The Board of Directors of CaixaBank announced a leadership reshuffle reflecting the latest phase after the successful integración with Bankia-CaixaBank. The move aims to reinforce business leadership and sustain warranty for the challenges projected in the banking landscape, according to a detailed company note.
Reports by El Confidencial highlighted a surprising turn as Juan Antonio Alcaraz, long identified as an executive close to Isidro Fainé, chairman of the CaixaBank Foundation and a central figure within the Caixa group for many years, was not retained in his prior role. Market sources note that Alcaraz was a well known figure inside the industry, though relations with the CEO and managing director Gonzalo Gortázar were not uniformly smooth.
The chairman, José Ignacio Goirigolzarri, explained that Alcaraz had served as number three and that the decision was taken for strategic reasons. He acknowledged Alcaraz’s extraordinary contributions since the bank’s formation in 2007. The newly appointed leaders include Jaume Masana Ribalta as the new business director, Mariona Vicens Cuya as the director of digital transformation and advanced analytics, and Jordi Nicolau Aymar as the director of payments and client experiences. This consolidation aligns with ongoing regulatory expectations and the bank’s digital transformation agenda.
The chairman noted that the appointments were part of a broader organizational realignment to ensure the group remains compliant and responsive to a rapidly evolving financial market. The management committee, led by Gortázar, will number 15 members and include three women, reflecting a continued commitment to governance and diversity.
More than 30 years in banking
This veteran leadership spans decades in the financial sector. A holder of a business degree from Alcazar in Madrid and further studies at Cunef, he earned a master’s in business administration from IESE. After a career at Spanish banks including a period with Santander, he joined Sabadell and later held responsibilities across corporate, international, and wholesale banking. He returned to the Caixa group, contributing to multiple strategic initiatives and helping to shape the group’s customer experience and commercial banking domains.
Throughout his tenure, he led divisions in branch networks, retail and premium banking, private banking, and corporate banking. He also presided over CaixaBank Payments and Consumer and served on the board of SegurCaixa Adeslas. He holds positions such as chairman of the Spanish Association of Managers and advisory roles in business promotion bodies. His experience underpins a steady drive toward improved client experience and integrated financial services.
New senior managers
Jaume Masana Ribalta brings a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from ESADE. He joined CaixaBank in 2013 as a regional manager in Catalonia and subsequently led responsibilities at Caixa Manresa and Caixa Catalunya, contributing to regional growth and service delivery.
Mariona Vicens Cuya holds an industrial engineering degree from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She joined CaixaBank in 2012 and has since taken on roles in business development and strategy, including international assignments in Asia and Europe. Earlier in her career she worked with major consulting and pharmaceutical firms, gaining broad experience in transformation initiatives.
Jordi Nicolau Aymar has an economics degree from the University of Barcelona, an MBA from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and a postgraduate diploma from IESE Business School. His career within the organization spans regional leadership in Catalonia and the Barcelona area, with a track record in managing diverse business lines and customer operations.