John Hoffman will become President of GSMA Ltd., the organisation behind Barcelona's Mobile World Congress (MWC), from 1 July. Sianne Ryder will succeed him as Chief Executive Officer. Meanwhile, Francesc Fajula is stepping down as CEO of the Mobile World Capital Barcelona Foundation (FMWCB) this May.

New Leadership at Mobile World Congress Organiser

John Hoffman's new role as President of GSMA Ltd. is a newly created position. He will focus on developing strategic relationships with host cities, including Barcelona, Shanghai, and Doha. Hoffman served as CEO for two decades, playing a decisive role in shaping the mobile industry and driving the growth of GSMA's events and services.

Sianne Ryder will take over as CEO of GSMA Ltd. from 1 July. She has led business units across three continents since joining GSMA in 2005. Ryder's achievements include developing MWC Shanghai. Bob Puglielli will continue as the operational lead for the congress. His title has changed to reflect his current responsibilities as Director of Event Operations.

Mobile World Capital Barcelona CEO Departs

Francesc Fajula is leaving his position as CEO of the Mobile World Capital Barcelona Foundation this month. Fajula assumed the leadership role in July 2022, succeeding Carles Grau. His nearly four-year tenure saw the public-private entity focus on a more humanistic vision of technology. This included an emphasis on social impact and services rather than solely infrastructure.

During Fajula's leadership, the foundation launched several initiatives. These include the Talent Arena, a digital talent event held alongside MWC, and the Tech & Play festival. He also supported the production of the Day One series for Amazon Prime Video. The foundation consolidated sector studies, such as the Tech Hubs Overview and the Digital Talent Overview. The latter is due for release at the end of May. Under Fajula's direction, the FMWCB claims to have helped around 300 companies. It also contributed to creating 750 jobs in the technology sector.

The FMWCB's board includes the Ajuntament de Barcelona, the Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Spanish government. GSMA, Fira de Barcelona, Telefónica, Vodafone, Orange, Damm, and CaixaBank are also members. Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni currently chairs this board. The board will designate Fajula's successor in upcoming assemblies. La Vanguardia reported in March that Fajula is a leading candidate to direct the Iberian AI gigafactory project. This initiative aims to strengthen technological sovereignty in Europe.

Banc Sabadell Appoints New Chief Executive

Banc Sabadell, a major Catalan bank, has also seen a significant executive change. Its shareholders' meeting certified the replacement of CEO César González-Bueno this week. Marc Armengol now occupies the position. Armengol has a 25-year history with Banc Sabadell. He previously served as the chief executive of TSB, the bank's British subsidiary. Banc Sabadell recently sold TSB to Santander for 3.3 billion euros.

Armengol addressed shareholders, receiving an ovation. He spoke about the banking sector's current period of transformation, competition, and technological prominence. He committed to maintaining personal client relationships and supporting businesses. This will combine with the use of technology. Armengol stated the bank would remain closely tied to the region following the TSB sale. He did not rule out alliances or acquisitions in areas where the bank seeks to strengthen client services. Digitalisation of business for companies and SMEs is a key focus. Armengol concluded, "We will not be the biggest, but we will be the closest to client needs, the quickest to offer solutions and the most oriented towards anticipating and proposing new solutions in a period of rapid changes."

Further Executive Moves Across Catalan Business

Roca Group, a Catalan company specialising in bathroom products, will propose new board members at its general meeting on 18 June. The company plans to add Pau Relat, President of Fira de Barcelona and MatHolding, Julio Rodríguez, President of Molins cement company, and Ramon Casals, General Director of Editorial Casals. If accepted, this will increase the board from 8 to 11 seats. The company states this move supports its growth strategy and desire to strengthen governance.

EDreams, an online travel agency of Catalan origin, announced Christoph Dieterle as its new Chief Financial Officer. This follows David Elizaga's personal decision to leave the role. Elizaga will continue as a non-executive board member. Dieterle joined eDreams after the acquisition of Budgetplaces.com in 2017. His previous role was Director of Retail and Products. This transition aims to help eDreams achieve its multi-year goals. These include reaching 13 million Prime members and exceeding 270 million euros in EBITDA by the 2030 fiscal year.

Separately, Luis de Guindos, the Vice-President of the European Central Bank, will start collaborating with IESE in September. His mandate at the ECB board expires on 31 May. Europa Press reported he will be a distinguished fellow, not a formal professor. De Guindos served as Spain's Minister of Economy and Competitiveness from 2011 to 2018. IESE stated his involvement would bring "a direct and high-level vision" on the financial sector. His activity will primarily centre on the Madrid campus. These executive changes reflect a dynamic period for Barcelona's and Catalonia's business and technology sectors, with new leaders stepping into critical roles.

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Originally published by Ara Cat. Read original article.