Marta Álvarez
Board member of El Corte Inglés; chair from 2019 to 2026
Marta Álvarez is a Spanish executive who chaired El Corte Inglés, Spain's largest department store group, from July 2019 until January 2026. She remains on the board, sits on the committee overseeing the managing director and retains executive oversight of the group's private label brands and its fashion and home divisions.
| Role | Board member; oversight of private labels, fashion and home |
|---|---|
| Organisation | El Corte Inglés |
| Chair | 11 July 2019 to 15 January 2026 |
| Successor as chair | Cristina Álvarez |
| Known for | Leading Spain's largest department store group |
Who is Marta Álvarez?
Marta Álvarez Guil is a member of the family that controls El Corte Inglés, the Madrid based department store group that is the largest of its kind in Spain and one of the largest in Europe. She was elected chair of the company on 11 July 2019 and held the role for more than six years before handing it to her sister, Cristina Álvarez, who became non executive chair on 15 January 2026.
Career
Marta Álvarez's role at El Corte Inglés has combined board leadership with direct responsibility for parts of the retail business. The main milestones are:
- 11 July 2019: elected chair of El Corte Inglés
- 2019 to 2026: chair during a period that included the pandemic and the launch of a 2025 to 2030 strategic plan
- 26 November 2025: board unanimously approves her proposal to step down as chair
- Since 15 January 2026: board member, member of the committee monitoring managing director Santiago Bau, and executive oversight of private label brands, fashion and home
According to FashionUnited, she described her decision as voluntary and said it was time to begin a new chapter as the company concentrated on its 2025 to 2030 strategic plan.
Influence on the fashion business
El Corte Inglés is one of the most important retail partners for fashion and beauty brands in Spain and Portugal, operating large department stores in major cities and a substantial online business. It also develops its own private label fashion and home ranges. Marta Álvarez's continuing executive responsibility for these private labels, and for the fashion and home divisions, places her at the centre of the group's buying and brand decisions even after leaving the chair.
Her chairmanship covered a period in which European department stores faced the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, changing consumer habits and competition from online platforms. The group's governance under her leadership separated the roles of chair and managing director, with day to day management led by the managing director and overseen by a board committee.
Why it matters
Marta Álvarez is one of the few women to have chaired a major European department store group. Her move from the chair to a role focused on fashion, home and private labels signals the importance El Corte Inglés attaches to product and brand development, and keeps the controlling family directly involved in the categories most relevant to the fashion industry.
For brands and suppliers, her continued presence on the board and in the monitoring committee means continuity in the relationship with El Corte Inglés during the leadership transition. For observers of family owned retail, the orderly handover between the two sisters illustrates how El Corte Inglés manages succession at the top while keeping a professional managing director in charge of daily operations.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Marta Álvarez?
Marta Álvarez is a Spanish executive who chaired El Corte Inglés from July 2019 to January 2026. She remains a board member with executive oversight of the group's private label brands and its fashion and home divisions.
Who is the chair of El Corte Inglés now?
Cristina Álvarez, Marta's sister, became non executive chair of El Corte Inglés on 15 January 2026. Santiago Bau is the managing director.