José María Álvarez-Pallete Chairman and CEO Telefónica Latin America Madrid

Wharton Speaker >> Biography

Mr. Álvarez-Pallete has a degree in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid. He also studied Economics at the Université Libre in Belgium, holds an international Management Programme from IPADE and an Advance Research Degree from the Complutense University of Madrid.

He was appointed Chairman and CEO of Telefónica Internacional, S.A. in July 2002, Managing Director Latin America and member of the Board of Telefónica, S.A. in July 2006, and Chairman and CEO of Telefónica Latin America in Mach 2009.

He began his professional career with Auditors Arthur Young in 1987, before joining Benito & Monjardín / Kidder, Peabody & Co. in 1988. After this, in 1995 he joined the Company of Cementos Portland (Cemex) as head of the Investor Relations and Studies Department. In 1996 he was promoted to Financial Manager for Spain, and in 1998, to General Manager for Administration and Finance responsible for the Cemex Group´s interests in Indonesia and member of the Board of Cemex Asia, Ltd.

In February 1999 he joined the Telefónica Group as a General Manager of Finance for Telefónica Internacional, S.A. In September of the same year was given the post of General Manager of Corporate Finance in Telefónica, S.A.