The Florida Orchestra announces a new CEO. Here’s what to know about him.

The Florida Orchestra announced today that Ignacio Barrón Viela is its new president and CEO. He starts in August.

Former CEO and president Mark Cantrell announced in February that he would be leaving to become the CEO of the Colorado Symphony in Denver. He departed in April.

Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Barrón Viela is a classically trained cellist. He’s coming from the Reno Philharmonic in Nevada, where he was president and CEO. During his time there, artistic offerings including a semi-staged opera were expanded and the Reno Phil Youth Symphony Orchestra performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Barrón Viela also holds a Master of Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Zaragoza and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California ‘s Marshall School of Business, with an emphasis in arts leadership.

As an industrial engineer, Barrón Viela has worked as a consultant and project manager for two major private investor-owned energy companies and worked on projects in Europe, Asia, South America and the U.S.

“It will be an honor to lead Florida’s premier orchestra,” Barrón Viela said in a news release. “... I look forward to working closely with Michael Francis, the remarkable Florida Orchestra musicians, a great board and an energetic staff.”

Francis was equally effusive in the release, saying that he is delighted Barrón Viela is joining.

“From our first meeting, it was clear that Ignacio has a genuine passion for music, a strategic mindset, and a charismatic ability to communicate deeply about our wonderful art form,” Francis said.

For more information, visit floridaorchestra.org.