The executive president of Telefónica, César Alierta, resigns

After almost 16 years in office, Alierta closes his stage as executive president of the multinational. José María Álvarez-Pallete will replace him in the position.

César Alierta, at 70 years old, leaves the executive presidency of Telefónica. About to turn 16 years in office, Alierta will propose José María Álvarez-Pallete as his replacement at the head of the multinational. The Board of Directors of Telefónica will study this appointment at its next meeting on April 8.

Alierta will continue to be part of the Board of Directors of Telefónica, a position he has held for four years before becoming President, and will also focus his contributions on social and progress issues such as Digital Education and the Executive Presidency of Fundación Telefónica.

Under the Presidency of César Alierta, Telefónica has gone from being a prominent player in the telecommunications sector in Spain and Latin America, to becoming a leader in the main markets that have represented its strategic commitment; Brazil, Germany, Spain and Latin America.

During his mandate, Alierta has placed Telefónica at the forefront of global telecommunications, getting ahead of the competition in making strategic decisions that became a trend, such as the amortization of UMTS licenses or the creation of Telefónica Digital.

A little more than three years ago, in 2012, César Alierta appointed José María Álvarez-Pallete as CEO, thus beginning a process that will conclude on April 8 with his appointment as Executive President.

The “successor”

José María Álvarez-Pallete was born in Madrid in 1963 and has a degree in Economic Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid and the Free University of Brussels. “International Management Program” by IPADE and Diploma of Advanced Studies by the Complutense University of Madrid.

At just 35 years old, Álvarez Pallete joined Telefónica as General Director of Finance of Telefónica Internacional. It was in February 1999 and came from CEMEX. Months later he became the General Directorate of Corporate Finance.

With the arrival of Alierta to the presidency in 2000, he was confirmed in his position and, later, in 2002, appointed president of Telefónica Internacional and then president of Telefónica Latin America, a position he held until his appointment as executive president of Telefónica Europe in 2011. A year later he assumed the position of CEO of Telefónica, having been a member of the Board of Directors since July 2006.

With these credentials and after taking on the day-to-day operations at a global level from his position as CEO of the Company, Alierta has considered Álvarez-Pallete as the executive best prepared to facilitate the replacement and once again position Telefónica at the forefront, this time in the digital sector.