Telefónica Foundation Appoints Enrique Goñi as Executive Chairman, Deputy to the President of Criteria Caixa

Telefónica Foundation has appointed Enrique Goñi Beltrán de Garizurieta as the new executive chairman, a role he will combine with his position as deputy to the president of Criteria Caixa, the investment arm of the La Caixa Foundation, which holds a 9.99% stake in Telefónica.

According to a statement, Telefónica Foundation, whose mission is to create a "more human" world by promoting inclusive digital development, aims to address four major challenges: reducing the educational gap, improving employability, fostering social and digital integration, and promoting art, culture, and thought.

Thus, Telefónica Foundation is committed to technology as a means for social integration and evolution, through which it can expand capabilities, provide more opportunities, and reduce inequalities.

In this new phase, led by Enrique Goñi, Telefónica Foundation also aims to become the European leader in promoting strategies that enhance technological competitiveness and social impact, establishing Spain as the "epicenter of debate and action in responsible technological innovation."

In this regard, Goñi emphasized that Europe has "the talent, capacity, and responsibility to promote a technological development model that is both ethical and globally competitive." "This is our moment," he stressed.

Specifically, the entity will strengthen its role as a catalyst for public policies and business strategies aimed at strengthening the Spanish and European technological innovation ecosystem and ensuring it aligns with the digital rights of European Union citizens.

MARC MURTRA AND EMILIO GAYO, NATURAL TRUSTEES OF THE ENTITY

Alongside the new chairman, the board of trustees of Telefónica Foundation is composed of natural trustees, in recognition of their positions at Telefónica: Marc Thomas Murtra Millar, Emilio Gayo Rodríguez, Eduardo Navarro de Carvalho, Álvaro Echevarría Arévalo, Laura Abasolo García de Baquedano, Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera, Marta Machicot Arbizu, Juan Azcue Vich, and Sebastián Muriel Herrero.

Additionally, as elective trustees, there are the chairman Goñi himself, Javier Nadal Ariño, Javier Solana Madariaga, Julio Linares López, Lucía Figar de Lacalle, Carmen Morenés Giles, and Carmen García de Andrés. Lastly, the position of non-trustee secretary is held by Pablo de Carvajal González, while the vice-secretary non-trustee is Isabel Salazar Páramo.

Luis Angel Prendes Arroyo remains in his position as the general director of the entity.

WILL CONTINUE AS PRESIDENT OF THE HERMES INSTITUTE

Regarding Goñi's experience, the Foundation detailed that the executive will continue his role as deputy to the president of Criteria Caixa, as well as president of the Hermes Institute.

As the founder of the Hermes Foundation, Goñi, who holds a law degree from the University of Navarra and a PADE from IESE, also chairs its board, an institution committed to promoting rights in the digital realm.

Enrique Goñi pursued studies in Strategic Management at the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) and Harvard Business School.

In terms of his professional journey, he began working at Barclays Bank, later becoming deputy general manager and CEO of the MutuAvenir group of companies. In 1996, he joined Agrupación Mutua as deputy director, and in 1998, he was appointed deputy general director of the group.

In 2000, he was appointed general director of the corporate business group of Caja Navarra, and from 2002, he served as general director of Caja de Ahorros de Navarra. In 2010, along with executives from Caja Canarias and Caja Burgos, he founded the Banca Cívica Group as executive chairman, a group later joined by Caja Sol, where he served as co-chairman and CEO, as well as of Caja Navarra.

Finally, the entity highlighted that Goñi is a member of the Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome and the advisory committee of the Latam 'Global Leadership and Competitiveness Program' at Georgetown University.