Mediaset Spain CEO Paolo Vasile to step down

Mediaset Espana

Mediaset Espana CEO Paolo Vasile is exiting the company after 23 years in the role.

The exec, who took the top job at the company’s Spanish division in 1999, told local newspaper El Mundo that he will exit the firm in February or March next year.

He revealed that he had made plans to step down in 2019, but that the decision had been delayed due to the pandemic.

Vasile dismissed press reports suggesting that he had been fired as a result of low audience ratings at the company’s FTA channel Tele5.

He told El Mundo: “Mediaset cannot fire me as I am like a son,” and added: “someone who has been working for 40 years in a company cannot be kicked out”.

Vasile clarified that he decided to leave for both professional and personal reasons, the former being that after 40 years at Mediaset, and 23 years of those in Spain, his time with the group has come to a natural conclusion. He also had promised his wife they would return to Italy when he turned 67 – he is now 69 years old.