IAG Chief Sustainability Officer takes on Vueling CEO role – new CSO yet to be announced

International Airlines Group (IAG) has promoted its Chief People, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer Carolina Martinoli to CEO and Chair of its low-cost airline Vueling, and is yet to announce a replacement in the CSO role.

The Chief People, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer is cited as a key pillar of the company’s sustainability governance in its latest sustainability report. As such, IAG is likely looking for someone else to fill the position as soon as Martinoli becomes Vueling’s CEO this April – but the group did not respond to CSO Futures’ request for comment on her replacement.

IAG sustainable aviation fuel efforts

Martinoli has been managing sustainability initiatives at IAG since April 2021, spearheading the group’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme, with a target of using 10% SAF in all flights by 2030 and 70% by 2050. 

Just last week, the company signed a 14-year purchase agreement with Twelve for the delivery of 785,000 tonnes of power-to-liquid SAF (known as e-SAF), bringing it one-third of the way towards its 2030 target.

While the production capacity of SAF continues to grow, IAG (which more than doubled its operating margin and profits in 2023), is also investing in new-generation aircraft, which are 20% more efficient on average. In 2023, carbon intensity for the flights operated by its airlines was reduced by 3.6% year-on-year – and more than 10% down from 2019 levels. The company appears on track to meet its target to reduce CO2 per passenger and kilometre by 11% by 2025.

Announcing the appointment as part of IAG’s 2023 results presentation, CEO Luis Gallego noted that Martinoli has “made a significant impact in IAG’s transformation”.

Vueling sustainability goals

Vueling shares IAG’s climate targets regarding SAF use and the achievement of net zero emissions by 2050, and is also investing in new generation aircraft (namely the Airbus 320neo) to reduce emissions. The airline expected to replace a quarter of its fleet with these new planes by the end of 2023, and 100% by 2030.

Commenting on her new appointment, Martinoli said: “Vueling is a vibrant and innovative airline and it will be my honour to succeed Marco [Sansavini, Vueling’s previous CEO who has been named Iberia’s new CEO] as they enter their twentieth year as a company. I look forward to working with the talented team at Vueling as we build the next chapter of the airline.”

Vueling’s sustainability efforts are currently led by Director of Sustainability and Government Affairs Franc Sanmartí, who has been in the role since 2019.