HBX Group has named co-founder Carlos Muñoz its next chief executive, effective December 1, following Nicolas Huss’s retirement and a two-month interim period led by finance chief Brendan Brennan. El Confidencial reported the appointment, and El Economista separately detailed the succession and business context.
Muñoz is a co-founder of the travel technology and distribution group, formerly known as Hotelbeds, and has spent more than 26 years in the travel sector. His senior roles at HBX have included deputy CEO, chief commercial officer, chief operating officer and managing director. He joined the board as a non-executive director in February. With the CEO appointment, he will remain on the board as an executive director.
The board began its search after Huss left the role on September 30. Brennan, HBX’s CFO, has served as interim CEO during the handover and will return to that role alone when Muñoz takes over. Chairman James Bilefield praised Brennan for maintaining continuity, while saying Muñoz’s knowledge of the company, its teams and its markets made him well placed to lead the next phase.
The challenge is not simply to keep the organization steady. El Economista reported that HBX recorded a 3% decline in revenue to €486 million in the first nine months of its fiscal year, even as total transaction value rose 12% to €6.188 billion. The company had also forecast no revenue growth for the full year. That gap between transaction volume and revenue gives the new CEO a defined commercial and operating agenda.
Muñoz has said he intends to use the group’s technology, data capabilities and talent to accelerate execution, open growth opportunities and create long-term value for partners and shareholders. The board also pointed to the travel sector’s digital change and the opportunities created by artificial intelligence. Those priorities draw on areas Muñoz handled in earlier commercial, product and operating roles, rather than introducing a mandate disconnected from his experience.
The choice returns a founder with a long company history to the executive seat, but through a formal board-led search and after a period of interim leadership. It is a different scale of handoff from the founder transition Encafeinados covered at Tully Luxury Travel, yet both place a new chief executive in a travel business where relationships and operating knowledge matter.
