Grupo Azvi has been honoured with the Research, Innovation, Development, and Business Award in Andalusia granted by the Academy of Social Sciences and Environment of Andalusia, in the Internationalization category.
The award, which recognizes our commitment to promoting the global presence of Andalusian companies, was presented to José María Martínez Benavente, Managing Director of Azvi, by Manuel de la Cruz de la Cruz, Regional Director for Andalusia at Banco Santander, accompanied by Antonio Pascual Acosta, President of the Academy.
Martínez Benavente expressed his gratitude to the Academy for the recognition, highlighting the pride of receiving the award in Seville, the birthplace of Grupo Azvi, a company with more than 125 years of history. He emphasized the value of this distinction as an acknowledgment of the company’s international expansion and its ability to compete globally from Andalusia.
He also praised the Autonomous Community of Andalusia for its support of innovation, training, investment, and internationalization — key factors that have enabled the company to grow and earn trust both within Spain and in its international markets. Today, Grupo Azvi operates across Europe and the Americas generating over one billion euros in revenue.
Martínez Benavente stressed that this award is a collective achievement, belonging to the company’s team of professionals, to the families who support them, and to the clients whose trust made international expansion and business growth possible.
He noted that the company’s internationalization has been a challenge that required courage, humility, patience, and resilience. Its growth has been built on listening, learning, and adapting — understanding that expanding beyond borders is not merely a business strategy, but a commitment to innovation, diversity, and sustainability.
He went on to say that, “Being the largest Andalusian company in our sector is not an end in itself, but a responsibility. It means being a benchmark, setting an example for others to follow; and, above all, it means demonstrating that business success can go hand in hand with job creation, regional wealth generation, and the international projection of our community and our country.”
He made it clear. through the example of Grupo Azvi’s trajectory, that it is possible to build global projects from a local foundation, to compete internationally without losing one’s roots, and to maintain a strong community identity while fostering a global business vision. The key to success, he concluded, lies in vision, perseverance, and above all, people — the greatest asset of any company.
Other award recipients included:
• GHENOVA Ingeniería, in the Business category, received by company President Carlos Alejo García-Mauricio.
• Google GSEC Málaga Center, received by Alba Márquez Canalejo, Director of Customer Retention and Attraction.
The ceremony was presided over by Antonio Sanz, Regional Minister of Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue, and Administrative Simplification for the Government of Andalusia, and Jorge Paradela, Regional Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines.
Photos: Academia de Ciencias Sociales y Medio Ambiente de Andalucía
