{"id":5978,"date":"2022-11-02T09:43:23","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T08:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/cn\/stories-insights\/100-years-with-ldc-in-spain\/"},"modified":"2023-05-23T10:51:09","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T08:51:09","slug":"100-years-with-ldc-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"stories-insight","link":"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/cn\/en\/stories-insights\/100-years-with-ldc-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Years With LDC in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When our Madrid office opened in 1922, it was largely dedicated to grains marketing throughout Spain and Portugal. Over the last century, it has evolved into an important hub for the Group\u2019s trading, execution and distribution activities, with strong links to all our business lines<\/a> across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employing 28 people today, our Madrid office celebrates 100 years in Spain, as a pivot point for our global business<\/a> in 2022 – and as we celebrate that legacy, we wanted to speak to two \u201cpillars\u201d of our local team who, between them, have spent a century with LDC!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fall of 1972, 50 years ago, Felipe Medina and Juan Antonio I\u00f1igo began working together as office assistants for LDC in Madrid. And while their careers<\/a> took them down different paths \u2013 Felipe is now an accountant, Juan Antonio an execution officer \u2013 they have remained fast friends over the decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September 2022, we caught up with them to hear their story as part of #TeamLDC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To say that 2022 is a milestone for both of you is an understatement – 50 years with LDC! How does it feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud of my career at LDC and I\u2019ve always been happy here,\u201d said Felipe. \u201cAnd today, the office is full of young people of different nationalities, which adds a fascinating dimension to the work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d adds Juan Antonio, \u201cover 50 years there clearly been good and worse times – but the point is that the good always prevailed, thanks to the team and family spirit! Many of my colleagues have become close friends, and one went even further and became my wife – and mother to my children!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you remember your first day of work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember it very well – I was young and nervous \u2013 and a little scared, in fact!\u201d, remembers Felipe, smiling. \u201cI started out as an office assistant, like Juan Antonio. He had started a few weeks before me, and really helped me settle into the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, my first day was October 5, 1972,\u201d continues Juan Antonio. \u201cI was just as nervous as Felipe, trying to remember all the instructions and working as quickly as possible. At that time, everything was done manually and on paper, so we were supporting everyone in the office. I remember how well they always treated us, from day one.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Felipe Medina at LDC\u2019s year-end celebration in 1999, and at LDC\u2019s Madrid office in 2022. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What makes LDC special to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see LDC as \u2018my\u2019 company,\u201d says Felipe. \u201cIn the sense that it\u2019s where I\u2019ve \u2018grown up\u2019. And through LDC, I met friends and travelled to many places I might never have seen otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cQuite simply, it\u2019s the only company I’ve ever worked for – and that’s special to me,\u201d adds Juan Antonio. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What motivates you to continue with LDC? What do you like most about your jobs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe truth is, I like what I do and the people I work with. For most of my time at LDC, I worked in the analytical control of commercial operations, and yet the complexity of our company means that every day brings unique problems to solve,\u201d says Felipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Covid-19 lockdown really brought some truths home for me – literally! I realized that I need to be active – to get out of the house and interact with people. And LDC is the perfect setting for someone who likes action and interaction – these days, we can work from home some days a week, but I still choose to work from the office every day, for the conversations I have with so many people \u2013 port agents, ship captains, brokers \u2013 it\u2019s these interactions that I enjoy and that motivate me,\u201d says Juan Antonio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the biggest challenge you faced during your half-century at LDC?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDEFINITELY adapting to changes in technology – new systems and applications. That has always been a challenge,\u201d laughs Felipe. \u201cThen again, my bosses trusted my ability to adjust, I do my best to learn, and my colleagues help me out when necessary!\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen one of my managers retired in the mid-90s, the Group challenged me to become responsible for chartering – something I didn\u2019t like very much at the time and wasn\u2019t confident about,\u201d remembers Juan Antonio. \u201cStill, I decided to rise to the challenge and after a few months I was amazed that I could do it – and do it well!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do people react when you tell them how long you’ve worked at LDC?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGenerally, their eyes open wide in surprise! Some of them think it\u2019s strange to work in the same company for so many years,\u201d says Felipe. \u201cBut I think that if you\u2019re lucky enough to find a fulfilling job with interesting people, then why not continue?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly right – most people don’t believe it can be true!\u201d agrees Juan Antonio. \u201cBut as Felipe says, if you find a job you enjoy, with supportive co-workers, good conditions and a healthy work environment, where your work is recognized – then I see no reason not to stay – for life, in our case!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Juan Antonio I\u00f1igo at LDC\u2019s year-end celebration in 1973, and at LDC\u2019s Madrid office in 2022.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Anything that you’re particularly proud of, that you’d like to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c50 years at LDC,\u201d say Felipe and Juan Antonio, almost in sync, laughing! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs I said, I\u2019m delighted to celebrate 50 years working in \u2018my\u2019 company! 50 years of giving and receiving – including the professional and economic stability that has, in turn, helped me give my two children the opportunity to attend university and build their careers, which also makes me very proud,\u201d adds Felipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t agree more. I\u2019m proud to have worked all this time in a company that felt like home – where I met my wife, who by the way, has worked at LDC for 35 years!\u201d continues Juan Antonio. \u201cAnd like Felipe, I\u2019m proud to have raised a family and given them opportunities they may not have had otherwise – and to see them happy today!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How about a few words of advice for young people just starting out in their careers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook for a job you love, because you\u2019ll spend a good deal of your life at work,\u201d says Felipe. \u201cAnd if you are happy at work, don’t rush to change for the sake of it – because loyalty and the chance to build something over the long-term also feels great!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d says Juan Antonio. \u201cI think it\u2019s also important to have humility, be willing to learn and <\/em>respect the work of your colleagues. Also, don\u2019t try to reach the end of the road too fast \u2013 walking slowly gets you a long way!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you, Felipe, Juan Antonio \u2013 for sharing your wisdom and memories, for your commitment and contributions to our journey, and for having been such an important part of what makes LDC a place that our people – like you – feel proud of, as \u2018their\u2019 company.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When our Madrid office opened in 1922, it was largely dedicated to grains marketing throughout Spain and Portugal. Over the last century, it has evolved into an important hub for the Group\u2019s trading, execution and distribution activities, with strong links to all our business lines across the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6528,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5978","stories-insight","type-stories-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-people"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n100 Years With LDC in Spain || Louis Dreyfus Company<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Exploring how, over the last century, LDC\u2019s Madrid office has evolved into an important hub for the Group\u2019s trading, execution and distribution activities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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