The Observatory’s Aims

The Hispanic Observatory is the first independent think tank for international and strategic studies in the world to be exclusively dedicated to the Spanish-speaking world.

The Hispanic Observatory builds networks among policy, makers, entrepreneurs, academics and intellectuals in order to make sense of the crucial issues affecting the Hispanic world from the different perspectives of its nations.

Antique Telescope. A vital instrument in observatories and also a metaphor for the Hispanic Observatory concept.

The Observatory has the following aims:

1

Promote knowledge of the Hispanic world in the United Kingdom and the international sphere. Raise international awareness of the historical legacy and the vigour of a community of almost 500 million people, as one of the great cultural communities of the twenty-first century.

2

Build bridges between the countries of the Hispanic world, the UK and the rest of international society.

3

Contribute to the consolidation of democracy and improve governance in the Hispanic world.

4

Foster economic development in the Hispanic world, attract investment and contribute to wealth creation among Hispanic communities.

5

Improve cooperation between members of the Hispanic world in the political, economic and cultural spheres and promote unity among them.

Enrique Krauze
Sir John Elliott
Juan Luis Cebrián
Felipe Fernández-Armesto
Moises Naim

Sir Stephen Wright, Former British Ambassador in Spain
Fernando del Canto, Barrister, Del Canto Chambers
Andres Velasco, former Chilean Finance Minister, and Dean of the Public Policy Institute, London School of Economics
Eduardo Serra, former president of Elcano Royal Institute, former Spanish Defence Minister.
Jose Maria Lassalle, Former Spanish Secretary of State for Culture and New Technologies
José Ramón López-Portillo, Director of the Mexican Studies Centre, Oxford University
Fernando Rodríguez Lafuente, Former director of Instituto Cervantes, Professor of Hispanic Studies at Ortega y Gasset Foundation
Natalia Federighi, Lawyer and Entrepreneur
Ivan Sandrea, CEO of Sierra Oil & Gas
Pablo Galante Escobar, Entrepreneur and Partner of Vitol LNG
Patrick Swint, CEO Knightsbridge Ventures
Alvaro Fischer, Entrepreneur and Partner of Resiter group
Susana de la Puente, former Peruvian Ambassador in the UK, banker and entrepreneur.
Charles Powell, director of Elcano Royal Instiute
Rosa Falcón, Professor of Politics at Madrid Complutense University
Alexander Brennan, CEO of Brennan & Partners
Eduardo Barrachina, lawyer at White & Case y president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, London
Robert Capurro, former director of Canning House y director de Ronda Energy Ltd.
Santiago Elordi, Chilean Writer
Rodrigo Márquez, director de Faro Energy
Ignacio Peyró, Director, Instituto Cervantes in London

Fernando del Canto
Robert Capurro
Natalia Federighi
Eduardo Barrachina

The director of the Observatory is Dr Julio Crespo-MacLennan, a renowned academic, historian, diplomat and at present Associate Professor of International Relations at IE University. Julio was formerly Director of Instituto Cervantes, Spain’s official institution for the promotion of Spanish language and culture, completing assignments in Turkey, Ireland and the United Kingdom in this capacity. Prior to that, he was prince of Asturias Visiting Professor at Tufts University and Santander Fellow in Iberian Studies at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. He has authored six books, writes for the Spanish daily ABC and has lectured in over twenty countries and prestigious international forums.