First Change in the Consell: Marián Cano to Replace Nuria Montes in Tourism and Innovation

La Nuciera Marián Cano García will replace Nuria Montes as the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, as confirmed by the Valencian Government. Marián Cano has been the executive president of the Valencian Association of Footwear Entrepreneurs (Avecal) since 2015.

Cano was part of the Popular Party's list for the European Parliament in the last elections to the Strasbourg Chamber, although she did not secure representation. She will continue to hold the same responsibilities she had under Nuria Montes's leadership.

This is the first appointment in the reshuffle announced by the President of the Valencian Government, Carlos Mazón, last Friday during his appearance in Les Corts to report on the management of the DANA in Valencia. The first change was the spokesperson of the Consell, now held by Vice President Susana Camarero, replacing Ruth Merino, the Minister of Finance.

Montes was a highly questioned figure in recent days. Her intervention at Feria Valencia, where she did not allow the entry of relatives of DANA victims, garnered numerous criticisms. Another incident involved the statements of a Ministry employee whose husband died due to the flood. Both issues have ultimately led to Montes's departure from the Consell.

Mazón has chosen an Alicante woman with extensive experience in the business world. Marián Cano holds a law degree from the Complutense University of Madrid, a postgraduate degree in Commercial and Marketing Management from ESIC, and has been the executive president of the Valencian Association of Footwear Entrepreneurs (AVECAL) since 2015.

Her relationship with the footwear sector began in 2010 when she was appointed Secretary General of the Association of Footwear Manufacturers of Elche (AICE). In 2020, she assumed the interim presidency of the Spanish Footwear Industries Federation (FICE), which she held until 2022. She currently serves as the Secretary General of FICE (Spanish Footwear Industries Federation). In 2023, she was appointed as a member of the Executive Committee of the Alicante Chamber.

Among other representative bodies, she is also part of the Executive Committee of the Valencian Community Business Confederation (CEV), the Plenary of the Social Dialogue Table of the Generalitat, a member of the Industry and Valencian Economic Sectors Observatory, the General Assembly of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), and the Assembly of the Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (Cepyme), among other positions.