The organisation pays tribute to its former trustee and supporter with an award for excellence in chemistry in Spain.

In collaboration with the Valencian Business Association (AVE) and SPB Global, the Foundation has organised, in memory of its former trustee Miguel Burdeos, a leading figure in the field of chemistry in Spain, the launch of a prize to promote excellence in training and research in fields related to chemistry. The first edition will take place in 2027 and will be held biennially. 

A prominent Valencian businessman, founder and chairman of SPB Global and Cleanity, Burdeos passed away at the age of 74 following the passage of the DANA through Valencia in October 2024. He was a key figure in the chemical industry, having chaired QUIMACOVA and ADELMA. A supporter of the Rei Jaume I Prizes since 2011, he was always committed to recognising and promoting Science, Innovation and Entrepreneurship – the values embodied by this foundation.

The event began with a welcome address by Vicente Boluda, president of the Foundation and of AVE, who recalled the role played by Burdeos. “Miguel embodied a way of understanding business that was deeply linked to knowledge and innovation. His legacy reinforces an idea that we wish to convey clearly today: business progress and scientific progress must go hand in hand. But as well as being a leading entrepreneur, he stood out for his conscious and strategic commitment to innovation. He paved the way by demonstrating, through his actions, that research and innovation enable business projects to progress, set themselves apart and become more competitive. Miguel was a driving force behind innovation in the Comunidad Valenciana and in Spain,” recalled Boluda.

The event featured a keynote speech by Teresa Rasero, Chair of Air Liquide Spain and Portugal, who is also Chair of Feique and an expert in the chemical industry. Dr Rasero described Bordeaux as “a leader, an innovator, a visionary, a consensus-builder and a man of high standards. He always found the right words and used to say that innovation is of no use unless it reaches people’s homes and improves everyone’s lives. Success is a collective endeavour.”

In his speech, Rasero stated that he is proud that Bordeaux has been honoured with this award, “given the importance of having someone researching how to make the world safer, cleaner and more efficient, and recognising that chemistry can help find solutions to improve the world.”  She also highlighted that the chemical sector “accounts for 12 per cent of industrial GDP, more than 85,000 million euros; we are the second-largest export sector and we serve all industrial sectors”. She also pointed out that “a hospital is full of chemistry, and dramatic events such as the coronavirus pandemic presented us with major challenges.” Rasero, president of Feique, emphasised that “4 per cent of GDP is based on the chemical industry; therefore the chemical sector has made a significant impact and we are leaders in R&D&I, seeking solutions for sustainable production through green hydrogen; we consider ourselves a clinical hub in Europe and we cannot afford to miss this opportunity”, Rasero stated that “we are helping to transform other sectors, such as the future of mobility through green fuels; for this reason, we should be very proud of the chemical industry in Spain for generating highly skilled and stable jobs.”

Following the conference, Javier Quesada, the Foundation’s executive president, outlined the main features of the Miguel Burdeos Prize, recalling that “Miguel consistently demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive and his genuine passion for chemistry and for learning. “As an enthusiast of chemistry and its role in improving lives, he supported numerous young entrepreneurs growing up in our country,” said Quesada, who also wished to acknowledge “his legacy, passed on to his daughters, who are involved in recognising excellence in work, and who have been an example and a source of inspiration to all who knew him”, emphasised the executive chairman.

The scientific director of the award is Avelino Corma, winner of the Rei Jaume I New Technologies Prize in 2000, a world-renowned figure in the field of chemistry and a close associate of Miguel Burdeos. The prize will be presented in two categories: the Prize for the best graduate in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from the previous two years, worth €10,000, open exclusively to the Comunidad Valenciana and Andalusia, as these are the two regions most closely linked to SPB Global’s activities; and the Prize for the Best Young Researcher, aged under 42, at national level, with a prize of €20,000. This prize will be awarded biennially, with the first edition taking place in 2027. Nominations must be submitted in November and must include, in addition to the academic transcript, a letter of motivation and details of other achievements. To be eligible, candidates do not need to be Spanish nationals, but they must have carried out their research primarily in Spain. The jury will be selected by the foundation.

If you’d like to watch the award presentation: