“Once telephone, always telephone“.
Those are the words with which José María Álvarez-Palleteuntil now President of Telefónica, He has said goodbye to the company. The director has submitted his resignation from the position he has held for almost nine years at the request of the board of directors, which has appointed Marc Murtra, who until now served as President of Indra, as the new President.
The change has occurred, as Telefónica has indicated in a statement, at the proposal of the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI)the largest shareholder of Telefónica, and has also had the support of the rest of the main shareholders, including CriteriaCaixa and BBVA.
Telefónica has promised to embark on a new stage with the change produced
Murtra’s appointment has been carried out, according to the company, “in view of Telefónica’s new shareholder structure and that some of its relevant shareholders have expressed the convenience of undertaking a new stage in the Executive Presidency”.
On the occasion of his departure from the company, Álvarez-Pallete has made balance of his time at Telefónicaand has taken the opportunity to express his gratitude to colleagues and professionals with whom he has collaborated. To this end, he has made two publications on his LinkedIn and X profiles -formerly Twitter-.
He has described as “chance” and “privilege” having been part of the company team for 25 years. “Telefónica has been much more than a place of work for me. It has been my home and my school. Here I have met the brightest and best prepared professionals. Here I have grown up with all of you”, he commented. “Together we have been able to transform challenges into opportunities, to turn the impossible into possible, to make the bad something good, and the good something, if possible, even better.”.
In addition to thanking the enthusiasm and generosity of the team, he has also thanked the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the trust during the years in which he has been president. And, in the same way, He has also asked for trust for those who now take over.Marc Murtra.
“Thank you for every moment you have given me and for every step we have taken together. It has been a great honor”; Álvarez-Pallete expressed in a post on LinkedIn. “With a heart full of gratitude and feeling deeply proud of all of you, I ask that you put the same commitment, loyalty and passion that you have shown me at the disposal of the new president”.
The manager also has predicted prosperity for the company. “Leadership is a journey that, like life itself, is made up of countless chapters. The one that begins now, I have no doubt, will be full of opportunities that will allow Telefónica to reach new heights and achieve new successes.”, he pointed out. “Telefónica’s future will be as bright as its past and present have been”.
The legacy of Álvarez-Pallete
Under the leadership of José María Álvarez-Pallete Telefónica has promoted its digital transformation and that of the Spanish business fabric, betting on technologies such as 5G or artificial intelligence. It has diversified the company’s portfolio of products and services, betting, for example, on the acquisition of Prosegur; and has promoted the entertainment offer with alliances such as the one established with Netflix and other streaming services.
Álvarez-Pallete has led the organization from the perspective of humanistic transformation of technologypromoting responsible and conscious use of digital tools. Its vision has always been to put technology at the service of citizens and society, and people at the center of progress and innovation.
In the field of marketing and communication, with Álvarez-Pallete at the helm, the company has renewed its logo and visual identity, and has celebrated its centenary with dozens of actions and initiatives. Among other things, Telefónica received the Eficacia Award for the Advertising Career of a Brand, presented by the Eficacia Awards Jury Club.