Telefónica names cybercrime expert Piedad Álvarez as security director

March 13, 2025 12:01 PM

Piedad Álvarez de Arriba, formerly head of the central cybercrime unit in Spain's Judicial Police (Comisaría General de Policía Judicial), now Telefónica's global security director.

Telefónica has appointed Piedad Álvarez de Arriba as the company’s new global security director.

Álvarez joins the telco from Spain’s Judicial Police, where she served as head of the central cybercrime unit.

She holds more than 30 years of cybersecurity expertise, with Telefónica describing her as a “leading figure in the world of security forces and cybercrime at an international level”.

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Álvarez will report to Pablo de Carvajal, Telefónica’s secretary general.

She replaces Miguel Sánchez, who is set to return in the coming weeks. Sánchez will support Álvarez during a transition period, with the company congratulating him for “his extraordinary contribution to the company’s security over the last nine years”.

In addition to Álvarez’s appointment, Telefónica announced the creation of a new Transformation Office, which will be led by María García-Legaz.

García-Legaz, who currently serves as the company’s chief of staff, will lead the group spearheading the company’s ongoing transformation efforts, supporting its COO on “cross-cutting projects”.

Replacing García-Legaz as Telefónica’s chief of staff is Álvaro Echevarría, currently deputy general manager and director of institutional relations and corporate security at Banco Sabadel.