The minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has confirmed the following positions: Juan Ignacio Díaz as Cabinet leader, Xiana Méndez as Secretary of State for Trade, Isabel Oliver as Secretary of State for Tourism, Raúl Blanco as Secretary-General for Industry and SMEs, Fernando Valdés as Deputy Secretary and Pablo Garde as Technical Secretary-General.
The management team for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism for the new term of office is the same as the team that has been working since June 2018 under the head of department.
Ministry cabinet leader
During its meeting on 14 January, the Cabinet approved the Royal Decree for the appointment of Juan Ignacio Díaz Bidart as Cabinet leader for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
He is an expert in tourism economics, market competition and public economy. He holds a degree in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid, as well as a Global MBA from EAE Business School, a Master’s degree in Business Direction, Management and Organisation from Camilo Jose Cela University, a Global CCO from Esade, a Public Affairs Programme from Comillas Pontifical University and Mas Consulting Group and an Agri-Food Company Senior Management Programme from the San Telmo International Institute. He was secretary-general and manager of Marcas de Restauración for 14 years, a member of the Serving Europe board of directors and a spokesperson at the Spanish Confederation of Entrepreneurial Organisations Assembly. He has also been a member of the PAOS Code Monitoring Commissions, the Nutrition Observatory at the Spanish Agency for Consumption, Food Safety and Nutrition, and the Monitoring Commission for the Ministry of Agriculture’s “More food, less waste” Strategy, as well as of the Hospitality Innovation Planet Council and the Spanish Agency for Commercial Codification – Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés Association Joint Committee.
He was an associate professor at Carlos III University, where he taught modules in Public Economics, Industrial Organisation, Financial Management and Game Theory. He has also given classes at the University of Barcelona on its European Master’s programme in Consumption and at the CEU–GASMA University on its Master’s programme in Food and Beverage Management. He has spoken at conferences on Tourism and entrepreneurship. He was a councillor for Torrelodones town council (Madrid). He is a member of the Aena Administration Council.
Deputy Secretary
Fernando Valdés is a career civil servant at the State Senior Body of Civil Administrators. He holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Carlos III University (Madrid) and a Master’s degree in International Relations and African Studies from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He held the position of general deputy director of Digitalisation of Industry and Collaborative Environments in General Industry and SME Management, director of the Management department of the State Public Policy and Service Quality Assessment Agency (AEVAL), advisory member of the Secretary of State for Public Administration cabinet and general deputy director of the Budgetary Office in the Ministry for Economics and Competitiveness.
Secretary of State for Trade
Xiana Margarida Méndez Bértolo holds a degree in Law and Business Management and Administration from Comillas Pontifical University. In 2004, she entered the State Senior Body of Economic and Commercial Experts. She began her professional career in the Ministry of Economics’ Service for the Defence of Competition. Between 2013 and 2015, she held different positions in the Ministry of Economics’ General Directorate of Economic Policy, specialising in the official credit and transport and infrastructure sectors. From August 2015 up until her appointment as the Secretary of State for Trade, she was the Spanish councillor for Economics and Trade in Quito (Ecuador).
Secretary of State for Tourism
Isabel Oliver Sagreras holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of the Balearic Islands and is a career civil servant in the Balearic Islands’ Management Body for Regional Administration. In 1999, she was appointed General Technical Secretary of the local government’s Council for Tourism, a position she held until 2003. Between 2004 and 2008, she was an MP in the 8th legislature Congress for the PSIB–PSOE party. Between 2007 and 2012, she worked as Executive Councillor for Economy and Tourism for the local government of Mallorca. Between 2011 and her appointment as the Secretary of State for Tourism in 2018, she was an MP in the Balearic Parliament.
Secretary-General for Industry and SMEs
Raül Blanco Díaz holds a degree in Economics and a post-graduate degree in Local and Regional Development from the University of Barcelona. He began his professional career in 1999 in the Government of Catalonia, where he held various positions and roles, always within the field of public policy on matters regarding industry, innovation and economic promotion. Until his appointment as Secretary-General for Industry and SMEs, he was a line manager for Economic Development and Employment for L’Hospitalet de Llobregat city council.
He was a professor of Applied Economics in the Economics and Business department of the University of Barcelona and at Rovira i Virgili University and worked with the Centre for International Studies at the University of Barcelona.
Technical Secretary-General
Pablo Garde Lobo is a qualified member of the State Senior Body of Civil Administrators. He holds a degree in Law from the Autonomous University of Madrid, a Master’s degree in Public Management from the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the School of Industrial Organisation, an Executive Master’s degree in the Management of Financial Entities from the Institute of Stock Market Studies and a diploma in Tax Law and Public Finance from the Centre of Tax and Economic Studies. Until his appointment in June 2018, he held the position of deputy technical secretary-general at the Ministry of Economics, Industry and Competitiveness.
He has worked as an associate professor in Finance and Tax Law at Carlos III University and a professor of the Tax Consultancy and Corporate Legal Consultancy Master’s programmes at Comillas Pontifical University.
Paradors
Óscar López will continue as Chairman of the Spanish Paradors, S.M.E., S.A. He holds a degree in Political Science with joint honours in International Studies and Public Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid. He took a post-graduate course in international economics at Newcastle University. Between 2004 and 2011, he was an MP for the PSOE party, and a spokesperson for the Socialist group at the Cortes of Castile and Leon between 2011 and 2015. Between 2012 and 2014, he was Secretary of Organisation for the PSOE. In 2015, he was appointed as Senator for the Cortes of Castile and Leon, a position he held until 2018. He was the spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs commission and for the Socialist parliamentary group.
SEGITTUR
Enrique Martínez will continue as Chairman of the State Company for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technology, S.A.M.P. (SEGITTUR). He holds a degree in Political Science and Sociology from the Complutense University of Madrid, a Master’s degree in Public Management, a Master’s degree in Leadership and Public Management, an expert-level course in Policy and Service Quality Evaluation and a Diploma in “New Forms of Leadership and Political Transformation”. He held positions at the Secretariat of State for Information Society and Digital Agenda (SESIAD), the UNE, the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) and the National Council for Public Security (CNSP). Moreover, he worked as Directorate General for the National Institute for Communication Technologies (now INCIBE), as well as the Management of the Telecommunications Observatory for the Red.es Information Society and the Management of the Technical Office.
