Air Europa informs the Official Journal of the Commercial Registry (Borme) that its president, Juan José Hidalgo, is also the new co-CEO of the company. The information was published by Borme last Tuesday, December 2, accompanied by the dismissals of the two … SEPI advisors, César Hernandez Blanco and Juan Manuel Bujiawho left the company almost three weeks ago after repaying to the public holding company the 475 million loan that the airline received during the pandemic.
This appointment coincides with that of Richard Clark also officially announced by Air Europa as the new CEO on November 18, replacing Jesus Nuño de la Rosawho abandoned ship after the state left the company. But in the Borme For now, there is no record of the promotion of the current general director of the company, although Hidalgo’s appointment was signed a week later, on November 25. Airline sources confirm that Richard Clark has been named CEO and Juan José Hidalgo is executive chairman, “the highest position in the company.”
With the title of co-CEO, Juan José Hidalgo will be able to make decisions alone without being subject to Richard Clarkwith which it will in practice share the executive functions of the airline.
The truth is, as he himself said, Juan Jose Hidalgo According to this newspaper, his intention was to take over as CEO of the company, at least temporarily. He also assured during this conversation that a member of Turkish Airlines, the Turkish national airline, which paid 300 million euros to acquire 26% of Air Europa, would soon join the company’s board of directors.
The operation must now go through several analyzes in Spain and Brussels which will last between six months and a year, but the Ottoman airline has already disbursed this money by means of a loan exchangeable for shares. While waiting for these permits to be obtained, everything indicates that the Turkish-flagged airline will have a member to monitor its investments.