José Manuel Velasco

José Manuel Velasco Guardado (Avilés, Spain, 1965) has a degree in Journalism from Madrid’s Complutense University and completed the Advanced Strategic Program at the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne (Switzerland).

José Manuel Velasco is the Past President of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the body that gathers together all the communication associations from around the world; he is the first chair of this organisation of Latin origin.

He was managing director for communication and corporate responsibility of FCC, director of communication for the energy company Unión Fenosa and of the public railway transport company Renfe. He also chaired the Spanish Association of Communication Executives (Dircom) and the Forum for Ethical Management (Forética).

Also, he is an executive coach accredited by the International Coach Federation

Mr Velasco’s work experience includes eight years at power and gas company Unión Fenosa, where he was Head of Communications and a member of the Management Committee. From 1995 to 2000 he was Head of Communications at the Spanish State-owned railway company, Renfe. Prior to joining Renfe, he worked as a journalist for a number of print media and radio broadcasters in Asturias and Madrid.

He is an Honorary Professor at the Madrid Complutense University School of Journalism and collaborates on various Masters Programmes in Communication at universities in Madrid and Barcelona.

Mr Velasco is an honorary member of Forética, a forum which promotes ethical management, and was its Chairman from 2006 to 2008.

He loves trekking and MTB, sports which need endurance and resistance.