“Barcelona will continue to attract large numbers of talented professionals from around the world", by Lucas Martinez

Lucas Martinez, who is married and has three children, was born in Switzerland. He lived in Geneva, London, and Montreal before moving to Barcelona two years ago. A citizen of Spain, Switzerland, and Canada, he is the co-founder and CEO of the Canadian company Talent.com, which according to similareb.com, is the fifth-largest job platform in the world. The company has 500 employees located in several countries including Canada, Switzerland, the USA, Colombia, Great Britain, France, and Spain.

Why did you choose Barcelona?

My parents are Spanish, and we used to come to Barcelona every summer to visit family.

My parents are retiring to Vilanova i la Geltrú, and we thought Barcelona would be an ideal place to bring our family. And I should also mention that my father instilled a love for FC Barcelona in me from a very young age.

What are the city’s strengths?

I've been lucky enough to travel a lot for work. I used to spend weeks, and sometimes months, as a consultant in a range of cities—New York, Taipei, Dubai, Auckland, Brisbane, Dublin, St. Petersburg, and several others. But it’s really quite simple: there's nowhere like Barcelona. It's got everything you could want—culture, location, sports, the startup scene, the international vibe—you name it!"

Which aspects of the city need to be improved? How?

Having seen the aftermath of a referendum in Quebec, and having lived in federal states like Switzerland and Canada, I have a particular take on Barcelona and Catalonia. I see similarities between Barcelona and Catalonia and the second referendum in Quebec. Both are societies that were questioning their direction and felt somewhat negative. But what happened next in Montreal was impressive. The focus gradually shifted from identity politics to culture and entrepreneurship. And today, Quebec has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada.

As in Quebec, I believe we need to focus on the strengths of the city and shift our mindset; it’s important to recognize that Barcelona has enormous potential for growth.

What challenges do you think the city will face once it recovers from the health emergency?

Barcelona handled the health crisis very well. As a major Mediterranean capital, Barcelona will continue to attract a large number of talented professionals who choose to live and work here, especially with the growth in remote working.

This will ensure economic growth, so I believe the main challenge will be to ensure that inhabitants’ quality of life continues to improve.

What do you expect from Barcelona in the coming years?

In my opinion, Barcelona has the potential to become a leading world city if it really puts its mind to it. To achieve this, we need to attract more foreign investment to create more jobs and become more competitive. This will enable us to increase the salaries of workers, which are low when compared to other major cities around the globe. Furthermore, I hope to see Barcelona undertake large-scale business, infrastructure, cultural, and sports projects that enjoy broad public support.

Which city do you consider to be your home city? What do you miss most?

My home is Geneva because that's where I was born, raised and studied until I was 23, but it was in Montreal that met my partner, had children, and achieved business success. Much of my thinking is influenced by Montreal, but my heart has always belonged to Barcelona and always will.

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