Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España SA has turned to Antonio Vázquez Romero to wrap up its stop-and-go merger talks with British Airways plc after Fernando Conte García, the chairman of Spain's biggest airline, stepped down.

Vázquez, who has taken on the roles of chairman and CEO, earned his dealmaker stripes as chairman of cigarette maker Altadis SA, which was sold for €16.2 billion ($23.7 billion) to Britain's Imperial Tobacco Group plc in early 2008.

The appointment was announced July 9, days after reports that Iberia's largest shareholder, Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Madrid, or Caja Madrid, which holds 23% of Iberia, had lost patience with the slow pace of talks with British Airways. Iberia denied the reports, claiming that Conte had planned to resign before he turned 60 in March 2010.

Iberia also appointed Rafael Sánchez-Lozano to the newly created position of chief operating officer. Sánchez-Lozano's appointment was pressed on the airline by Caja Madrid.

BA and Iberia entered talks about an all-share deal in July 2008, but progress has been hampered by differing valuations, mounting losses at both and the impact of BA's pension deficit, estimated at about £3 billion ($4.9 billion), on the merged group's financial position. Both companies claim that talks are progressing but have declined to set a deadline for their end.

Vázquez, 57, hails from the Andalusian town of Córdoba in southern Spain. He spent 15 years at Altadis, rising to the top job before selling Europe's No. 2 tobacco company at a 32% premium to its share price following an auction in 2007.

"It is clear that Iberia shareholders want a deal, whether it is with BA or another airline, and [Vázquez] will be expected to deliver," said a London-based analyst. Iberia's finance director, Enrique Dupuy, said in June that the company could still consider a deal with one of BA's rivals.

Iberia's new head brings several talents that could make him the right man to conclude a deal, analysts say. He is fluent in English and knows the airline's operations from his days as a board member from 2005 to 2007.