MISSION
To ease and expand the journeys of success and prosperity of Portuguese business people established or wishing to establish in Dubai, as well as Emirati and international businesspeople who are established in Dubai and have business or interests in Portugal.
VISION
To have an active, connected, and thriving Portuguese business community and ecosystem in Dubai, while positioning Portugal and Dubai as internationally prosperous destinations — O português é grande.
We build meaningful relationships across cultures and industries to create opportunity and trust.
We promote high professional standards, innovation and results-driven support for our members.
We act transparently, responsibly and with respect for both Portuguese heritage and Dubai’s business environment.
The Board of Directors consists of members who have diverse backgrounds from different industries yet they work together to enhance Portugal-Dubai relations.
With their strategic insights and leadership, they drive the Council’s initiatives, foster collaboration, and ensure we deliver impactful programs that support our members' growth and success.
Paulo Paiva dos Santos is a Portuguese entrepreneur and business leader with over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. He is the founder and Chairman of INVENTIS®, a diversified group engaged in healthcare, biotechnology, and international trade, and previously founded GENERIS®, Portugal's leading pharmaceutical company.
Throughout his career, Paulo has established and managed multiple manufacturing units in Portugal and Spain, creating over 600 qualified jobs and leading the development and launch of more than 400 pharmaceutical products that have enhanced global access to affordable healthcare.
He holds postgraduate degrees in Leadership and Strategy in Pharmaceuticals and Biotech from Harvard University (HBS) and in Strategic Leadership from Oxford University.
Based between Lisbon and Dubai, Paulo remains deeply committed to fostering innovation, sustainable growth, and stronger economic ties between Portugal and the Middle East.
Miguel Gutierrez is a people's person that has grown in Dubai since 2012 from customer service at Emirates Airlines to, lead philanthropic organizations with the Vatican and the Church of England to, open his own consultancy company MANDALUS and be an advisor to the government of Portugal and Dubai, respectively, through Diáspora Portuguesa and DMCC. In other parts of the world, Miguel has been recognized by the US government for cultural diplomacy in Hip Hop, awarded with the Global Sustainability Network for the David Rockefeller Bridging Leaders Award, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with CUFA from Brazil, as his passion for culture management with Girl Gamer eSports WorldCul from Macau, overseeing the global roll-out rights of Palazzo Versace Hotels or advising South Korea's MBC powerhouse group. Miguel focus are music and relational capital to drive legacy.
João C. Silva is an award winning entrepreneur and CEO of Digital Connection, an international marketing and communication agency with offices in Lisbon and Dubai. He is also the co-founder of XCOPE AI, a global consultancy dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence into business strategy, and Art of Connection, a creative platform that unites art, culture, and human expression. Leading teams across Europe and the Middle East, João is driven by innovation, creativity, and purpose.
Gonçalo Freitas is a Portuguese entrepreneur and Project Director with over a decade of leadership in digital strategy, marketing innovation, and cross-functional project management. He has led large-scale, multi-channel campaigns for international brands including Decathlon, Microsoft, Hi Fly, KIA, EasyHotel, Coldwell Banker, Dubai Holding Group, and Al Ansari Exchange. Gonçalo combines strategic vision with technical expertise, delivering transformative digital solutions across sectors. Recognised with several awards in Europe for excellence in marketing and digital innovation, he continues to shape forward-thinking strategies and foster collaboration between European and Middle Eastern markets from his base in Lisbon and Dubai
Avani Thakrar is a multilingual Brand Strategist and founder of AT Brand Custodian specializing in communications, PR and events across Europe and the Middle East. She works with HNW and UHNW clients across luxury, healthcare, government, property, art and finance sectors leading global initiatives and cross-border market entry strategies.
Caetano is a lawyer with over a decade of practice in the United Arab Emirates, where his experience has made him a trusted advisor in the region. He advises high-net-worth individuals and families on relocations, acquisitions, and cross-border investments. With a strong international network, he is also highly regarded in the sports sector, supporting prominent agents, athletes, and sports clubs in structuring complex deals and M&A transactions. Caetano is a founding member of the Portuguese Business Council in Dubai, which he chaired from 2016 to 2025.
Mauricio Dias Amador is a corporate leader with a strategic focus on sustainability, waste management, packaging, and high-precision engineering sectors. He has extensive experience across Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and particularly the Middle East & Africa, leading projects in strategic growth, business transformation, turnarounds, and operational excellence.
Ladislau Batalha is a senior executive with over 25 years of global experience in
customer experience and customer care, spanning telecom, banking, insurance,
retail, travel, fintech, and hospitality. He has led Customer Experience and
automation strategies across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South
America, working with companies including Etisalat, T-Mobile, Vodafone, NOS,
Teleperformance, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Uber.
As Founder and Managing Director of LAB Experience, a Dubai-based consulting
firm with a global footprint, Ladislau specializes in pragmatic strategy, process
optimization, and multi-channel automation (voice, chat, apps, bots). He is
known for designing and executing strategies that raise customer satisfaction,
drive measurable efficiency improvements, and deliver sustainable ROI for
global enterprises.
Previously, as CEO of the International Customer Experience Institute (ICXI),
Ladislau played a pivotal role in the development of global CX standards,
thought leadership, and innovation initiatives—helping shape how organizations
worldwide adopt best practices in customer and employee experience.
A passionate advocate for innovation in customer experience, Ladislau thrives in
multicultural environments and has built a career helping organizations
A Retail and Real Estate seasoned C-Level professional, Board Director and Senior Advisory experience, with +31 years’ of experience in the Shopping Centers Industry, +36 years’ experience in Retail, ample knowledge in start-ups, turnaround businesses, challenging projects and “change management” in different regions.
Good network and relationships with many relevant stakeholders in different regions of the world (Europe: Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Azerbaijan, Asia: India, China, Hong-Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Philippines’ and Malaysia, MENA: UAE, Oman, KSA, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt, and South America: Brazil).
Mature and reliable Senior Executive, with vast experience in implementing best practices, digitization, automation and successful and innovative business with disruptive standards.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and has driven its growth from a start-up of 28 member companies in 2003 to the world’s leading international business district with over 26,000 member companies from 180 countries, employing over 80,000 people.
Tasked with enhancing commodity trade flows through Dubai, DMCC has introduced to the market a number of value-added products and services under Mr Bin Sulayem’s leadership. In 2023, DMCC was named ‘Global Free Zone of the Year’ by The Financial Times fDi Magazine, for a record ninth consecutive year.
Mr Bin Sulayem oversaw the exponential growth of the DMCC Free Zone master development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), a 200- hectare business and residential community in Dubai of over 100,000 people living and working in 87 towers. Mr Bin Sulayem also oversees the development of DMCC’s latest real estate project, the Uptown Dubai district.
Mr Bin Sulayem currently serves as the Chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX).
The Kimberley Process officially appointed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the first and only Arab country to Chair the Kimberley Process (KP) in November 2015. Shortly after, the UAE Ministry of Economy officially appointed Mr Bin Sulayem as the UAE’s Chair of the KP for 2016. Mr Bin Sulayem was reappointed Chair of the KP for a historic second time in 2024 and has continued his leadership role with the position of Custodian Chair of the KP in 2025.
Amândio Costa, in Dubai since 2016, is one of the most influential coaches and personal trainers in the Middle East through his work with royal families and celebrities, is also a businessman of sports medicine clinics in Dubai. Amândio serves as sports advisor to the private sector, as to the CEO of Gallop, as well as the government of Dubai in direct collaboration with Dubai Sports Council. Amandio, previous military air force and also footballer has been the cover of Mens Health and served as Ambassador to the Spartan Race.
Bakri is the former MENA CFO of a Fortune Global 100 company, bringing over 25 years of financial leadership experience across the full MENA region. He had residential and operational roots in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Tunisia before transitioning to Europe as an entrepreneur. He managed and scaled businesses exceeding €1B in P&L while building trusted relationships with sovereign funds, family offices, and global investors. As CEO of Eficiente Ventures, based in Lisbon, he currently focuses on cross-border venture acceleration and financial architecture, bridging Portugal, the GCC, and key markets across Europe and North America to connect scale-ups, funds, and governments with strategic growth opportunities.
Delfim dos Santos is a Managing Partner and Senior Advisor in Retail Strategy and
Consulting, partnering with multiple global retailers and FMCG leaders across GCC
and international markets—bringing over 20 years of executive experience.
A recognized expert in Retail Transformation, Private Label Development, and
Commercial Growth, he has delivered sustainable results, market expansion, and
operational excellence for leading multinationals in dynamic FMCG and modern
retail environments.
As a senior executive, he has been repeatedly entrusted with leading and
delivering business objectives in demanding environments, bringing unique
credentials in team leadership, culture building, brand strengthening, and sales
growth. Passionate about omnichannel, commerce, negotiation, and customer
centricity, he holds a degree in Automation and Control Engineering and a
postgraduate qualification in Marketing from IPAM.
Having built his career within market-leading multinational companies, he has
held several senior leadership positions at Majid Al Futtaim, Auchan, Sonae,
Metro Group, and Daymon, where a strong focus on the customer, excellence in
results, and team development have been the pillars of his success.
Delfim dos Santos has served as Counselor of the Portuguese Diaspora Council
since December 2025.
Hamdan Zakaria Doleh, serial Emirati entrepreneur and a worldwide investor, from Portugal to Kenya, is also the Chairman of the China Innovation Center in UAE - promoting bilateral trade between countries and beyond - and is partner at Doleh and Sons Investments family office, from tech to media or from automotive to real estate and development, most known for the iconic 1960's cultural landscape of the Chinese Pagoda House built by his late father, one of the pioneers in Dubai’s history. Also a fan of sports, supporting his son JZ Doleh, an aspiring F1 driver, currently competing in F4.
Hugo Corga is an international business advisor and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience working across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. He has held senior commercial and leadership roles in global data and technology companies, including Moody’s, where he led strategic initiatives across multiple regions.
Today he is the founder of Kept Business Consultants, a Dubai-based advisory firm focused on strategic partnerships, cross-border investment, and business development between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Having lived and worked in cities such as Lisbon, Madrid, Luanda, São Paulo, and Dubai, Hugo brings a global perspective and a strong network to initiatives that connect investors and business opportunities.
Mohamed Al Hashemi is the Chief Executive Officer of Union Coop in Dubai, one of the largest consumer cooperatives in the United Arab Emirates. He leads over 2,500 employees across retail, real estate, and investment operations. Before Union Coop, he served as Regional President at Majid Al Futtaim, where he led the introduction of commercial cinemas to Saudi Arabia after a 35-year ban, building an industry that did not previously exist in the country.
His career spans corporate banking at Emirates Islamic Bank, financial operations at Carrefour, healthcare business development, and entertainment leadership across the GCC. He has operated across four industries, three countries, and organizations ranging from startups to publicly traded cooperatives.
A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and Forbes Business Council Member, Mohamed holds executive education credentials from Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge Judge Business School, Stanford, and the Hawkamah Institute for Governance. He is the author of four books on leadership execution and governance. He mentors entrepreneurs through Endeavor and teaches entrepreneurship at the New Economy Academy in Dubai.
Mariam Farag is a strategic communications and branding leader with over 25 years of experience across the GCC, Europe, and North Africa. She is the Founder of Humanizing Brands™, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations and leaders communicate with authenticity and impact. Formerly Vice President of Corporate Communications at DAMAC Group and Regional Head of Social Impact and Talent Development at MBC Group, Mariam has led major brand transformation, media, and social impact initiatives. She is also the author of Humanize Your Brand™, a book on authentic communication and purpose-driven leadership in the digital age.
Miguel Gutierrez is a people's person that has grown in Dubai since 2012 from customer service at Emirates Airlines to, lead philanthropic organizations with the Vatican and the Church of England to, open his own consultancy company MANDALUS and be an advisor to the government of Portugal and Dubai, respectively, through Diáspora Portuguesa and DMCC. In other parts of the world, Miguel has been recognized by the US government for cultural diplomacy in Hip Hop, awarded with the Global Sustainability Network for the David Rockefeller Bridging Leaders Award, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with CUFA from Brazil, as his passion for culture management with Girl Gamer eSports WorldCul from Macau, overseeing the global roll-out rights of Palazzo Versace Hotels or advising South Korea's MBC powerhouse group. Miguel focus are music and relational capital to drive legacy.
Mohammad J. Fathi oversees marketing activities across the Americas and the Iberian Peninsula for Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET). Since joining in 2015, he has played a multifaceted role in elevating the city’s global presence.
His studies in Miami and London, combined with his passion for travel and cultural exchange, have broadened his perspective on the world—shaping his appreciation for how travel connects people, cultures, and perspectives.
In the year 2000 Samih founded and became the CEO of Maktoob.com the world’s first Arabic email and largest Arab Online community. In 2005 Samih cofounded Souq.com, the Arab Worlds largest ecommerce site. In 2009 Maktoob was acquired by Yahoo! and in 2017 Souq.com was acquired by Amazon in one of the largest technology acquisition deals in the history of the region. Based in Dubai both Maktoob and Souq were important enablers of the technology and startups ecosystem in the UAE and the region.
Samih is currently the Chairman of Jabbar Internet Group (Jabbar.com). Jabbar today is one of the leading investors in Internet and technology companies in the UAE and the region. Jabbar based in Dubai invested in over 30 startups in the UAE and the region.
Samih holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of London and a Masters in Management and International Business from HEC University in France.
On 15/12/2016 Samih received the Social Media Entrepreneurship Award for the private sector from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed al Maktoom in Dubai.
On 9/9/2009 Samih received Al Hussein Medal for Distinguished Performance of the First Order from His Majesty King Abdullah II in recognition of his contribution to the IT and Telecommunications sector in Jordan and the region.
In 2011 and in 2012 Samih was named by ArabianBusiness magazine as one of the most 500 influential Arabs in the world. In 2014 Samih received the Takreem award for Outstanding Corporate Leadership in the Arab World.
Samih serves on several boards of companies and organizations and in 2016 he was appointed as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Jordan. Between 2003 and 2005 , Samih was appointed by the Jordanian government as a member of the board of the Social Security Investment Fund (a fund of several billion Dollars).
Today Samih is an active investor, investing in many startups in the region and around the world. He also acts as a mentor to many entrepreneurs.
Journalist specialized in Global Mobility, with a focus on analyzing international trends, skilled migration flows, and business development strategies across multiple markets. Their career integrates communication, public relations, and international expansion, connecting companies and professionals with opportunities in the United States, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates.
They adopt a strategic, results-driven approach, with a strong ability to interpret market dynamics and build relevant institutional relationships. Their work sits at the intersection of business, communication, and geopolitics, closely monitoring market movements, migration policies, and the global positioning of brands and talent.
Sérgio Sousa is the Group CEO of Asmara Holdings, with responsibility for several companies across the retail, industrial, and real estate sectors, primarily in Africa. Born in Lisbon in 1971, he holds a degree in Business Management from the Santarém School of Management and has extensive international experience in management and business development.
He began his career at the multinational H.J. Heinz, holding leadership roles across Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East, including Chairman & President of Heinz Japan. He returned to Portugal in 2008 as Managing Director of Libbey Portugal (Crisal), before moving into Private Equity at ECS Capital. In 2011, he joined IFFCO in the UAE, where he ultimately became Managing Director – Oils & Fats and Condiments, overseeing eight companies across multiple countries.
In 2017, he joined Webcor as Chief Commercial Officer, leading industrial projects in Africa, including Angola and Mozambique. In 2022, he moved to Silal, a company owned by the ADQ sovereign wealth fund, responsible for managing the UAE's strategic reserves.
Sérgio Sousa is an FMCG specialist with a strong results-driven mindset, deep intercultural experience, and a proven track record in business turnaround and development, focused on leveraging strengths and empowering teams in global contexts.
Sérgio Sousa has been Portugal's World Advisor since December 2025.
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