Antonio Martín Almendros: Lifting a Legacy with the Precision of Jiu-Jitsu
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A jiujitsu technique encapsulates the remarkable trajectory of Antonio Martín Almendros. Known as the Wrestler’s Lift, it involves a forceful yet simple maneuver: from within the closed guard, a fighter rises, secures the opponent’s hip, and lifts, simulating carrying their weight to break their defence. This requires strength, balance, and, crucially, the conviction that bearing the full weight – and lifting it – is the only path forward.
Martín almendros mirrored this approach in his professional life, assuming the weight of his family’s legacy to forge a new business model. That weight manifested as the familiar green trucks of Martin and Sons, a company founded by his great-grandfather and a fixture in the economic and emotional landscape of Las Palmas de Gran canaria for decades – complete with their frequent stops and wall-mounted telephones awaiting dispatch calls.
From Family Business to Logistics Powerhouse
Today, Antonio Martín serves as CEO of Maresa Logistics, a company employing over 500 people and generating between 55 and 60 million euros in annual revenue, with nearly thirty national and international delegations. He also sits on the board of directors of Global Ports Holding, the entity managing the new cruise terminal at the Port of las Palmas, a pivotal strategic project for the Canary Islands.
however, understanding his current position requires a look back at the origins. Family businesses rarely survive beyond the third generation – only 9% do, according to the Family Business Institute. A common Chinese belief suggests a pattern: the first generation creates, the second enjoys, and the third destroys. The Martín family,however,defied this expectation. Antonio represents the fourth generation,proving that these prophecies are not immutable laws.
A Modernization Strategy Forged in Persistence
His career blends university education – from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and The University of Manchester – with early immersion in the family business. He learned the intricacies, limitations, and routines of a model that had functioned for decades but needed conversion to thrive in an increasingly competitive and technologically advanced logistics environment.
Alongside childhood friend Sergio
While publicly known for his business acumen, growth strategies, and vision, Martín’s personal life reveals further insights into his character. He is a dedicated martial arts enthusiast, not a casual practitioner, but a disciplined competitor.He has participated in jiujitsu tournaments and MMA exhibitions, experiences that have honed his ability to manage pressure, analyze opponents, and act decisively even in extreme situations. Those who know him suggest his approach to team management, negotiation, and problem-solving is deeply influenced by this physical and mental training.
adding another unexpected dimension is his passion for electronic music. He frequently attends festivals and DJ sessions, finding in these spaces a blend of collective energy and personal liberation. This environment provides balance, disconnection, and inspiration that some believe informs his leadership style: rhythm, coordination, and active listening.
A New Generation of Canarian Leadership
The convergence of these elements – family tradition, international education, martial arts, music, corporate strategy, logistical expansion, and port development – creates a unique profile. Martín Almendros doesn’t fit the stereotype of a manager secluded in an office. He navigates diverse worlds, integrates them, and imbues them with his own logic. Manny within the sector view him as representative of a new generation of Canarian business leaders: connected to their roots but not constrained by them, aware of inherited responsibilities but willing to innovate without hesitation.
Family businesses, it’s often said, carry meaningful histories.Some falter, others stagnate, but a few choose to embrace that weight, lift it high, and forge a new path. In the case of antonio Martín Almendros, this metaphor finds a precise name: the Wrestler’s Lift. The martial technique embodies a professional journey where raising the legacy wasn’t an act of strength,but a starting point. From there, everything else – the expansion of Maresa Logistics, the Global Ports Holding project, job creation, and sector modernization – stemmed from the same conviction: that every challenge, no matter how daunting, can be overcome with the right approach.
