José Ignacio Sánchez Galán

José Ignacio Sánchez Galán joined Iberdrola in 2001 as chairman and CEO at a time when the company was a mid-tier Spanish utility with limited international ambitions. Over two decades, he executed one of the most successful energy transitions in corporate history, pouring more than €150 billion into renewable energy and grid infrastructure. Today, Iberdrola is the world's largest producer of wind energy and one of the top three utilities globally by market capitalization. Galán's strategy centered on early, large-scale bets on offshore wind in Europe and onshore wind in the Americas. He acquired ScottishPower in 2007, Energy East (later Avangrid) in the US, and Neoenergia in Brazil — assembling a portfolio that now spans over 40 countries. His conviction that decarbonization would be the defining investment theme of the 21st century was vindicated as governments worldwide adopted aggressive climate targets. His decisions on capital allocation across wind, solar, and grid modernization projects, along with regulatory outcomes in Spain, the UK, and the US, are the key drivers of Iberdrola's stock performance. Galán remains one of Europe's most influential energy executives and a vocal advocate for electrification and green hydrogen.