Amadeus this week announced that president and CEO David Jones in January 2011 plans to step down from his post to be succeeded by CFO Luis Maroto.
As Maroto transitions in the next year, first as deputy CEO, former Arthur Andersen, Metrovacesa and Sacyr Vallehermoso executive Ana de Pro will take over the chief financial role at the Madrid-based travel IT and global distribution firm, effective next month.
David Jones on Jan. 1, 2009, took the company's top executive post, held previously for 18 years by José Antonio Tazón. Even at the time, Jones—a travel industry veteran who had held his position as commercial head of Amadeus since 1992—told
BTN that initial plans to follow Tazón into retirement had been put on hold
(BTNonline, Dec. 8, 2008).
"José Tazón and I were both scheduled to leave around the same time," Jones told
BTNin December 2008, "but having talked about it with the board, it wasn't desirable for us both to leave at the same time. We came to the conclusion that the arrangement announced was the best, that José would move to non-exec chairman and I take over as president and CEO for a while." At the time Jones added, "I'm unlikely to be CEO for as long as José was."
Jones in a statement said, "I welcome the appointment of Luis Maroto as future president and CEO, and I am looking forward to dedicating all my efforts to Amadeus for the next 12 months."