CaixaBank restructures its management committee

The last executive recruitment window of the year brings changes to CaixaBank, which this week unveiled a revamped management committee, most notably the appointment of Jordi Mondéjar as the bank's new business director. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical company Hipra will have two new members on its board of directors, and Marc Murtra continues to restructure Telefónica's top management. These are the week's most prominent appointments:

Jordi Mondéjar, CaixaBank's new business director on a revamped management committee

CaixaBank's board of directors has approved a new composition for its management committee, chaired by Gonzalo Gortázar (pictured), the bank's chief executive. Jordi Mondéjar, the current head of risk, has been appointed as the new head of business, replacing Jaume Masana.

The sustainability area, which will now report to the business unit, will also incorporate social action. Likewise, the current risk management department will be divided into two areas: a credit risk assessment and monitoring department, which will be led by Manuel Galarza, currently the compliance, control, and public affairsand a risk management and compliance department, headed by Natividad Capella, who will join the management committee. Jaume Masana will assume the role of CEO of SegurCaixa Adeslas, replacing Javier Murillo. To facilitate a structured transition, Javier Murillo will continue as CEO of SegurCaixa Adeslas, with Jaume Masana serving as deputy CEO, until his replacement, scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. Mariona Vicens will retain her position as head of digital transformation and advanced analyticswhich will also group the areas of payments & consumer and imagineJordi Nicolau and Anna Canela will continue as CEOs of CaixaBank, respectively. payments & consumer and imagineThe accounting, management control and capital department, headed by Matthias Bulach, will also integrate the area of public affairsAll these changes are subject to approval by the European Central Bank.

Hipra adds two new members to its board of directors

The biotechnology pharmaceutical company Hipra has appointed Carles Pascual and Montse Montaner as new members of its board of directors, a strategic move that reflects "the desire to drive a new phase of transformation and growth," according to the company. Carles Pascual, a law graduate from the University of Barcelona and an MBA from Esade, has spent more than three decades at Werfen, where he held management positions, playing a key role in its international expansion and consolidating the company as a global leader in diagnostics. in vitro.

Montse Montaner, a pharmacy graduate from the University of Barcelona and with experience in executive programs at Harvard Business School and IESE, has over 25 years of experience in the international pharmaceutical industry, where she has held top management positions at companies such as Novartis and Sanofi. Her specialization in quality, regulatory compliance, and risk management has led her to manage quality in various manufacturing plants, technical laboratories, and third-party networks.

Juan Azcue, new director of finance and corporate development at Telefónica

Telefónica's board of directors approved this week, at the proposal of its executive chairman, Marc Murtra, the appointment of Juan Azcue as chief financial officer and corporate development officer, and Ernesto Gardelliano as chief strategy officer and executive control officer. The unification of the finance and corporate development functions under Azcue's responsibility "will allow us to face upcoming challenges with a more global and cohesive vision," according to the company. telecomAzcue has over 20 years of experience in M&A transactions and has been a member of Telefónica's executive committee since January 2025. A graduate in economics and business administration from the Complutense University of Madrid, he began his career at KPMG's Madrid office in 2019. In 2004, he joined Telefónica's mergers and acquisitions team, where he participated in the execution of landmark transactions such as the purchase of O2, the privatization of Cesky Telecom, and the acquisition of 50% of Vivo. In 2019, he assumed leadership of this area and has since led the execution of strategic transactions, such as the merger of O2 with Virgin Media in the UK and the sale of Telxius' tower business. Carolina Herrero, new manager of the Airline Association (ALA)

The board of directors of the Airline Association (ALA) has proposed, subject to ratification by the general assembly, Carolina Herrero as the association's new manager. In her new role, succeeding Agapito Maricalva, who will leave ALA in February, Herrero will focus on institutional representation and strategic coordination for the association, a position from which she will foster dialogue with public administrations, regulatory bodies, and key stakeholders in air transport.

Herrero will also replace Agapito Maricalva as president of AOC Spain (Airline Operators Committee), where she will continue to strengthen the coordination of joint actions within the sector and the collective representation of local operators' committees before Aena and other organizations linked to the aviation industry. Since 2020, Carolina Herrero has been responsible for communications and institutional relations at ALA. With over two decades of experience, her career also includes serving as communications director for ACETA, managing an international plan, and ten years of consulting and communications work in the Spanish Congress of Deputies, after beginning her journalistic career at Europa Press.