Son of publisher Manuel Salvat Xivixell, Santiago Salvat Espasa’s entry into publishing was a two–year trip around the America prepared by his older brother, Pau Salvat i Espasa, then in charge of the family publishing house. .
When Pau Salvat i Espasa died in 1923 he took over Editorial Salvat. During his career he presided over the Spanish Publishers Guild, the Institut Català de les Arts del Llibre and the Book Chamber of Barcelona.