NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a consumer intelligence company, has announced the appointment of Nacho San Martín as its new General Manager for Iberia, effective January 1st. This strategic transition marks a decisive step in the company's 2026 roadmap, focused on consolidating technological solutions and omnichannel growth in Spain and Portugal.
San Martín succeeds Luis Simões in the role, who begins a new professional stage after his valuable contribution to the business in the region. The new head of the company, originally from Madrid, returns home after a distinguished international career of more than 15 years, a large part of them as part of the GfK team, having led business transformations on three continents as general manager in various divisions, including key regions of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.
A graduate in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid, in his final year, San Martín held the Global Vice President of Automotive and Optical at NIQ, based in Dubai, and from 2022 to 2023 he was Regional Vice President of T&D for EMEA and India at NIQ. Before his time at GfK from 2014 to 2023, he spent eight years at Kantar and previously pursued his professional career at Research International and ABB Spain. Additionally, he has complemented his career by teaching as an associate professor at the Complutense University and IE Business School.
A Global Vision for the Local Market
With a solid executive profile forged in managing services for large international accounts and commercial direction, Nacho San Martín brings a unique strategic approach. His previous experience as a general manager in emerging and mature markets gives him an exceptional ability to navigate the current fragmented retail ecosystem.
Emilie Darolles, president of NIQ for Western Europe, has expressed her full confidence in the new leadership, stating that "Nacho brings a unique combination of deep regional knowledge and an enviable global vision. Under his leadership, we will continue to strengthen our expert teams in Spain and Portugal, ensuring that our Discover platform continues to evolve to offer our clients the most accurate and complete understanding of their consumers in today's market."
Commitment to Innovation and the Customer
The appointment comes at a crucial time for the sector, where data integration and applied intelligence are key differentiators. San Martín will focus on enhancing the orchestration of consumer and retail data to offer high-impact solutions that drive the growth of its business partners.
For his part, Nacho San Martín has shared his enthusiasm for this new challenge, stating that "it is a privilege to return to Iberia at such a dynamic time for our industry. My goal is to apply my global perspective to offer customer-centric solutions that turn market complexity into growth opportunities. I deeply understand the critical role that Retail, consumer, and e-commerce insights play today; therefore, we will work to ensure that NIQ remains the strategic ally that guarantees first-class execution for our clients in Spain and Portugal".