José María Palencia Saucedo has been Chief Executive Officer of World Duty Free Group (including Aldeasa, World Duty Free, Alpha Group and HMSHost) since September 2010. He joined Aldeasa in 2001 and was Managing Director until 2005, when he became Chief Executive Officer. He has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since 2001, and he is also a member of the Board of Directors of CANARIENSIS.

José María has previously worked with Acerinox, Mitsui & Company, Andersen Consulting, Ministry of Economy and Finance and Eurocofin. He has a degree in Economics and Business Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Luigi Bocconi University, Milan.