January 23, 2025: For the sixth consecutive year, Sergestur (Tourism Management Services) has published its list of the 150 most influential professionals in the Spanish tourism sector.
Once again, Carlos Díez de la Lastra, CEO of Les Roches, is highlighted among these notable leaders. Les Roches is one of the world’s top five institutions specializing in hospitality management education, founded in Switzerland in 1954. Since 1995, it has had a campus in Marbella, located in the heart of the Costa del Sol, where hundreds of students from nearly 100 nationalities enroll each semester. The institution is dedicated to providing a transformative education designed to shape the future leaders of the tourism industry. Les Roches boasts a network of more than 16,000 alumni, 33% of whom have gone on to start their own businesses.
Born in Madrid in 1970, Carlos Díez de la Lastra has nearly three decades of experience in higher education. His professional journey includes roles as Chief Operating Officer and Sales Director of Universidad Europea de Madrid (2005-2011), Vice President of Expansion and Managing Director of Universidad Europea de Canarias within the Laureate International Universities network (2012-2014), and General Director of Les Roches Marbella (2014-2022).
Since March 2022, he has served as the CEO of Les Roches (part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education), overseeing the management of all campuses with a clear mission: to position Les Roches at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality sector and strengthen its global reputation as a leading academic institution. Today, Les Roches has campuses in Switzerland, Spain, the UAE, and China, as well as an associated campus near New Delhi.
In the past year, Díez de la Lastra has led strategic collaborations with Silversea and Jetex, introduced new educational offerings specializing in areas such as golf management, cruise line management, F&B entrepreneurship and management, as well as a new Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sports Business Management, and the EAcademy, a forward-thinking initiative designed to anticipate the sector’s evolving demands. Additionally, he secured Swiss accreditation, elevating Les Roches to the status of a University of Applied Sciences, a milestone that further strengthens its academic vision and complements its NECHE accreditation.
Notably, 2024 also marked the launch of the Spark X Foundation, a platform aimed at driving research and advancing the hospitality industry. Composed of representatives from tourist destinations, associations, and renowned professionals across various sectors—including Joan Roca, Dimas Gimeno, José Ángel Preciados, and Nuño de la Rosa—the foundation is dedicated to fostering innovation, technology, and sustainability to enhance the experiences of both customers and employees in the industry.
The selection of the “150+” is the result of a rigorous evaluation process conducted by a panel of experts who considered criteria such as career achievements, sector influence, and capacity for innovation.
The CEO of Les Roches joins a prestigious list that includes influential figures from various branches of the tourism industry, such as Antonio Catalán (ACHM Hotels by Marriott), Mar de Miguel (AEHM), Natalia Bayona (UNWTO), Gabriel Escarrer (Meliá Hotels International), José Ángel Preciados (Ilunion Hotels), Juan Carlos Sanjuán (Casual Hotels), José Luque (AEHCOS/Fuerte Hotels), Diego Calvo (Concept Hotel Group), and Nayra González (BLESS Hotel Madrid).