El Corte Inglés changes CEOs again after just eight months

El Corte Inglés is changing CEOs yet again: the board of directors unanimously appointed Javier Catena as CEO, while Santiago Bau is leaving the company after just eight months. Catena will be the seventh CEO of the Spanish department store chain in just a few years.

Back in the saddle

Catena’s appointment is the first major strategic decision under the leadership of Cristina Álvarez, who took over from her sister Marta Álvarez as chair of the board of directors in January. She is bringing Javier Catena back, as he had left his position as COO of the department store chain in October 2025.