The ruling classes and people power

The world is changing, and business and political leaders are facing new challenges that will shape the coming decades. The phenomena of globalization and economic openness are deeply ingrained in economic relations, in the way the public lives and the way that companies and nations operate.

Society is hyperconnected; Information transfer is occurring at an unparalleled speed and reach, and this places business and political leaders under constant scrutiny.

This causes a rift, a break in the harmony between the ruling classes and public opinion. The public is demanding increasing transparency from both companies and politicians, and the weakening of popular support for both these organizations poses a challenge for the stability of our systems.

Business and political leaders must be capable of interpreting reality and reaching out to the people

In this context, business and political leaders must be capable of interpreting reality and reaching out to the people. Facing an increasingly empowered and critical public, they need to monitor public opinion, interpret it correctly and then act accordingly. Hyper-transparency, proper information management, a dialogue with the public and understanding their demands become obligations rather than assets.

In this issue of UNO, we look at this changing world and what is expected from companies and their leaders, as well as the role the public plays in this entire process.

Jose Antonio Llorente

Founding Partner and Chairman of LLYC Spain / U.S.A.

Jose Antonio Llorente as a specialist in Corporate and Financial Communication, over the course of a career spanning more than 25 years, he has provided consultancy services on numerous corporate transactions: mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and stock market floatations. Mr. Llorente was the first Spanish professional to have received the SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement, a European award presented by The Holmes Report.Mr. Llorente worked at the multinational Burson-Marsteller for ten years, where he was Managing Director. He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Euroamérica Foundation and the Steering Committee of the Spanish Association of Minority Shareholders of Listed Companies. He is also a member of the Advisory Council to SMEs of the Spanish Confederation of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the Steering Committee of the Agencies of Spain Association and the Advisory Council of Executive MBA in the Management of Professional Services Organisations organised by Garrigues. José Antonio has a degree in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid, and specialist in Public Affairs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and The Henley College. @jallorente [United States - Spain]

Articles:

• One-on-one Interview: José Antonio Llorente sits down with Moisés Naím
• EU-Latin America: New Times, new approaches
• Uncertainty is also an opportunity
• UNO+1 Interview with Cristina Garmendia by José Antonio Llorente
• A recovery that makes us more resilient
• UNO +1 Interview with Antón Costas by José Antonio Llorente