Javier Sánchez-Prieto, 51, today replaces Luis Gallego as Executive Chairman of the Iberia Group.
“It’s an honour and a great satisfaction to return to Iberia, despite the hard times the airline industry is experiencing,” Sánchez-Prieto commented. “In recent years the Iberia team has demonstrated that it is able to meet all sorts of challenges and difficulties and has become a real success story. I’m certain that together we can pull it off once again.”
Iberia’s new chief holds a degree in economics and business from Madrid´s Complutense university, and a technical aviation engineering degree from Madrid’s Politécnica university.
He served as Iberia’s Strategic Planning and Finance Manager during the period in which the company returned to profitability following several years of losses.
Previously, he had been a member of the founding team of the low-cost Iberia Express unit, with responsibility for strategic planning, finance. purchasing, IT systems, the aircraft fleet, human resources, and legal affairs.
Earlier in his career, Sánchez-Prieto held a series of positions in the Uralita building materials group, working in strategy and as general business manager. Previously he had worked in the maintenance, strategy, and management control departments of Air Nostrum.
