Florentino Perez

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Florentino Pérez Rodríguez (Madrid, March 8, 1947) is a Spanish businessman, engineer, sports leader and former politician. He is the president of the ACS group since 1997, of the Real Madrid Football Club of Spain in a second term, since 2009. In addition, he is a patron of the Royal Theater and of the Foundation of Civil Engineers, Canals and Ports.

Caminos, Canals and Ports Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, he is the widower of María Ángeles Sandoval and has three children. He began his professional career in the private sector in 1971 and became general director of the Spanish Road Association between 1972 and 1976.

Political stage

Between 1976 and 1983 he developed his political career with the Union of the Democratic Center (UCD).

During this period he held different positions in the Public Administration such as Councilor for Sanitation and Environment of the Madrid City Council (1976-1979), Deputy General Director of Promotion of the CDTI of the Ministry of Industry and Energy (1979-1980), general director of Transport Infrastructures of the Ministry of Transport (1980-1981) and president of the IRYDA of the Ministry of Agriculture (1981-1982).

Businessman

In 1983 he returned to private business and that same year, he became the top executive of Construcciones Padrós, a company of which he was one of the main shareholders.

In 1991, he joined the board of directors of the Société Auxiliaire d'Entreprises (SAE), a French construction company owned by the construction group Obras de Construcción e Instalaciones, S.A. (OCISA).

Since 1993 he has been the Chairman and CEO of ACS (Construction and Services Activities, head of the ACS Group), first as Chairman of OCP Construcciones (result of the merger of Construcciones Padrós and OCISA) and, since 1997, of the so-called ACS Group, formed after the merger of the companies OCP, Ginés y Navarro, and Auxini.

As Chairman of ACS, in 1999 he was awarded the prize for Best Entrepreneur for his professional career, which is awarded annually by the magazine Actualidad Económica. Among the most important milestones in his management as head of ACS, the following stand out: in 2003, the acquisition of Grupo Dragados; in 2007, the acquisition of a controlling stake in the German Hochtief; and, in 2018, the purchase (together with the Italian group Atlantia) of Abertis.

In 2018, ACS had a presence on five continents and was listed on the IBEX 35 of the Spanish Stock Exchange with a capitalization of more than 21,900 million euros. Its international presence was mainly concentrated in Australia, the United States, Canada, Germany and Spain.

Sports manager

Florentino Pérez is also the president of Real Madrid. In two stages he has combined his business activity with the presidency of what is considered the best football club of the century XX. During his tenure, Real Madrid has been the club with the highest current income in the world for more than ten consecutive years. Under his leadership the club won six European Cups, reaching a total of fourteen in his record.

In addition, Forbes has considered Real Madrid the most valuable club in the world, with a valuation of 3.44 billion dollars.

First spell at Real Madrid (2000-2006)

In 1995 he ran for the first time in the elections for the presidency of Real Madrid against Ramón Mendoza and Santiago Gómez Pintado. Despite being the candidate who obtained the greatest number of signatures endorsing the candidacy, he was in second position, just behind Ramón Mendoza.

In 2000 he ran for the second time in the presidential elections of Real Madrid, which he won with more than 55% of the votes.

In 2004 he will be re-elected with 94.2% of the vote. His mandate is remembered as the "Galactic Era". He followed a policy of big signings, in which he would hire the best players of the moment: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Luís Figo.

With them, Real Madrid won two Leagues (2001 and 2003), one European Cup (2002), one European Super Cup (2002), two Spanish Super Cups (2001 and 2003) and one Intercontinental Cup (2002), among the most important titles.

Florentino Pérez modernized the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and built the new Real Madrid Sports City in Valdebebas, a 120-hectare city in the north of Madrid. He also named Alfredo Di Stéfano honorary president.

Florentino Pérez resigns in 2006 as president of the club. The leader expressed that his resignation was due to an act of "loyalty to the members and responsibility towards the club" because he considered that the club needed this step to improve. Fernando Martín would succeed him in office.

Second spell at Real Madrid (since 2009)

Pancarta of thanks to Florentino Pérez Santiago Bernabéu.

Throughout the 2008-2009 season, there was speculation about the possibility of him running again as a candidate in the presidential elections scheduled for June 14, 2009, which he finally confirmed on May 14.

On June 1, 2009, being the only candidate, he was appointed president of the club, which meant his return to office three years after his resignation.

For that 2009-2010 season, he hired coach Manuel Pellegrini, whom he presented on June 2, one day after his inauguration. Likewise, it made a multimillion-dollar investment of 264 million euros for the signing of eight players, including: Cristiano Ronaldo —96 million euros—, Kaká —65 million euros—, Benzema —35 million euros—, Xabi Alonso —30 million euros—.

The team played in the League Championship until the last days and was runner-up, with 96 points, and just three behind Fútbol Club Barcelona.

On May 31, 2010, José Mourinho's contract to take charge of the first team was signed.

With the Portuguese coach in charge of the white team, in the 2010-2011 season the Copa del Rey was won against Fútbol Club Barcelona, which the club had not achieved for 18 years.

In the 2011-2012 season, Real Madrid achieved the so-called 'League of Records', as they won the National League Championship, which they had not won since 2008, with a historical record of points (100) and goals (121).

In September 2012, he obtained by a large majority the modification of the statutes of Real Madrid in which he tightened the rules to run for the presidency of Real Madrid (20 years as a member and personal assets, without third-party endorsement, from 15 % of the general budget for club expenses). This modification was endorsed by the Supreme Court 6 years later.

Mourinho's third and last season in charge of the first team, the 2012-2013 season, began with the Spanish Super Cup won against Fútbol Club Barcelona. At the end of that season, on May 20, Florentino Pérez confirmed the departure of the Portuguese coach and called elections for the club's presidency, having concluded his term. He was re-elected as there were no other candidates.

In the 2013-2014 season, the two sections of the club led by Carlo Ancelotti and Pablo Laso, respectively, were proclaimed champions of the Copa del Rey in football and basketball, beating Fútbol Club Barcelona in the final in both, and both teams played in the finals of the highest continental competition. In basketball, they won in the 2015 Euroleague final and in soccer, in extra time in the 2014 Champions League final, achieving the historic "Tenth" European Cup.

In January 2016, Florentino signed Zidane as coach of the first team, after a legendary career as a player and Real Madrid achieved the "Eleventh". However, this was only the beginning, as Zidane's second season at the helm of the team also brought numerous triumphs, to which Real Madrid became the first team to repeat the Champions League title by winning the Twelfth.

Zidane's last two seasons have also been riddled with titles: the 2016-2017 League, the third European Super Cup and the second Club World Cup, and already at the start of the 2017-2018 season, again the European Super Cup. Europe and the tenth Spanish Super Cup. With the Club World Cup won in December 2017, he broke the record for titles won in the same year —five— and 2018 culminated with Real Madrid's Thirteenth Champions League.

On January 31, 2014, Florentino Pérez announced the winning project of the contest to design the new Santiago Bernabéu, which, in Florentino's own words:

"[...] it will remain a privileged territory for emotions, will remain in the heart of our city and will be the vanguard and icon of modern football. A Bernabéu for the pride of all our partners and fans."

The new stadium will be wrapped in a roof with a Led system that will vibrate and allow the stadium to communicate with its surroundings, and a giant screen will be installed on the eastern façade to show the interior of the stadium at special moments. This sustainable project will also have the latest technological advances and will be safer and more comfortable for fans.

Likewise, the new Bernabéu will be built with shopping, leisure and restaurant areas, a hotel and underground parking; the works are designed to allow the construction not to interfere with the sports calendar.

Real Madrid also won the League in one of the most atypical seasons in the history of this competition, 2019-20. An unusual year, since the health emergency caused by COVID-19 19, forced UEFA, the RFEF and La Liga to make the decision to suspend their respective competitions in mid-March. The competition resumed with the improvement of the health situation.

On April 13, 2021, Florentino Pérez was re-elected as president of Real Madrid, after no other candidate for the club's presidency appeared.

In the 2021-2022 season with the return of Carlo Ancelotti as manager, Real Madrid achieved a historic double: becoming league champions and winning their 14th European Cup, making a total of 35 league championships. In addition, Real Madrid reached its fifth European Super Cup. At the same time, that same year, the Real Madrid Basketball Club would win the ACB League and the Spanish Super Cup.

In the 2022-2023 season, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey final at La Cartuja in Seville. After nine years without lifting this Cup, the team celebrates its twentieth king's title. Also added to the team's achievements in the season was reaching the semifinals of the European Cup, eliminated against Manchester City, and second place in the Spanish League, behind F.C. Barcelona, despite maintaining a large difference in points. At the same time, Real Madrid was proclaimed champion of the Euroleague Basketball in the same season, thus adding its eleventh title in the continental competition.

European Super League

In April 2021 it was announced that he would be the first president of the European Soccer Super League.

Honours as sports manager

Note: titles achieved by professional sections under their mandate

Team(s) chaired		National			Subtotal	Continentals			World	Subtotal	Total
Team(s) chaired		League	Cup	Supercopa	Subtotal	C1	C2	S1	M1	Subtotal	Total
	Real Madrid C. F.				15		-			17	32
	Real Madrid Basketball				21		-	-		4	25
Total		13	9	14	36	9	-	5	7	21	57