Spanish bridal fashion house Pronovias has appointed Cristina Alba Ochoa as its new CEO, as the company continues to restructure its business and leadership. She replaces Marc Calabia, who had been leading the brand since 2023 and has now stepped down to pursue a new professional path.
Cristina Alba Ochoa brings over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, having held key roles at Metro Bank, OakNorth, and GE Capital. She has also served on boards of major companies like doValue Group and Atitlan. Though her background is in finance, Alba Ochoa has a personal connection to bridal fashion, her mother was a seamstress in the industry. She called the opportunity to lead Pronovias “a privilege” and expressed pride in joining a company so deeply rooted in her home region of Catalonia.
“As a Catalan, I am proud to join such an iconic Catalan brand,” said Alba Ochoa. She will also join the company’s board of directors.
Her appointment comes at a time when Pronovias is working to recover from a financially challenging period, marked by high debt levels and a sharp decline in business due to the pandemic. Under Calabia’s leadership, the company launched a restructuring plan focused on simplifying its structure in Spain, updating its product offerings, and strengthening its finances with support from its owners, Bain Capital and MV Credit.
Despite ongoing challenges, the financial situation has started to improve. In 2023, Pronovias reduced its liabilities from over €420 million in 2022 to around €261 million and narrowed its losses significantly. While the company still closed 2023 with a loss of €128.6 million, this was a major improvement compared to the €326 million loss the previous year.
Gianni Serazzi, President of Pronovias Group, praised Calabia for laying strong foundations for the company’s future and expressed confidence in Alba Ochoa’s ability to lead the next chapter. “We are confident that Cristina will further build on the company’s reputation and reinforce its leadership,” he said.
With a mix of personal passion for bridal fashion and strong financial leadership, Cristina Alba Ochoa now steps into a crucial role at Pronovias, aiming to guide the brand into a new era of growth and stability.
