Díaz will not stand for reelection as a member of the Board of Directors at the 2022 AGM.

Dufry Group CEO and member of the Board of Directors Julián Díaz will stand down on 31 May, the Group has announced today (21 February).

In a significant development, the global travel retail giant has announced that gategroup CEO Xavier Rossinyol has been appointed as Díaz’s replacement and will take up his post on 1 June.

Rossinyol will be officially designated CEO and member of the Global Executive Committee from 1 March to assist with a smooth transition.

For October 2021’s Top 10 International Operators Report, TRBusiness spoke to Dufry CEO, Julián Díaz in an exclusive video interview about the company’s progress in reopening stores across its sprawling empire in 64 countries, the company’s rehiring scheme and how it is realising new opportunities for alternative product categories during the pandemic. See first video below.

“I thank the Board of Directors, the shareholders, suppliers and partners for their trust and support, with special thanks to all my colleagues of the Global Executive Committee and our employees.

Díaz, the subject of a number of exclusive TRBusiness video interviews over the years, commented: “I am grateful for the opportunity I had to lead Dufry over the past eighteen years and to contribute to its impressive growth.

“I very warmly welcome Xavier back as new CEO of the company. His unique experience will be a perfect match to lead the group to its next phase.”

Then and now: TRBusiness was the first trade media title to interview Julián Díaz on camera in 2015 during the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

More to follow…