The new president of Bilbao Metropoli 30, Tomás Olano, participated yesterday in his first official event since taking office, presenting the association's new strategic plan. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the development of Euskadi's main metropolitan area and the northern peninsula, aiming to drive the city's "second reinvention".
Olano emphasized that "one can always do more." The city has transitioned from an industrial past to an environment that balances economic development, tourism attraction, and resident comfort. Now is the time to embark on this "second reinvention" with goals set for 2050, based on a roadmap adaptable to each cycle's key factors.
“"The first thing I will do is strengthen the links between the 140 associated entities, so that BM30 becomes the place where we connect those who have a problem with those who can provide a solution."
The event, held at the University of Deusto, also featured the presentation of the 2025 Annual Report and the 2026 Management Plan. According to Olano, Bilbao possesses the "potential and obligation to aspire to become a first-tier European metropolis in the Atlantic Arc," with an influence comparable to cities like Copenhagen, Helsinki, or Amsterdam.
To achieve this objective, two basic lines of action have been defined: a local and an international one. Domestically, Olano highlighted the need to strengthen the estuary as a "vertebrating axis" for the entire metropolitan area. Internationally, Bilbao Metropoli 30's agents must promote the "effective constitution of the Bilbao Metropolitan Area as a Euro-Atlantic Hub".
The organization identifies four "levers for change": talent, investment, innovation, and culture, "on a solid foundation of social cohesion." Olano assured that he arrives at the position "with the conviction that the best solutions are born when the right people work together with a shared vision".
