A new opportunity for Carlos Cuerpo

A new opportunity has arisen for Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo to become president of the Eurogroup, now that the current president, Paschal Donohoe, has resigned to head the World Bank. Air Europa also has a new CEO following the departure of Jesús Nuño de la Rosa, and Josep Santacreu will be the new president of ASCAME. These are the week's most notable appointments:

The Eurogroup president resigns to head the World Bank

Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe has resigned this week as Ireland's finance minister and as president of the Eurogroup, the monthly meeting of European Union finance ministers, to take up the post of director general of the World Bank.

Donohoe's move opens the door to the possibility that Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo may again attempt to lead the European body. He already tried unsuccessfully last May, when the Irishman retained the position. For the moment, Cuerpo neither confirms nor denies whether he will run again.

Air Europa appoints Richard Clark as CEO

Air Europa has appointed Richard Clark, the company's current managing director, as its new CEO. Clark will replace Jesús Nuño de la Rosa, who has reached an amicable agreement with the company to leave his post. The new CEO of Air Europa joined the company in 1987. In this new phase,markedFollowing Turkish Airlines' investment, Clark will lead the airline's international expansion. The new CEO will work to "strengthen thehub"Madrid as a bridge between continents" and moving forward hand in hand with its strategic partners to offer its customers "a unique experience."

Josep Maria Recasens, new director of strategy and product at Renault

Renault has announced the appointment of Josep Maria Recasens as Chief Strategy and Product Officer. This change is part of a company restructuring aimed at simplifying the organization and increasing its agility. Recasens will be responsible for defining the strategy to maintain the group's positive momentum, guiding product choices for the coming years, and coordinating their implementation to ensure the success of the future alignment. In addition to his new role, Recasens will continue as CEO of the Iberian Peninsula countries and CEO of Ampere until the transformation process is complete.

Recasens has a long track record in the automotive sector. A graduate in engineering and with an MBA, he began his career at SEAT in 2002, where he held various positions in R&D, product planning, and international project management, before being appointed strategy director and public affairs director. In June 2021, he joined Renault as strategy and business development director. When Ampere—Renault's electric vehicle division—was created on November 1, 2023, Recasens assumed the role of Ampere's COO, before becoming CEO in 2025 to drive the transformation towards electric and software-based mobility.

Josep Santacreu, new president of ASCAME

The president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu, has been elected president of the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) by the institution's executive committee. The creation of the ASCAME Senate, a new body to be chaired by the outgoing president, Ahmed El Wakil, was also agreed upon.

ASCAME, together with leading business organizations in Europe, Africa, and the Arab world, launched the Barcelona Declaration for Mediterranean Economic Development this week, which includes 30 initiatives to strengthen cooperation, boost innovation, and foster sustainable prosperity in the region.

The Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) is an international non-profit organization representing the Mediterranean private sector. It brings together Chambers of Commerce and Industry and similar entities from 23 countries on both shores of the region. ASCAME comprises more than 300 chambers of commerce and industry and defends the interests of millions of businesses throughout the Mediterranean region.

Santander hires the CEO of Sanitas

Banco Santander has hired Iñaki Peralta, CEO of Sanitas, to head the bank's global health insurance division, according to Europa Press. He will also assume the role of head of insurance for Santander Spain. Peralta replaces Francisco Giménez Bosch, who is leaving the financial institution.

In mid-September, Sanitas announced the appointment of Carlos Jaureguizar as CEO of Sanitas, as well as of Bupa in Europe and Latin America, replacing Peralta. The change in Sanitas' leadership will take effect on January 1, 2026. Peralta joins Santander after accumulating a career of approximately 20 years at Sanitas, where he has held various positions of responsibility.

Celestino García, new CEO of AMETIC

The board of directors of AMETIC, the voice of the digital industry, has appointed Celestino García as the association's new general manager.

García has over three decades of experience in senior management positions in the telecommunications sector. He began his career at Telefónica Group and later joined Ericsson as an account director. He then moved to Samsung, where he held various positions of responsibility, eventually becoming the company's corporate vice president for the Spanish and Portuguese markets. He combines his business experience with teaching as an associate professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).