Advisory Board
Julián García Vargas
Degree in Economic Sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and member of the Superior Bodies of Tax Inspectors and Civil Administrators of the State, Julián García Vargas served in very relevant positions within different cabinets of Spain. He was President of Instituto de Crédito Oficial ICO (a state-owned bank, attached to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry and Competitiveness), Health Minister and Defense Minister. He was also President of Asociación de las Empresas Contratistas con la Administración del Estado (AESMIDE- Association of Companies Contracting with Public Administration) and President of Asociación de Empresas Tecnológicas de Defensa, Aeronáutica y Espacio (Tedae- Association of Technological Companies for Defense, Aeronautics and Space). Currently he is a partner at Vargas, Pomés & Riesgo Consultores (VPR Consulting).
Beatriz Rodríguez-Salmones Cabeza
Beatriz holds a Degree in Journalism and English Philology and was part of the founding team of the Spanish newspaper "El País" (1976-79). She was an advisor to Joaquín Garrigues and Soledad Becerril and Director of the parliamentary advisory services of Partido Popular political party in the Spanish Congress. Deputy in the Congress between 1996 and 2016, spokeswoman in Culture and Defense Commissions and Member of the Economy Commission, Beatriz was also attached spokeswoman for the Popular Party in the Congress and President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. She holds a Diploma in National Defense by the Escuela de Altos Estudios de Defensa (School for Advanced Defense Studies). She has five children.
Constantino Méndez Martínez
Lawyer. Consultant in Public Systems, Security and Defense, Constantino has extensive experience in the public sector. He was General Director of the Instituto Social de la Marina (ISM- Social Marine Institute), General Director of the Intituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS- National Institute of Social Security), Secretary of State for Public Administration, Delegate of the Government in the Community of Madrid and Secretary of State of Defense. He is Consultant for programs in Ibero-America related to State Reforms and President of the Security and Defense Committee of the Fundación Alternativas.
Lieutenant General Luis Villanueva Barrios
Lieutenant General (R) of the Spanish Army, Luis Villanueva joined the General Military Academy of Saragossa in 1967 forming part of the XXVII Promotion and graduated as lieutenant of Engineers in 1972 (Promotion 153 of Engineers). He has been assigned to multiple Army Units and Headquarters such as BRIPAC, BRIAC XII, EME, EMAD. As General he held the positions of Director of EGET, Head of JCISAT, Director of Supply and Maintenance of the Army and Head of Logistic Command of Support of the Army, until its transition to reserve in 2013. He joined the Asociación de las Empresas Contratistas con la Administración del Estado (AESMIDE- Association of Companies Contracting with Public Administration) where he stood from 2013 to 2017. In February 2017 he joined the Advisory Board of ARGOS.
Divisional General Francisco Javier Ara Callizo
Divisional General in reserve of the Guardia Civil, Ara Callizo formed part of the XXVIII Promotion of the General Military Academy of Zaragoza and graduated as Lieutenant in 1973. Staff Course qualified, he has been destined in operative units and advisory bodies of the Guardia Civil and of the Ministry of the Interior. He occupied positions of Director General in the Department of Security and in DISSC (Department of Infraestructure and Solving of Crisis Situation), Head of the Technical Cabinet and Chief of Staff in the Directorate General of the Guardia Civil.
Vicente Iglesias Souto
Economist, holds a MBA at the IESE business school (Universidad de Navarra). Vicente Iglesias is an expert in the financial markets, in corporate deals and in corporate governance, he has been the Head of the Treasury Dept at Caja Postal and at Corporación Bancaria de España. He participated in launching the Spanish market of futures and options. In June 2018, he has joined ARGOS Advisory Board.
