The Hague, 5 March 2026 — International engineering consultancy Deerns, has announced that Ricardo Fornari will take over as Country Director for Spain following the retirement of Miquel Castellvi.
Ricardo, who is also the company’s Division Director Data Centres, will now be responsible for driving growth in the Spanish market which includes major projects in the data centre and real estate sectors. He will also seek to explore the significant potential in Spain’s electronics sector as the country establishes its position as a leader for the EU in this field.
Ricardo was previously Country Director for Brazil. During his tenure Deerns secured a strategic partnership with Elea Data Centres. And was ranked just outside the top 50 largest engineering and construction firms in the country, achieving a 31 per cent growth in revenue from 2023 to 2024. He also oversaw headcount growth of 19 per cent in the same period as Deerns embraced the opportunities within the country’s thriving data centre market as well as delivering projects for hospitals, airports, life sciences, real estate and electronics.
This success puts him in a strong position as he seeks to further strengthen Deerns’ market position in Spain. Speaking of his appointment, Ricardo said: “I’m honoured to take over this role from Miquel. Spain is a flourishing marketplace with a wealth of opportunities across the sectors we serve. Miquel has led the team with professionalism, wisdom and generosity and leaves a strong business behind as his legacy. I’m looking forward to building on his efforts.”
Tjerk van der Meer, CEO of Deerns said: “Miquel’s contribution to Deerns since joining us in 2013 has played a pivotal role in our success especially in Spain. Under his guidance the Spanish team has grown steadily, he oversaw the opening of our second office in the country, this one in Madrid, and we made great progress in securing major projects across our key sectors.
“Miquel and the team in Spain have worked hard to support our clients, helping them explore opportunities and giving them access to our global network of engineering consultancy professionals. I have no doubt that Ricardo will continue Miquel’s work with enthusiasm and energy and I look forward to working with him as we pursue an ambitious growth strategy for our Spanish operation.”
While Deerns already enjoys a strong track record in Spain in the data centre and real estate sectors, the company is increasingly gaining traction in the country’s developing electronics sector. Deerns recently joined Spain’s semiconductor industry Association (AESEMI). The association seeks to promote and represent Spain’s semiconductor industry, fostering innovation and encouraging collaboration between companies and research institutions. Deerns’ participation supports this mission by bringing strong technical expertise and a strategic perspective that will help position Spain as a key player in the global semiconductor landscape.
Ricardo continues: “Deerns’ reputation in the Spanish real estate sector ensures we are increasingly sought after for our expertise in sustainability and innovation particularly for projects in the growing data centre sector. This track-record and our ability to draw on global expertise and best practice ensure we are well-positioned to help meet client needs in Spain’s rapidly evolving semiconductor industry. Our experience in delivering end-to-end design of manufacturing plants and high-tech laboratories, including NanoTech and Photonics facilities, is helping us support and guide Spain’s national microelectronics ecosystem.”
Ricardo will be based in Barcelona and takes up the role from March 2026.
