Miquel Martí, the Honorary Chairman of Moventia, took part in the first session of the ‘Conversations with Leadership’ talks organised by VIA Empresa in collaboration with Banc Sabadell and led by Oriol Montanyà, a professor at UPF Barcelona School of Management.
During the course of the event, Miquel shared his vision on business growth, executive leadership and the development of Moventia as a family business based on a two-pronged approach to mobility today: collective transport and the automotive sector. In this regard, he highlighted the complementary nature of these two areas and stressed that “public and private transportation are indeed compatible and complement one another”.
Leading from a team-focused and trust-based perspective
Miquel underlined the importance of accompanying growth with well-prepared organisation and solid teams. “Our growth is supported by strategic plans, and that involves having a great human team behind everything”, he said. He went on to add that Moventia has more than 160 work centres and that internal communications are key to maintaining cohesive organisation.
He also spoke about the skills that the company looks for in its executive teams, with a focus on ethics, integrity, resilience, communication and the ability to lead people. “We ask that our executives have integrity and a strong work ethic”, he said, adding that “attitudes and the ability to lead teams are the most important aspects”.
In terms of team management, Miquel highlighted the importance of knowing how to delegate and trust others, especially when a company is starting to grow. In this regard, he said that there comes a time—a “tipping point”—when this delegation of duties simply cannot be avoided, admitting that “it’s not always easy, but you have to be able to delegate and believe in your team”. Nonetheless, despite the difficulties involved, Miquel believes that doing so is what “makes the difference” because “the team needs to feel responsible for the work it does”.
Family business and generational continuity
The talk also covered the role of Moventia as a family business, currently in its fourth generation. Miquel explained that one of the keys to this continuity has been consistently putting the business project over and above any personal interests. “The first rule is that we are a family business, not a business family”, insisted Miquel. “We always put the company ahead of personal needs and whenever any rather unpleasant or painful decisions have to be made, the organisation takes priority”, he said. This inevitably means that “if the company does well, the family does well; if the company stumbles, the family stumbles”.
The Honorary Chairman of Moventia also mentioned the family protocol, which was approved in 2008 following two years of hard work. This protocol is designed to provide clear and transparent rules aimed at giving structure to the incorporation of future generations. At present, four members of the fourth generation already form part of the company under training, external experience and prior preparation criteria. “We don’t just arbitrarily create jobs for members of the family”, Miquel insisted.
Miquel Martí also explained who his role models and mentors are during the talk. The first was his grandfather, the founder of Moventia. “Rather than a mentor, he was a role model because of everything he taught me and all the human trials and tribulations he went through”. His father, Miquel Martí Carceller, was a true mentor to him and ushered him through his first years at the company. “I shadowed him all the time, by his side 24 hours a day”, he said.
In conclusion, he highlighted reliability as one of the main pillars that has underpinned the development of Moventia as a business. “We would be nothing if we didn’t convey reliability to brands and the authorities”, he said. That concept is a pure reflection of how the company has achieved its growth: family continuity, team professionalisation, and a long-term relationship with clients, brands, authorities and the local community.