Univision board taps Villalonga
Assets include Galavision and an online service
A longtime banking exec, Villalonga served as chairman and CEO of Spain's Telefonica Group from 1996 until July 2000, when he was forced out.
Under his direction, Telefonica expanded rapidly not only in its core telco biz but also in Internet activities, via subsid Terra and media. Shortly after ankling Telefonica, Villalonga was cleared of insider trading; the charges had clouded the end of his tenure.
"Juan is a seasoned global strategist with an exemplary track record of building successful businesses," Univision chairman-CEO Jerry Perenchio said in a statement. "He has also been a visionary for the advancement of Hispanic communities. Through his leadership of the Spanish Internet portal Terra Lycos, and his broad business experience, he will serve as an excellent base as we continue to grow the company."
Univision assets include its U.S. Spanish-lingo network and station group, cable net Galavision and a recently launched online service.
Industry sources said that since leaving Telefonica, Villalonga has been living in Miami and is putting together a fund to invest in Latin American media.
The exec was not available for interviews.
