Business · Companies · 5 hrs ago
Garamendi gives Madrid and Catalonia more influence in CEOE leadership
Antonio Garamendi has reshaped the leadership of Spain’s CEOE, the main business employers’ organization.
He kept its 11 vice-presidencies but gave more influence to leaders from Madrid and Catalonia.
Miguel Garrido of Madrid’s CEIM remains first vice-president and will lead a new group focused on reducing bureaucracy and regulatory barriers.
Josep Sánchez Llibre of Catalonia’s Foment del Treball will handle relations with parliament, linking the business group with political parties.
Both leaders backed Garamendi’s re-election, and Sánchez Llibre is regaining a role he lost four years ago.
The changes shift the balance inside the CEOE as it prepares for discussions on major reforms.
The new leadership is set to serve for four years.
CEOE president Antonio Garamendi proposed restoring Josep Sánchez Llibre’s responsibility for relations with Spain’s parliament.
The role makes Sánchez Llibre a link between business groups and parliamentary parties.
Sánchez Llibre, president of Catalan employers’ group Foment del Treball, lost the responsibility after the 2022 CEOE election.
Garamendi also retained the organization’s 11 vice-presidencies and reappointed Miguel Garrido as first vice-president.
Garrido will lead a new working group on administrative barriers and regulatory simplification.
- Who
- Antonio Garamendi proposed the changes, including a renewed role for Josep Sánchez Llibre.
- What
- Sánchez Llibre will be responsible for relations with the Cortes, Spain’s parliament. Miguel Garrido will remain first vice-president.
- When
- The proposal was discussed at the CEOE board meeting on October 21, 2026.
- Where
- At the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) in Spain.
- Why
- The reports linked the appointments to the support given to Garamendi by the Catalan and Madrid business groups in the CEOE election.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Foment del Treball presented its own candidate in the CEOE election, which Garamendi won, and Sánchez Llibre lost the parliamentary relations role.
Garamendi was re-elected for a third term as CEOE president.
Garamendi set out the new CEOE leadership arrangements, including Sánchez Llibre’s parliamentary relations role and Garrido’s reappointment as first vice-president.
- CEOE president
- Antonio Garamendi
- Parliamentary relations
- Josep Sánchez Llibre
- First vice-president
- Miguel Garrido
- Vice-presidencies
- 11
- New working group
- Administrative barriers and regulatory simplification
- Garamendi’s term
- Third term, following re-election on October 1, 2026
3 sources
Garamendi reordena a su 'guardia pretoriana' y da mando en plaza a Madrid y Cataluña para negociar las grandes reformas tras el 29-N
Garamendi mantiene a sus vicepresidentes en CEOE y Sánchez Llibre volverá a ser el enlace con las Cortes
Sánchez Llibre pilotará de nuevo las relaciones de la CEOE con las Cortes
What people are saying
liderará el grupo de trabajo sobre trabas administrativas y simplificación normativa
asumirá la responsabilidad de las relaciones con las Cortes