CEOInterviews.AILa Mirada ASISA: Tomás Fuertes

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Interviewer0:09

Good morning, Tomás. Tomás Fuertes, president of Grupo Fuertes, and now we will talk about the composition of this group. Thank you very much for receiving us at your home. Thank you very much indeed, Tomás, and for dedicating your time to us, which is very valuable time.

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Tomás Fuertes0:31

If you like, I'm going to explain a little bit what we have done over all these, well, months or even years. We have spoken with people who have dedicated their lives to different disciplines and we have realized that until now we haven't had the vision of a great entrepreneur.

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Interviewer0:49

We haven't had until now the vision of a great entrepreneur, and you, Tomás, are a great entrepreneur and also a person with values that we will discover throughout the conversation. Let's start, if you like, with this qualification, that of entrepreneur. What is it for you to be an entrepreneur?

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Tomás Fuertes1:16

Well, when I was 8 years old, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said I wanted to be something. And as I grew up, I did what I knew. I'm not a university graduate, but the University of Murcia granted me the honorary doctorate, saying that it's about the works, not the title. ElPozo, our mother company, was created 70 years ago by my father modestly. In the last 35 years, I found my vocation: being an entrepreneur means coordinating human, technical, and economic values to create jobs and wealth for society, since Spain lacks natural resources.

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Interviewer4:23

And this great group was born in 1935, the fruit of your parents' effort.

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Tomás Fuertes4:39

Well, in 1975, my father opened a small store, but the project started in 1954, which is why we have a product called El 1954.

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Interviewer4:57

And right now you are present in 80% of Spanish households and a significant percentage reaches Asia, especially China.

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Tomás Fuertes5:12

With globalization, we export to 82 countries.

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Interviewer5:26

You are basically a group dedicated to the agri-food sector?

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Tomás Fuertes5:32

Yes, 80% of our group is dedicated to agri-food.

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Interviewer5:39

Let's talk about the pandemic. The food sector is essential. How did you organize in the first months to continue working and distributing products?

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Tomás Fuertes6:11

During the pandemic, we didn't stop; we expanded production because food is always needed. There was demand due to concerns about supplies, and we helped ensure availability, increasing our production.

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Interviewer6:51

But how did you manage? Did you work from day one? What safety measures did you adopt?

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Tomás Fuertes7:00

We treated people with symptoms carefully, not letting them work if symptomatic. With masks and all necessary measures to ensure worker safety, we didn't stop a single day. We activated shifts including weekends.

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Interviewer7:37

We've talked about your origins in 1935, and the group's creation in 1954. How do you build a company of this magnitude?

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Tomás Fuertes7:58

Like building a building, brick by brick. Having a project, knowing how to place bricks. Our project is an example for many, born from humility. We aim to be more than we appear. Building something large takes time, activity, not just work, incorporating latest technologies, reinvesting, and giving it care. Companies need money, technology, belief, and a spirit of improvement. We aim to be the best, not the biggest.

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Interviewer9:14

In this attempt to be the best, leadership is important. What is your vision for the future of food companies?

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Tomás Fuertes9:55

The future food will be personalized, like clothing with size and model. Food is complex, but personalized nutrition considers an individual's genome, metabolism, age, work, exercise. With artificial intelligence, food can be tailored to needs. Good nutrition saves lives. People consume about a ton of food yearly. Controlling this could increase longevity, up to 120 years, our organs' potential.

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Interviewer12:44

So you believe personal health data will be crossed with consumption data to tailor food production?

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Tomás Fuertes13:32

Yes, data on health, taste, preferences will reach food companies for production and distribution. Good nutrition can replace pills for prevention.

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Interviewer14:12

As we age, we in the food industry have a responsibility to make healthy foods.

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Tomás Fuertes14:26

Indeed, we must make food healthy according to legal norms, but it depends on individual composition. Intuition plays a role, like appetite. Dosage is important, as with water. The composition of proteins and carbohydrates is crucial. Consumers don't yet know their body's needs, but with AI, they will.

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Interviewer16:46

We started talking about your desire to be an entrepreneur. You've had a vision for this company. What is your general vision of the world? What do you think will happen with food?

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Tomás Fuertes17:25

From personalized food, the future is that people only have their vote to choose leaders, but politics dominates. Citizens are in the third row. Entrepreneurs are not from any party; we work with social, economic, and technical parts. We create jobs and wealth for politicians. Spain has worked wealth, not natural, so we must contribute. Everyone should do their part well, earn benefits, but also contribute to society.

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Interviewer19:39

There's often emphasis on individual responsibility towards oneself and society.

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Tomás Fuertes19:51

Yes, being born with values to aspire, but laziness prevents: physical, psychic, emotional laziness. While alive, we have a human, social, and divine obligation to bring out our values. Not just being given opportunities, but creating them. Even the humblest person has values to aspire. Society needs values like honesty, effort, loyalty.

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Interviewer21:40

With your experience, what role does failure play?

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Tomás Fuertes22:01

Thanks to failure, success exists; thanks to pain, pleasure. Failure and pain are necessary to alert us. We need reflection, self-criticism, open eyes, learning from others. People must realize they are born and have aspirations. Triumph in life is optimizing one's resources without laziness, being brave to challenge oneself.

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Interviewer24:30

Picasso didn't know he was a great painter until he realized. When did you realize you were a great entrepreneur?

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Tomás Fuertes24:40

I never believed I was a good entrepreneur, and I still don't. It's not false modesty; the person is not finished. What one has done matters less than what one will do, as long as alive. Humans can build or destroy; society must value and transmit positive things.

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Interviewer25:47

What are your positive things?

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Tomás Fuertes25:53

What is worth more than it costs, not in money, but in effort. One must measure one's possibilities and apply them. Be ambitious but not greedy. Ambitious believes one can do; greedy wants what isn't theirs. I identify as ambitious, and I recommend everyone to be ambitious with their possibilities.

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Interviewer26:51

You identify as ambitious?

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Tomás Fuertes26:53

Yes. The humblest person on Earth has values to aspire. If seen in a crystal ball, they'd be scared. One must believe, learn, be brave. Make business with what you have, with values and ethics, in a pleasant or unpleasant environment, but life is varied. With globalization and world competition, we must be the best in the world, not just in Spain or Europe. Knowledge travels in seconds. I change my mind every 10 years, adapting to evolution. Be progressive but also conservative. Use the best of yesterday and tomorrow to make today.

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Interviewer30:07

We're ending. The Asisa foundation belongs to the most important health group in Spain. From your experience, how do you see the Spanish healthcare system, public and private? What changes should be made?

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Tomás Fuertes33:12

I can't speak extensively, but in our company, we have doctors, nurses, assistants, a psychologist, and pharmacies for our workers' health. We've worried about their health. In the medical system, there's much advancement, like organ transplants. Research is advancing, but application needs improvement. AI will help medicine and food. Tools must be used well. As a summary, people must realize they are born and before dying, they should strive with illusion, the art of linking illusions. One must have hope and faith.

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Interviewer36:46

Thank you very much, Tomás. It's a privilege. You're a busy person, and we've witnessed an extraordinary conversation.

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Tomás Fuertes37:25

I feel rewarded by being useful. Our project is efficient, like Carlos Alcaraz, who we have as ambassador for five years, matching our principles. We're very happy.

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Interviewer38:16

Thank you again, Tomás. It's been a privilege.

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Tomás Fuertes38:30

I hope it's useful for someone from my experience. I would feel very satisfied.