Cristina Álvarez

Cristina Álvarez is now the Chairwoman of Spanish retailer El Corte Inglés, having been appointed as non-executive Chair of the Group on January 15, 2026. She and her sister Marta Álvarez are daughters of Isidoro Álvarez, nephew and successor of founder Ramón Areces, and together they hold a 15% stake in El Corte Inglés's capital.

Cristina is a graduate in Economics and has devoted her professional life to El Corte Inglés. She joined the company in 1992. She worked for several years at Astex, her husband Iñaki Álvarez Valdés's company, which specializes in student exchange abroad and language education. She is also Chairwoman of the Ramón Areces Foundation.

Career history

• Astex (student exchange and language education company) - worked with husband Iñaki Álvarez Valdés
• El Corte Inglés Purchasing Division - current role
• Monitoring Committee Chairwoman and Appointments and Remuneration Committee Chairwoman, El Corte Inglés
• Non-Executive Chairwoman of El Corte Inglés and Ramón Areces Foundation (January 2026–present)

What Cristina Álvarez could bring to her role as Chairwoman: Drawing on her 30+ years within El Corte Inglés and deep institutional knowledge of the organization, Álvarez is positioned to oversee strategic continuity and operational oversight. She will oversee a €650 million investment plan focused on store refurbishment, technology, logistics, and business expansion, leveraging her familiarity with the group's commercial operations and long-standing commitment to the retailer's core values.