The Vice President of Cloud and Cybersecurity at T-Systems Iberia, David Mañas, demands that Barcelona invest in research and development to become a benchmark. He also calls for a reduction in theft in tourist areas.
David Mañas Jaime, 55 years old and born in Badalona, has been linked to Barcelona his entire life. As Vice President of Cloud and Cybersecurity for Spain and Portugal at T-Systems Iberia, the German multinational telecommunications and IT company, he knows the city's potential well. In an interview, he has called for the Catalan capital to step forward to become a leader in innovation and development.
“Barcelona must lead research, innovation and development activities,” Mañas stated. To achieve this, he considers it essential for all institutions to provide their support. The executive, who has led the company's Cloud and Cybersecurity team in recent years, believes the city should focus on high value-added businesses and services.
Mañas highlighted positive aspects of Barcelona, such as its dynamism, international orientation and safety. “It has always been a city with a strong business and internationalisation focus,” he noted. He also appreciated the city's openness to citizens with parks, bike lanes and traffic control. However, he warned about the need to improve environmental sustainability and digitalisation.
One of the most critical points for the vice president is petty crime. “We must reduce the petty theft that occurs mainly in tourist areas, as it creates a very bad and unfair image,” he stated. Mañas believes this problem tarnishes the reputation of a city that, in his opinion, is safe.
When asked about his expectations for the coming years, Mañas expressed hope that Barcelona “continues to work on maintaining its reputation as an innovative city” and invests to be an example in both public administration and the private sector. He warned against the risk of becoming a “showcase city” and advocated for a balance between tourism, value-added activities and space for citizens.
Mañas, who has always lived in Barcelona and has travelled extensively, defines himself as a “citizen of the world.” He claims that all cities have their charm and that he misses something from each one. “We must be able to have values and principles in all major cities that allow citizens to move around them with complete peace of mind,” he concluded.
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