José María Méndez

José María Méndez is the new CEO of CriteriaCaixa, a holding investment group owned by Fundación La Caixa. He was promoted from his previous role as director general, a position he held until recently. The appointment follows a reorganization of the board by Isidro Fainé, and fills the vacancy left by Ángel Simón's departure in April of the previous year. Méndez had been effectively managing operations since Simón's exit. His promotion to CEO signifies a formalization of his leadership role within CriteriaCaixa and reflects the confidence placed in him by the Fundación La Caixa, which also appointed him to its board of directors. This change in leadership is significant given CriteriaCaixa's role as a major investor in companies like Naturgy, where its influence is considerable.