Salvador Alemany

As chief executive of Abertis, the infrastructure group partly controlled by La Caixa, Salvador Alemany, 65, is known in business circles as both an astute leader and a team player. Married with two children and four grandchildren, he was schooled first in economics at the University of Barcelona, and later completed a diploma in business management at Iese Business School. He is currently chairman of the Cercle d’Economia (Economic Circle) in Barcelona. Apart from the business of toll roads, satellites, airports and other infrastructure his great passion is basketball. Mr Alemany chairs the economic commission of the Euroleague, the sport’s governing body in Europe, and is also part of the consultative committee of the Association of Basketball Clubs. He was a driving force in attempts by Abertis to merge with Autostrade, of Italy, in 2006. Despite his own intensive lobbying in Rome, the deal was blocked by the government of Romano Prodi.