Work & Activities

Joaquín Arias y Díaz de Rábago was also director of several societies, originally linked to Pedro Barrié de la Maza. In 1969, he was nominated as director of Banco Pastor and was also the vice-president from 1973 to 2002. In 1969, he became director of Fenosa as well, and was on the council created as a result of the fusion Unión-Fenosa, being also the secretary and vice-president up to 1991. He was also director of Hullas de Coto Cortés, MZOV and La Toja, S.A.
Joaquín Arias contributed to promote Galicia’s development by means of cultural, educative and research initiatives, almost ever thanks to Pedro Barrié de la Maza Foundation. He collaborated with Carmela, his sister, Countess of FENOSA and president of the foundation created by Pedro Barrié de la Maza, her husband, since 1971. Joaquín Arias acted as the first executive director of the entity until 1999 and promoted pioneer programmes for Galicia such as scholarships for all teaching levels; building and equipment of technical schools (Architecture School of A Coruña and Industrial Engineering School of Vigo, germ of the future universities of A Coruña and Vigo); cataloguing and publication of the Galician historical, musical, documentary and natural heritage; introduction of new technologies in teaching and emblematic restorations of artistic heritage such as those carried out at the Porch of Glory and Maestro Mateo Choir.
He was a member of Barrié de la Maza Calculus Centre, of the Galician Language Institute and Pedro Barrié de la Maza Neurologic Science Institute (University of Santiago), president of the Economic and Social Council of the University of A Coruña, and president of the Patronage of the University Colllege of Social Work, attached to the University of Santiago.
He was also a member of the Consello da Cultura Galega, vice-president of Juana de Vega Foundation and member of the Patronage of Pontevedra Museum. He was a member of Nuestra Señora del Rosario Art Academy and of the Galician Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation.