José Manuel Entrecanales

José Manuel Entrecanales Domecq (born 1 January 1963) is a Spanish businessman and former banker. In 2004, he succeeded his late father as chairman and CEO of Acciona, a global leader in infrastructure, renewable energy and water.[1] In 2019, Forbes ranked him the 85th richest person in Spain, estimating his personal wealth at US$362 million,[2] although his family fortune is estimated at around US$3.6 billion.[3]

José Manuel Entrecanales
At a climate change conference in Barcelona, 2017
Chairman of Acciona
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 January 2004
Chairman of Endesa
In office 18 October 2007 – 24 March 2009
Personal details
Born	1 January 1963 Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Spouse(s)	María Carrión
Children	José Entrecanales Carrión Gonzalo Entrecanales Carrión Clotilde Entrecanales Carrión Gerardo Entrecanales Carrión
Alma mater	Complutense University of Madrid
Occupation	Businessman

Entrecanales has been highlighted as a key leader of a new generation of Spanish businessmen "shaped by family roots but identifying fully with modernisation".[4] He is a firm advocate of the fight against climate change at a corporate level, which earned him the Order of the Rising Sun, as well as being asked to speak frequently at global forums, including the 2019 UN Climate Change Conference.[5]

Biography

José Manuel Entrecanales was born 1 January 1963 in Madrid to an influential family of businessmen.[6] His father was José María Entrecanales y de Azcárate, Chairman of Acciona (son of José Entrecanales e Ibarra, co-founder of the company) and his mother, Blanca Domecq y Zurita, was the daughter of the 2nd Viscount of Almocadén. Entrecanales read Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid.[7][8]

In 1985, he began his career as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch in New York and later, London.[9] Between 1995 and 2007, he was chairman of Vodafone España and between 2007 and 2009 he shared the presidencies of Endesa and Acciona.

Personal life

Entrecanales is married to María Carrión, and has 4 children: José, Gonzalo, Clotilde and Gerardo. His three sons attended Eton College.[10] He is a polo enthusiast as well as a keen golfer with a 5,2 handicap, practising both sports at Puerta de Hierro.[11]

Professional career

He began his career in 1985 in Merrill Lynch, sharing his time between New York and London. He moved to Acciona in 1991. In 1995, the family business bought a majority share package of a mobile company called Airtel and José Manuel Entrecanales was named CEO in 2000, replacing Juan Abelló. In 2003, Vodafone bought Acciona’s shares of Airtel and Entrecanales was the CEO of Vodafone Spain up until October 2007.

In 2004, he inherited the presidency of the Acciona Group from his father. As CEO of Acciona, José Manuel Entrecanales has transformed the construction and engineering company into a global infrastructure, energy and water services company with more than 40,000 employees in 65 countries. In 2007, Acciona bought 25% of Endesa and Entrecanales was named its CEO until they sold its shares in 2009.

Distinctions

An advocate of sustainable development and the fight against climate change, José Manuel Entrecanales is a member of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders of the World Economic Forum, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Global Compact LEAD and the Corporate Leaders Group for Climate Change.

In addition, José Manuel Entrecanales is a Trustee of the Princess of Asturias Foundation,[12] the Princess of Girona Foundation, the Prado Museum and the Alalá Foundation, as well as Vice President of the Fundación Pro CNIC and the Instituto de Empresa Familiar.

He is Chairman of acciona.org, a foundation dedicated to promoting universal access to water and energy. In 2009, he created the Fundación José Manuel Entrecanales Innovación y Emprendimiento para la innovación en sostenibilidad, which, among other things, acts as a business angel for companies to help them improve the use of resources (energy, water, etc.). He has invested in Worldsensing, Waynabox4,[13] Onyx Solar, DEXMA, Aida Centre5,[14] Redbooth, Change your Flight, Biicode and Saluspot.

Honours

• Japan: Order of the Rising Sun (2018)[15]
• Sorolla Medal (2017) from the Hispanic Society of America[16]

See also

• Economy of Spain

References

1. El Mundo: José Manuel Entrecanales sustituye a su padre en la Presidencia de Acciona - 30 January 2004
2. Forbes: José Manuel Entrecanales
3. El Mundo: Familia Entrecanales (Los Más Ricos)
4. CIDOB: Who is who - 5 Top Spanish Businessmen Active in the USA - December 2012
5. El Economista: Entrecanales (Acciona) defiende los "compromisos obligatorios" - 12 December 2019
6. Diario Sur: José Manuel Entrecanales: Un amante de las apuestas arriesgadas - 4 February 2007
7. Reuters: Acciona chairman powers into the top league - March 26 2007
8. Europa Press: José Manuel Entrecanales, presidente del Instituto de la Empresa Familiar - 17 January 2012
9. El Mundo: El Instituto de la Empresa Familiar propone a José Manuel Entrecanales como presidente - 17 January 2012
10. El Mundo: Los príncipes del Ibex - 18 March 2015
11. Expansión: ¿Qué handicap tienen los líderes del Ibex? - 13 May 2017
12. La Voz de Asturias: El impacto de los premios Princesa de Asturias crece hasta los 73 millones de euros - 26 June 2019
13. Ronda de 1,2 millones en Waynabox. Participan Entrecanales, Bankinter, Palladium, Marjal y Media Digital Ventures - 27 June 2016
14. Entrecanales adquiere el 20% de la tecnológico Aida Centre - Entrecanales adquiere el 20% de la tecnológico Aida Centre - 15 December 2011
15. Europa Press: Japón Condecora a Entrecanales (Acciona) con la Orden de Sol Naciente por su compromiso con el medio ambiente - 8 May 2018
16. Entrecanales, Medalla Sorolla 2017 por su contribución a la cultura hispánica - 13 October 2017