The inaugural Portugal Investment Forum has been hailed a huge success as the string of national events concluded in Porto.
Held over nine days, the event attracted more than 300 influential guests, including over 150 investors and family offices, to ask how Portugal can convert a decade of strong growth into lasting prosperity for its people.
The Portugal Investment Forum started in the Algarve on October 1st with events in Lagos and Quinta do Lago. It then headed to Lisbon, Estoril and, finally, Porto on October 9th.
The audience and panel members took part in 15 carefully curated panel sessions, each followed by an expert round-table clinic.
All looked to tackle the questions defining Portugal’s economic trajectory: what is really driving growth, who is investing and why, which emerging sectors hold the greatest promise, and why global capital should choose Portugal over competing destinations.
Rogério Fernandes Ferreira, founder of RFF Lawyers and former Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs, told those at the Lisbon event, “Investment is built on confidence; and confidence comes from clarity, predictability and trust.
“Portugal has the ingredients. Its next challenge is making sure they work together.”
Ricardo Assunção, board member of Amorim Luxury Group, also underscored the benefits of the quality of life Portugal offers explaining, “Investors first choose where they want to live, then the investment comes.”
Among those who appeared at the final event in Porto was Sílvia Mota, CEO at MEXT, chairwoman and CEO at Emerge, and co-founder of Moon Capital.
Entrepreneurs, fund managers, trade body leaders and senior figures in Portuguese business were joined by leaders from education, health, business associations, impact investing, real estate, sport, culture, tourism and inward investment at the forums.
Key messages delivered on the stage included a desire to ensure Portugal’s continued growth was not held up by administrative delays, to take steps to retain the nation’s talent to drive progress and to address concerns over housing.
