Strategic CEO Moves Within IAG’s Spanish Airlines: Sansavini Joins Iberia, Martinoli to Lead Vueling

Within the framework of the presentation of its financial and operational results for 2023, International Airlines Group (IAG) announced significant movements in the leadership of its Spain-based airlines.

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Marco Sansavini, current CEO and president of Vueling, will take on the same role at Iberia, replacing Fernando Candela, who had been serving in an interim capacity since May 2023 and will continue as CEO of LEVEL.

On the other hand, Carolina Martinoli, current Director of People, Corporate Affairs, and Sustainability at IAG, will become CEO and president of Vueling.

Sansavini has nearly 30 years of experience in the airline industry, having joined KLM in 1995, where he held various leadership positions, participated in the merger process with Air France, and became Global Business Vice President at the Air France-KLM group. A native of Bologna, Italy, he holds a degree in Economics from the University of Bologna and a Master in Business Administration from IMD Lausanne.

“The last three years have been the most intense and exciting of my professional life, for which I want to thank the great team at Vueling that has made it possible for the company to be stronger and more resilient than ever. It is an honor for me to succeed Fernando Candela at the helm of Iberia and to continue building its future with all the people who are part of this great company,” said the new CEO and president of Iberia.

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New but experienced directions for Vueling

Carolina Martinoli was born in Argentina but grew up in Brazil, where she obtained a degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo, Brazil.

She joined the group in 2011 and, as detailed by Iberia, was part of the team, led by Luis Gallego, that carried out «the successful transformation of Iberia, leading the launch of the new brand and product as Director of Customers, a role she shaped on the Executive Committee of Iberia».

In 2017, she took on the role of Chief Brand and Customer Officer at British Airways, moving in 2021 to IAG as a member of the Executive Committee and the current position of Director of People, Corporate Affairs, and Sustainability of the group.

“Vueling is a dynamic and innovative airline and it will be an honor for me to succeed Marco as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary. I look forward to working with the talented team at Vueling to build together the next chapter of the company. I want to thank Luis for his support and leadership, and my team at IAG for the progress we have made in the last three years,” said Carolina Martinoli.

“Today we have announced IAG’s results for 2023 which are very positive, with more than a doubling in operating margin and profits compared to 2022. With these changes in the Executive Committee, we will continue to implement our strategic priorities, transforming our business, driving sustainable growth, and achieving top-tier industry margins,” added Luis Gallego, CEO of IAG, also emphasizing that resorting to executives from the Executive Committee “is proof of the quality of our professionals”.

“Both Marco and Carolina have already had a significant impact on the transformation of IAG and I know they will continue to do so from their new positions. I would also like to make a special acknowledgment to Fernando Candela who took over the leadership of Iberia in May 2023 after having launched the transformation program of the entire Group. At Iberia, he managed to close the agreement on handling, which is very important for the future of the company,” he concluded.