El Corte Inglés reorganises its fashion department
What: El Corte Inglés reorganises its fashion purchasing structure following Eva Gallego's departure, promoting four internal executives to lead different segments while strengthening the division that generated €4.7 billion in sales last year.
Why it is important: This restructuring shows how traditional retailers are adapting their buying organisations to be more agile and specialised, while maintaining continuity in key revenue-generating departments through internal promotion.
El Corte Inglés has implemented a significant reorganisation of its fashion purchasing structure, dividing responsibilities among four promoted executives following Eva Gallego's departure. The restructuring sees Begoña Cue taking charge of wholesale luxury women's purchasing, while Delfina Gayoso oversees external brand purchases for women's and men's accessories and footwear. Cristina Marconell expands her role from women's purchasing to include men's and youth categories, and Lourdes Cruz adds children's purchasing to her existing lingerie and swimwear responsibilities. All four executives will report to Laura Moreno, who has led the fashion, home, culture, and leisure division since March. This change aligns with broader organisational shifts implemented earlier this year, which strengthened Santiago Bau's role and divided the company's retail operations into three distinct areas. The restructuring demonstrates El Corte Inglés's commitment to developing internal talent while adapting its operations to meet evolving market demands.
IADS Notes: The June 2025 reorganisation of El Corte Inglés's fashion purchasing structure represents the latest phase in the company's comprehensive transformation journey. This change follows March 2025's broader organisational restructuring under CEO Gastón Bottazzini, which established a new Transformation Office , supported by February's €428 million investment in store renovations and digital innovation . The decision to promote internal talent rather than external hiring aligns with the strategic direction set after retail director José María Folache's departure in October 2024 . This approach to leadership in the fashion division is particularly significant given the category's strong performance, with fashion and beauty sales reaching €4.7 billion in 2023, a 3.68% increase , demonstrating the strategic importance of maintaining continuity while driving innovation.
