Jesús Badenes del Río

Jesús has been CEO of Planeta Group’s Books Area for the past twenty years, facing market ups & downs across Spain and Latam. As part of Planeta, Jesús has had exposure to the Media Business of the company, including the leading commercial channel in Spain (Atresmedia & La Sexta), developing growth projects taking advantage of the convergence between books and audiovisual formats. “Joining Planeta at the turn of the century (March 2000) has been the most challenging and rewardful job position for me”, says proudly. His prior experience included consulting at McKinsey and Company, and an executive position at Endesa, but books have been “the real thing” for him. In terms of international exposure, he has been serving as a member of the Frankfurt Book Fair Advisory Board since its creation, and has participated in Book Fairs and Congresses. Jesús is a graduate of the University of Barcelona (Economics) and holds a Master in Business Administration (University of Rochester’s Simon School). Besides books, he loves old-fashioned farming, and grows vegetables, olives and grapes, together with hens and rooster, in an old farm nearby Barcelona.