Nombramientos

💸 Luis Gallego, CEO of the IAG group, is set for a salary increase from 3.1 million pounds (approx. 3.7 million euros) in 2023 to 4.6 million pounds (about 5.5 million euros) this year. In 2020, Gallego's salary was less than one million pounds. IAG's share value doubled from 150 to 366 pence in a year. Gallego's 2023 compensation included a 1 million pound salary, 1.5 million in annual incentives, and 2.1 million in long-term incentives.

🏨 Céline Vercollier, CFO at B&B Hotels since 2017, appointed CEO. Fabrice Collet, CEO since 2019 and with the group since 2012, now Executive Chairman, focusing on strategic diversification. Damien Martin joins as CFO, formerly with Babilou Group for ten years. B&B HOTELS aims for growth in Europe and strategic diversifications, leveraging a 35-year legacy of unique and innovative hospitality experiences.

🏨 Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced leadership changes on Wednesday, aiming for a more agile and brand-focused model. Marc Jacheet, with over 25 years of experience, will join as Group President for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East starting March 17, 2025, and transitioning fully by July 1, 2025. Javier Águila, who led the EAME region since 2022, becomes Chief Growth Officer on July 1, 2025, and also President of Inclusive Collection from March 1, 2025. Jim Chu, the current Chief Growth Officer since 2022, takes on the role of Head of Owner Relations on July 1, 2025. Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt, emphasizes the importance of experienced leadership and strategic role assignments for the company’s future agility and performance.

🎭 Ricardo Fernández de la Puente Armas has been appointed as the new Director of Institutional Relations at Grupo Loro Parque, aiming to strengthen relationships with public and private entities and consolidate leadership in sustainability and conservation. With over 20 years in tourism, Fernández has held significant roles in both the public and private sectors, including Member of Parliament in the Canary Islands, Vice Minister of Tourism, and positions at Promotur Islas Canarias, HECANSA, Ashotel, and FREDICA. Additionally, he has served as president of the Elder Museum Foundation and Canarias Congress Bureau and has been involved with Teide National Park. Wolfgang Kiessling, President and Founder of Grupo Loro Parque, values Fernández's extensive experience and believes it will significantly contribute to the group's sustainable tourism and conservation efforts.

💵 Andrés Spitzer, formerly of Amazon, has been appointed as the new Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Civitatis, focusing on scalability, B2B and B2C growth, and customer experience enhancement. Civitatis is bolstering its B2B ecosystem, particularly through improved distribution channels like APIs, agency dashboards, and direct integrations. The company aims for a 40% sales growth by 2025, following a $50 million investment from Vitruvian Partners. Spitzer brings experience from Amazon and as a founder of a startup acquired by Europcar in 2012. Civitatis targets Latin America for expansion in both B2C and B2B segments.

💸 Andrés Spitzer appointed as the new Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Civitatis, aiming to increase sales by 40% in 2025. Formerly a product and engineering director at Amazon Business and co-founder of car-sharing platform Bluemove, acquired by Europcar in 2012, Spitzer's role focuses on enhancing scalability, expanding B2B and B2C business, with a strategic priority on Latin America, and improving customer experience.

✈️ Air traffic controllers bid farewell to Captain Carlos Chiarri on his final flight before retirement after nearly 40 years in aviation with Aviaco and Iberia. The tribute was shared on the controllers' Twitter account (@controladores), with well-wishes for his retirement and time with family. He is described as a "grandísima persona" and encouraged to enjoy retirement with his colleague Esperanza.

💀 Australian couple Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin experienced a distressing flight from Melbourne to Doha, where a fellow passenger tragically died en route. The incident occurred four hours away from the nearest airport, forcing the crew to leave the deceased in her seat due to her size, which prevented moving her to business class. The couple's journey was to continue from Doha to Venice for a European trip. Following the event, there was criticism towards Qatar Airways for the handling of the situation and the lack of support for the passengers.

🏠 Javier Escriche, former Commercial Director at Valentín Hotels with 15 years of experience, has been recruited by Opentours as Senior Advisor for Management and Corporate Governance. Escriche has previously worked with entities like Mundicolor/Iberia and Turimar. Angel Martín, CEO of Opentours, expressed enthusiasm for leveraging Escriche's extensive market knowledge to drive the company's expansion, coinciding with its upcoming 60th anniversary. Escriche is excited to return to the tourist intermediation sector and contribute to digitalization and innovation initiatives.

🏦 Javier Escriche joins Opentours as a senior management and corporate governance advisor after 15 years as Commercial Director at Valentín Hotels in Spain. His career includes roles at Mundicolor/Iberia, Turimar, Puente del Mundo, and Días Libres-Relax Tours. CEO Ángel Martín notes Escriche's market knowledge and industry relationships will drive group expansion. Escriche is excited to return to tourism intermediation and contribute to the company's digitalization and sector transformation.