Cruise Terminals International Strengthens Leadership Team With Two Strategic Appointments

16 June 2025

Industry veterans David Candib and Olga Piqueras join CTI as company accelerates global expansion

Cruise Terminals International (CTI), the independent developer, owner and operator of cruise terminals worldwide, today announced two significant senior appointments that underscore the company’s rapid growth and strategic expansion across global markets.

David Candib joins CTI as Senior Vice President Commercial & Operations, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in cruise port development and operations. Most recently, he led port operations for Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), where he oversaw global home port operations—including oversight of the company’s Long Beach Cruise Terminal—and transit port operations for CCL’s 29-ship fleet, whilst collaborating with external stakeholders on destination initiatives worldwide. 

Previously, David served as Vice President of Global Ports & Destinations Development at Carnival Corporation, where he contributed to the development of all corporate ports in the Americas region, managing six corporate port operations and teams, and leading landmark projects including Amber Cove, and the pre- development of of both expansion at Half Moon Cay and the Grand Bahama project which now is know by Celebration Key. He has partnered with various governments and joint venture partners to develop marquee shoreside attractions in Jamaica (Mystic Mountain) and St. Maarten (Rain Forest Adventures at the Rockland Estate), whilst expanding port infrastructure across key destinations including Grand Turk, TCI, St. Maarten, San Juan, Port Canaveral, FL, Port Everglades, FL, Port of Miami and Galveston, TX.

Olga Piqueras has been appointed to manage Barcelona’s new Catalonia Cruise Terminal G, set to open in 2027. The state-of-the-art facility is being developed by CTI for use by Royal Caribbean Group and represents a transformational addition to Barcelona’s cruise infrastructure.

Olga brings over 30 years of experience spanning aviation and port operations. Most recently, she served as Managing Director of Port Operations at Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services since 2021, leading projects to revolutionize the company’s port agency and logistics business with a focus on digitalization and operations efficiency. In her previous role as Managing Director from 2016-2021, and earlier as Operations Director from 2004, Olga was responsible for international operations worldwide, encompassing over 50 countries and 300 ports.

Throughout her tenure at Intercruises, Olga has been heavily involved with Royal Caribbean Group operations, with particular focus on turnaround operations across diverse markets including Asia, Australia, and the USA, alongside numerous European ports.

Graham Olver, Chief Executive Officer of Cruise Terminals International, commented: “These appointments represent a pivotal moment for CTI as we accelerate our global expansion. David’s extensive experience across the entire cruise port ecosystem—from development through operations—combined with Olga’s deep operational expertize and proven track record with major cruise lines, particularly in European markets, will be invaluable as we deliver on our ambitious pipeline of projects.

“Both David and Olga bring the strategic thinking and operational excellence that align perfectly with our holistic approach to cruise terminal development. Their appointments strengthen our capability to deliver world-class infrastructure solutions whilst working collaboratively with cruise lines, port authorities, and local communities across our growing portfolio.”

CTI currently manages terminal projects with an investment value totalling almost $1.3 billion, including the flagship MCTA Terminal A in Miami and four major projects in development: Ravenna Civitas Cruise Port, Catalonia Cruise Terminal G in Barcelona, the Rome Fiumicino Waterfront Project, and Crown Bay in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The company is actively working on a pipeline of projects representing over $2 billion of capital expenditure.

These strategic hires come as the cruise industry continues its robust recovery and expansion, with significant new vessel capacity entering the market over the next decade requiring enhanced port infrastructure globally.