ultimate goal is for the Ambassadors Network not to be merely a database or a contact directory, but a genuine community: a living, close-knit, and actionable network where people can share talent, generate opportunities, launch projects, and keep the bridge between Valladolid and its ambassadors forever open, wherever they may be.