Jose Maria Blanco has passed away

Some IADS members will remember Jose Maria Blanco Alonso, former CEO of Palacio de Hierro and member of the board of the department store group from Mexico. Sadly, his death was announced on 21 April 2021. 

Jose Maria Blanco took over general management of the company in 1992 and served for 23 years, retiring in 2015, to be succeeded by our current president, Juan Carlos Escribano. One of his projects was to transform the Polanco store in Mexico City into a substantial flagship that became known as “the palace of palaces”, involving an investment of some $ 300 m. 

Mr Blanco was an active member of the IADS (seen above at a CEO dinner.) Palacio joined IADS in 2000 under his leadership and he welcomed the IADS CEOs to Mexico in 2007. He also attended IADS meetings in cities around the world.