In the second management shakeup in just over a year at Movistar Plus+ the biggest Spanish pay TV and SVOD operator, Daniel Domenjó is set to exit as CEO.
Appointed in March 2025, Domenjó will be replaced by Alfonso Gómez Palacio, to date head of operations of Movistar Plus+ parent Telefónica in Latin America, outside Brazil.
News of Domenjó’s exit was first reported late yesterday evening in Spain by Spanish financial publication El Economista.
Domenjó’s exit will prompt a new wave of industry concern in Spain where Movistar Plus+ is seen as a key driver in Spain’s most recent explosion onto the international scene.
Earlier this month, two Movistar Plus+ originals – Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s ‘The Beloved,’ starring Javier Bardem, and ‘La Bola Negra,’ with Penélope Cruz, directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo – were selected for main competition at the Cannes Festival. A third title, Pedro Almodóvar’s “Bitter Christmas,” was pre-bought by Movistar Plus+ in substantial backing for th title, noted in the film’s credits.
In 2025, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa scored the top prize at Series Mania for “Querer” and at San Sebastián with movie “Sundays,” both Movistar Plus+ productions, a remarkable double.
The success of these titles owed much to Movistar Plus’ creation of talent relations with some of the most exciting creatives in Spain and a far more muscular investment in films and series which allowed for across-the-board production standards. One case in point is the Atmos Dolby-mixed sound of “Sirāt,” another Movistar Plus+ title which scored an Oscar nomination for its immersive soundscape.
The drive into “event auteur” films was launched by a top management team of then president Sergio Oslé, head of content Domingo Corral and CEO Cristina Burzaka, all dismissed in March of last year.
Domenjó walked Variety through his roadmap for Movistar Plus+ in a rare interview last September. Plans took in “to grow in the future broadening Movistar Plus+’ focus,” driving into more mainstream and younger demos and entertainment.
Announcing its full-year 2025 results in mid-March, Movistar Plus+ scored a net addition of 278,000 clients, hitting a 3.8 million sub base in IPTV and OTT.
“The growth of Movistar Plus+ shows that our model is working: Betting for the best content, be sport and creative talent in Spain,” Domenjó noted.
A Telefónica veteran, Gómez Palacio has won fame in Latin America by balancing the books and improving margins via offloading assets. The large question now is whether a more corporate style of management at Movistar Plus+ in Spain will entail a pull back in film and TV investment, especially in top-flight artistically ambitious film/TV directors who have taken Movistar Plus+ onto the international stage.
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