Ignacio González

Ricardo Migueláñez. @rmiguelanez

On February 1st, Ignacio González Hernández became the new CEO of Nueva Pescanova. He was chosen from among five candidates to helm the company by the seven banks (Sabadell, Popular, Abanca, Bankia, BBVA, CaixaBank and UBI Banca) that control 62.35% of the shareholder structure.

Born in Madrid in 1968, Ignacio González has a long and successful professional career in the consumer goods sector, in both the distribution and industry segments, with extensive international experience. After getting his degree in Economics and Business from Icade, he started out as a sales researcher at Continente in 1992.

He flourished there, and later took the post of the Director of the Private Label Division in 2000. He went on to undertake the roles of Accounting Director, Commercial Director and Director of Carrefour Hypermarkets in Spain. In 2008, he moved to Paris, France when he was promoted to Commercial and Merchandise Director of the company.

After spending three and a half years in France as one of the company's top executives and a member of its global Executive Committee, González decided to make a switch and change retail for food, becoming CEO of Campofrío Spain in early 2012.

He started out at the company by taking to heart its slogan, "Nothing and no-one will keep us from enjoying life the way we do". In April 2013, he took over the general management of the business in southern Europe (Spain, Italy and Portugal), and as from January 2014 he was also responsible for Campofrío's business in the US, which accounts for more than half of the Campofrío Food Group's sales and profits.

Since December 2012, he has coordinated his executive functions at Campofrío with his position as Chair of Ecoembres, a non-profit focused on recycling packaging waste.

At the beginning of the year, when the media reported his appointment by Nueva Pescanova, he published a very revealing tweet: "After four years at the helm of Campofrío, a fantastic company, I have accepted Pescanova's new challenge. I am grateful, saddened and excited. I'm starting a new chapter, which makes me happy and connects me with a great company in my homeland".

Ignacio, who is married with five children, has close ties to Galicia. When he's asked for his favorite vacation spot, he always says Rías Baixas.

He's a loyal friend, an avid traveler, and a passionate Real Madrid fan. In fact, when he was living in Paris, he would often hop on a plane to Madrid to catch many a soccer game.

In short, Ignacio is an expert in consumer goods and in motivating people to undertake big challenges. Leadership, vision and determination are the three words that define him best.