Italian utility Enel SpA's (ENEL.MI) Chief Executive Fulvio Conti said late Thursday that he would like to name one or two more senior executives at Spanish utility Endesa SA (ELE.MC).
In a meeting with journalists on the sidelines of a cocktail party at the Italian embassy in Madrid, Conti said he had a good relationship with fellow Endesa owner Acciona SA's (ANA.MC) Chairman Jose Manuel Entrecanales but was concerned about some recent appointments of Endesa executives.
Conti's visit to Madrid is his first major public appearance in Spain at a time of increasing friction between Enel and Acciona, which jointly control Endesa with a combined 92% stake. Present at the cocktail party were senior Spanish politicians and business leaders.
Earlier this month, Acciona unilaterally appointed three senior executives at Endesa without consulting first with Enel. People close to the situation had said the move ruffled feathers at Enel.
Enel directors at Endesa abstained in protest from the vote to confirm the appointments of Alfonso Arias Canete as managing director of nuclear energy, Felix Rivas as assistant managing director of purchasing and Rafael Montes as assistant managing director of human resources. The three are all close collaborators with Entrecanales, who is also chairman of Endesa.