Executive Leadership Team
Our leadership team untites engineering expertise, deep experience
and industry knowledge with passion and motivation
Ezequiel Sánchez graduated in Marketing from ESIC and has an MBA from ESCP in its Oxford-Madrid-Paris branch. Currently, he serves as Executive President of PLD Space, the pioneering aerospace company and European leader in the development of reusable rockets, with recognized prestige in the sector and a solid project that materialized in its MIURA family launch vehicle.
With more than 20 years’ experience developing management training and Executive
Master programs in the areas of Strategy, Business Management and Organization,
Operations Management in other Business Schools (such as IE, ESCP, EOI, EDEM or ISEM Fashion Business School). Sánchez has been a professor with a scholarship from the Rafael del Pino Foundation at Harvard University.
Raúl Torres is PLD Space’s CEO and Co-founder. Born in Elche in 1987, Torres holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Alicante and has also studied Aerospace Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
In 2011, Torres founded PLD Space together with Raúl Verdú. Torres is responsible for all technological development of PLD Space’s MIURA family of launchers and its manned capsule LINCE. He coordinates and manages the various subsystems that make up the vehicles, as well as their integrated stages. On flight missions, he acts as Launch Director, overseeing and leading the demanding procedure.
In late 2015, the Spanish Association of Scientists (AEC) honoured Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú for their achievements in the field of space propulsion.
Raúl Verdú is PLD Space’s CBDO and co-founder. Born in Elche in 1988, he studied Industrial Engineering at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.
In 2011, Verdú founded PLD Space along with Raúl Torres. Verdú is responsible for leading the company’s business strategy and building value for investors. His mission is to identify new business opportunities, design the corresponding strategies and define a sustainable expansion plan.
In late 2015, the Spanish Association of Scientists (AEC) honoured Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú for their achievements in the field of space propulsion.
José Manuel Rodríguez has been PLD Space’s Chief Financial Officer since 2022. He has an Executive MBA from ESCP Business School and has completed post-graduate studies at Corporate Finance Institute (CFI).
As the CFO for PLD Space, José Manuel leads the company’s financial strategy and
operations, including development of the fund-raising division.
José Manuel has more than 15 years of experience managing the financial strategy of hyper-growth tech companies, including a wide range of digitally-native scale-up companies operating within disruptive sectors. He has managed more than 350 million euros in raising capital and debt management at companies like Tiko.es, MedUX, Guestperience, Kelisto and Red Karaoke.
María Jesús Alberola is the Chief Program Officer (CPO) at PLD Space and has been with the company since 2021. She holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and she is certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
As PLD Space’s CPO, María Jesús Alberola leads the company’s programme strategy, taking part in defining and managing strategic projects.
Alberola has more than ten years of experience in project management in the aerospace sector, distributed between the airline Air Europa and the company PLD Space. She has led different aviation projects, including commissioning an aircraft valued at 200 million euros. Within the space sector she managed PLD Space’s MIURA 1 programme.
José Andrés Sánchez is the Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO) at PLD Space. He is originally from Alicante and holds an MBA from ESIC Business School, a Master’s in Exponential Technologies from MIOTI Tech and Business School and a Master’s in Hospital Management from Pompeu Fabra University.
As the CPO of PLD Space, Sánchez leads the People and Culture strategy in the company. He has 23 years of accumulated experience in people management positions and has led several cultural changes in different sectors of multinational companies with more than 5,000 employees.
He has managed personnel budgets of more than 120 million euros, specifically in University Hospitals, the financial sector and technology companies.
He is a specialist in Employee Experience models, Management 3.0 and Lean Management. He is also a professor at several public universities such as the Miguel Hernández University of Elche and the University of Alicante.
Aníbal Villalba is the Chief Strategy & Public Affairs Officer at PLD Space. After studying at the Academia General Militar, he earned a Ph.D. in Political Science and Sociology from UNED with a doctoral thesis. He also holds a Master's degree in Analysis and Management of Public Policies from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
In his military career, Villalba is an Infantry Colonel and a General Staff graduate. His most recent position was Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Attaché at the Spanish Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain (2017‒2020). He has also participated in seven overseas operations with the UN, EU and NATO in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Lebanon.
Additionally, Villalba has held various other positions such as Senior Advisor in the Office of the President of the Government, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State and Director of the Spanish National Intelligence Centre (CNI), Director of the National Cybersecurity Plan, and Director of Real Estate Commercialization, Strategic Planning, Institutional Relations, and Communication at the State-Owned Real Estate Management Company SEGIPSA.
Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel is PLD Space Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers. Pablo brings extensive knowledge and experience in the aerospace market, specifically in the sector of Commercial Launch Services. Since September 2019, the former SpaceX employee has been working in the commercial and customer management of the Spanish company, representing PLD Space.
Before joining PLD Space, Pablo developed his professional career from California (United States) working as Mission Manager of Launching Services with SpaceX as well as providing aerospace consulting services.
Previously, Pablo had participated actively in several other rocket launch operations, such as Ariane 4, Ariane 5, Soyuz, Dnepr, Vega, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Pablo has participated in more than forty launch campaigns with different clients and launch bases such as Kourou (French Guiana), Yasny (Russia), Vandenberg (California) and Cape Canaveral (Florida).
Currently, Pablo coordinates his activities between the United States and Europe where he directly addresses the needs of customers.
In addition, Pablo is registered with the U.S Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), to be able to interact with different types of customers and suppliers, both in the commercial field and in other more restrictive areas, such as defense whose activities may be subject to ITAR regulation.
Fernando Cerezuela is Chief General Services Officer at PLD Space. He holds a degree in Marketing and Market Research and a PDG (General Management Program) from IESE Business School. Cerezuela has extensive experience in leading companies such as Inditex, Etnia Barcelona, MTNG Experience, and Ferrovial Servicios, where he has held key positions in general management, operations, technology, and business development.
His career has focused on implementing results-oriented strategies, improving processes, and optimizing organizational structures, always with a focus on operational efficiency and innovation.
In addition, he has developed a solid academic career as director of the MBA program at Fundesem Business School and professor at EDEM and Aquora Business School, combining his executive profile with a commitment to education.
