José Manuel Durão Barroso served as President of the European Commission for two consecutive terms, from 2004 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2014. Prior to his tenure at the European Commission, he held various positions in the Government of Portugal over a period of twelve years, including the roles of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the academic sphere, he has held distinguished appointments as a visiting professor at Georgetown University and Princeton University. Currently, he serves as a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Portugal and at the European University Institute's School of Transnational Governance in Florence. In addition to his academic engagements, he has held significant leadership roles in the private sector. He was Chairman of the Board of Goldman Sachs International from 2016 and currently serves as Chairman of International Advisors at Goldman Sachs. Furthermore, he is the Chairman of the Board of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. Notably, in 2012, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the European Union, in recognition of its contributions to peace and reconciliation in Europe.

Rohit Bhargava is on a mission to inspire more “non- obvious” thinking in the world by helping leaders to be more open minded and see what others miss. He is the #1 Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of nine books on marketing, storytelling, trends and diversity. His signature book, Non-Obvious, has been read or shared by over 1 million readers. As a “non-boring” keynote speaker, Rohit has been invited to speak in 32 countries for some of the world’s most pioneering organizations, including NASA, Disney, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Marriott, World Bank, Intel, LinkedIn and over a hundred others. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Rohit spent 15 years leading advising global brands on marketing strategy as an executive at two of the largest advertising agencies in the world. As an entrepreneur, he is the founder of two successful startups and teaches speaking and persuasion at Georgetown University in Washington DC. His thinking has also been featured on NPR, Fast Company and the Harvard Business Review and he writes a monthly column for GQ magazine in Brazil. On a personal note, he loves the Olympics, hates cauliflower, is a proud dad of two boys and looks forward to meeting all of you in person later today.

Economic analyst and technology communicator considered one of the most influential figures in Digital Economy, with over two million followers on his social media and being one of the most sought-after speakers of the moment. He has been selected as TopVoices LinkedIn, Top100 Forbes Influencers, Top100 Innovative Leaders of the 21st Century, and Top100 Most Creative People in Business. As an international consultant, he leads his own consultancy, Allrework, which works with clients such as Microsoft, IBM, Allianz, Deloitte, Mercedes Benz, Telefónica, Adobe, PWC, CaixaBank, Amazon, and a dozen governments worldwide. At the same time, he is an advisor to d-LAB of Mobile World Capital, counselor to the digital business accelerator Conector Startup Spain, and an economic analyst in multiple media outlets worldwide. He is one of the analysts who predicted the economic crisis before it happened. In 2006, he wrote about what would unfold years later, not with alarmism, but from a perspective of historical opportunity. For this and other reasons, his blog was awarded third place in the EuroBlogs Awards for the best European blog and received one of the mentions for the best blog in Spain. He publishes his books with the publishing house Planeta. The most notable are Against the Subsidy Culture, An Ant in Paris (translated into several languages and selected as one of the ten indispensable books by Forbes Magazine), and his latest book, The Era of Humanity, which is now in its 12th edition. Previously, he founded the digital consultancy Cink, which was acquired by the multinational Llorente y Cuenca years later. He was also the creator and director of the Postgraduate Program in Digital Strategy in Networks for the IL3 at the University of Barcelona, a member of the New Economy Research Group at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and the first director of the now-defunct magazine Westinghouse New Economy. He currently resides in Madrid, although he has lived in a dozen countries. His favorite music is performed by Frank Sinatra, Noel Gallagher, or Lana del Rey. His favorite films are Solaris and Metropolis, and his favorite authors are Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke. He supports RCD Español, but his favorite sports are rugby and handball. His greatest passion is his son Max and his wife Lara. Anecdote: His first business was at the age of 12 when he asked his mother for money to buy collectible cards and resell them based on the difficulty of obtaining the most sought-after ones. He presented his mother with a business plan to demonstrate he would return profits on her investment. It was then he discovered that a business plan doesn't always work out as planned.

Grant Dudson is an award-winning experiential creative director with over 14 years experience, specializing in the ideation and delivery of powerful brand experiences, events, spatial design and immersive art. From driving Johnnie Walker's Global experiential creative for Blue Label and Black Label to designing immersive art installations for brands like Tudor and Talisker among others, Grant is always pushing the boundaries of possibility within the experiential landscape. His work has spanned immersive art installations for brands like Ford to globally recognised press stunts like HP’s award-winning Bending The Rules Campaign to campaign creation for the likes of the Buzz Aldrin Share Space Foundation for the 50th anniversary of the moon-landing as well as huge scale projection-mapping projects like Ferrari’s projection mapping installation at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

Head of Legal at Helexia Portugal and founder of the civic initiative Women in ESG Portugal. Alice is a lawyer with a Master’s degree in Public Law and is currently completing her PhD in Legal-Economic Sciences at the University of Lisbon. She is a Collaborating Researcher at the University of Lisbon (Lisbon Public Law) and at NOVA University Lisbon (CEDIS), as well as an author of books and legal articles. She has been invited as a guest lecturer to teach courses in postgraduate programs at NOVA Law School and in the Climate Law postgraduate program at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon. Additionally, she serves as co-coordinator of the MBA in Energy Law and Electric Sector Business at CEDIN, Brazil. Alice acts as the Legal Expert for Portugal at Spark Legal, contributing to the "Verification of compliance of national legislative measures implementing Directive (EU) 2018/2002 on energy efficiency and Directive (EU) 2018/844 on the energy performance of buildings" for the European Commission. Through the synergy between Law, Economics, and Sustainability, she has actively practiced law and taught for over 11 years, with a focus on energy markets.

Bernardo is responsible for coordinating Sustainability Services within CBRE’s Asset Management department for Continental Europe, where he supports clients in implementing their ESG strategies (both portfolio and asset-level). With extensive expertise in sustainability and hands-on experience in building operations, he serves as a facilitator in the practical implementation of strategic sustainability plans, collaborating with teams across the region. He began his career at an engineering and consulting firm, specializing in energy audits and building certification. In 2014, he joined CBRE Portugal, leading the technical division of Asset Management, overseeing operations, OPEX, and CAPEX across various asset classes. In 2021, he transitioned to the Strategic Consulting division, driving the growth of CBRE’s Sustainability consulting business in Portugal. In this role, he developed ESG strategies, conducted decarbonization audits, and led certification projects (LEED, BREEAM, WELL). Bernardo holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Energy from Instituto Superior Técnico. He is also a Certified Energy Expert (PQ II) under the Portuguese Energy Certification System. Additionally, he completed a postgraduate degree in Building Safety Management and Leadership at Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa. His strong technical background and practical experience make him a highly skilled professional in sustainability applied to the real estate sector.

Carla Pinto is the Executive Director of APCC - Portuguese Council of Shopping Centers, a Board Member of the Fundação Crédito Agrícola and  member of the Advisory Board of GRACE - Empresas Responsáveis.. At an academic level, is an Invited Professor and Researcher at the Portuguese Catholic University. Former Capital and Debt Manager at Banco Português de Fomento (a financial company which has the nature of a national promotion bank),  Board Advisor at PME Investimentos - Sociedade de Investimento S.A, Executive Vice President at Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social - CASES (the entity responsible for social economy policies in Portugal), Project Manager in the health area, both in the public and private sectors and consultant in several entities and projects. Has also performed various functions in structuring, implementing, developing and managing public and private projects.

Carlos Oliveira is a renowned entrepreneur, senior advisor, and experienced board member with a distinguished career spanning over two decades in innovation, entrepreneurship, economic development, and public policy. At the age of 22, he founded MobiComp, quickly demonstrating his entrepreneurial talent and leading the company until its successful acquisition by Microsoft in 2008. Currently, Carlos serves as Chairman of the National Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (CNCTI) and holds positions as Chairman of the Board and Non-Executive Director of several companies. Throughout his extensive career, Carlos acted as Secretary of State for Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness, and Innovation in Portugal, where he played a pivotal role in shaping national policies that fostered an innovative, competitive, and dynamic business and entrepreneurial environment. Additionally, Carlos has held various advisory and executive roles, including as a member of the European Innovation Council, where he supported the creation of this €10 billion innovation program. His leadership extends across multiple sectors, including AI startups and foundations, with his board memberships reflecting his deep expertise in governance, innovation, and strategy. In recognition of his contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship, Carlos was awarded the Order of Merit by the President of Portugal. Continuing to significantly influence the economic landscape, he remains a tireless advocate for innovative perspectives and the advancement of emerging technologies, helping to shape a prosperous and sustainable socio-economic future.

Currently heads C-MORE Sustainability, a global technology company with a mission to translate sustainability into actionable business strategies. Additionally, conducting in-depth research on the "S" (social) dimension within the ESG framework and how it is integrated into private sector practices, with the aspiration of pursuing a Ph.D. in the field.

Cristina Moreira dos Santos is the Property Management & Leasing Executive Director at Sonae Sierra since 2021, as well as a member of the Sustainability Steering Committee. Previously, she was Managing Director of Property Management for Iberia, with responsibilities across Property Management and Leasing. Between 2012 and 2016 she held the same role for Portugal. Prior to that, Cristina was the Director of NorteShopping, after joining the company to be Deputy Director of GaiaShopping in 1995. Currently Cristina Santos is also chairwoman of the Portuguese Council of Shopping Centers (APCC), an association with more than 180 associated companies.

With over 20 years of experience in the real estate market, Fernando Ferreira has built a distinguished career. Previously, he held leadership positions at renowned companies in the sector, including JLL, where he spent seven years as Head of Capital Markets Portugal, and Cushman & Wakefield, where he began his career in the Valuations department before transitioning to the Investment department in 2007, shortly before the financial crisis. A graduate in Business Management, Fernando also has experience in the banking sector, having served as Head of Strategic Real Estate Assets at BES, where he was responsible for managing strategic real estate assets.

Grégoire Huillard is the current Director of Development and Investments at Klépierre Iberia, a position he has held since November 2023. In this role, he leads the strategy for growth and optimization of the company's asset portfolio in Spain and Portugal. A graduate in Business Administration from ESCP Europe Business School, Huillard has over 14 years of experience in the real estate sector. Much of his career has been developed at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), where he initially managed the group's major assets in Paris. In 2014, he relocated to Spain to join the URW team, where he led major projects like the expansion of the Garbera shopping center in San Sebastián, adding more than 20,000 m² of new retail space in 2023, and the extension of La Maquinista in Barcelona, a 92,000 m² urban regeneration project that blends retail, residential, and office spaces. Since 2021, he held the position of Director of Investments and Divestments for URW in Spain. With his move to Klépierre Iberia, Huillard brings extensive real estate development expertise and a strategic vision that strengthens the company's commitment to sustainable growth and the consolidation of a premium asset portfolio in the Iberian Peninsula.

Inês Drummond Borges is currently Board Member and Chief Transformation Officer of Sonae Sierra, a position she has held since July 2021. She has played a key role in the company's commercial, cultural and digital digital transformation of the company, instrumental to the materialisation of a new cycle of under the strategy of diversifying the business in the property sector. property. Before joining Sonae Sierra, she led the digital transformation of Worten, where she was where she held the position of Marketing Director for Portugal and Spain between 2015 and2021. She was responsible for repositioning the brand, consolidating it as a omnichannel technology marketplace. She worked at Vodafone for 15 years, where she held various roles in the areas of strategy, innovation strategy, innovation, marketing and customer value management. During this period, she was involved in structuring projects, including the convergence of the mobile-fixed telecoms sector and the creation and growth of the Yorn brand. His professional career began at McKinsey & Company, where he worked as a as a Business Analyst, specialising in digital business. With a growth-oriented approach - to businesses, organisations and people - Inês is passionate about innovation, talent and transformation.She advocates leadership, valuing diversity and the positive impact of companies on society, impact of companies on society. She has a degree in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa and completed an Erasmus programme at the Université des Sciences Sociales de Toulouse. She is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish, she has a strong international outlook and a deep interest in interest in economic development and social entrepreneurship.

Joana is the co-founder and COO of Sensei. Founded in 2017, it is Europe's leading technology scale-up in autonomous retail. With its proprietary computer vision and artificial intelligence technology, Sensei was a pioneer in opening the first autonomous store in Europe in Lisbon in 2021. In 2025, together with SONAE MC, it inaugurated the world's largest autonomous store, Continente Bom Dia in Leiria. Previously, it had opened the first autonomous supermarket in Latin America in Brazil with Grupo Muffato and, in Italy, the first autonomous stores with the Italian convenience retail brand CONAD. Sensei operates autonomous points of sale in Portugal, France, Italy, and Brazil. It has a team of over 70 people and includes investors from the U.S., Germany, Spain, Latin America, and Portugal—some of whom are backed by major European retail players. The company raised around €21M in venture capital, closing its Series A funding round in 2024 with €15M. During her academic journey, Joana worked and studied in Portugal, the USA, Italy, and Germany. She attended Instituto Superior Técnico, where she pursued doctoral studies (DFA) under the MIT Portugal program (a partnership between IST and MIT), and completed a postgraduate program in Management and Sustainability at Harvard University in the USA. Before founding Sensei, she was a founding partner of the software house META, and since 2019, she has been a member of the Executive Committee and Vice-President of the Portuguese Industrial Association (AIP-CCI). She was awarded the Women Entrepreneurship Award by Católica Lisbon Business School/ Center for Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2019, as well as the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2021 (João Vasconcelos Award by Startup Lisboa).

PhD in Economics from the University of Illinois (USA). He has held positions at the Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil), the University of Illinois (USA), and the University of Cambridge (UK). His research focuses on the Real Estate Market and Structural Transformations. Together with Professor Pedro Brinca, he co-leads the MacroNova research group. He is a member of the Economics for Policy Knowledge Center at Nova SBE, where he has collaborated with Professor João Duarte on several studies, including “The Future of Work in Portugal: The Imperative of Reskilling” (2019), “ReSkill Hub: Accelerating Professional Reskilling in Cascais” (2021), “Impact Assessment of Consumer Credit on the Portuguese Economy” (2019), “Economic Impact Assessment of the Beer Sector in Portugal” (2021), “Economic Impact Assessment of the Battery Value Chain” (2021), and “Impact Assessment of Structural Funds in Different Regions of Portugal” (2021). He has also developed and contributed to several capacity-building projects with a strong focus on institutional development, such as the SRSS/SC2019/128 project for the Ministry of Finance (GPEARI), in collaboration with DG Reform.

José Maria holds a degree in Management from EADA Business School in Barcelona, where he completed a Master's in International Management. He began his professional career at RPE, a consultancy specializing in the retail sector, in Lisbon. Currently based in Madrid, he serves as Director on JLL’s Retail Capital Markets team.

Manuela Veloso is Head of AI Research at JPMorganChase and Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emerita in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. Veloso pursues research interests in core AI as AI robot and digital agents with perception, cognition, and action. She further aims at a seamless human-AI symbiotic interaction. Veloso is a member of the National Academy of Engineering for “her contributions to artificial intelligence and its applications to robotics and to the financial domain.” She is a past president of AAAI, and a co-founder of RoboCup. Veloso is a fellow of AAAI, IEEE, ACM, and AAAS. She has a BSc. and MSc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from IST, an MA in Computer Science from BU, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from CMU. Veloso has doctorate honorary degrees from the Catholic University of Portugal, University of Bordeaux, ISCTE, and University of Orebro. See www.cs.cmu.edu/~mmv for detailed information.

Paulo Sarmento is Head of Transactional Services at Cushman & Wakefield Portugal Paulo has 38 years work experience, of which 29 years in international Real Estate Investment, Development and Management. I have extensive knowledge in the areas of commercial real estate investment (all asset classes), mixed-use development, leasing, property management and asset management. Has a seasoned cross-border manager, having worked in the set-up of real estate retail projects and companies in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Brazil and the UK. Paulo has general management experience, having served as Country Manager for Italy and Brazil. Her previous 8 years work experience were developed in marketing, sales and human resources, in the industries of business consultancy, car retailing and office furniture.

Professor of Macroeconomics at Nova SBE since 2015, he has published in scientific journals such as the Journal of Monetary Economics and the Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, having also contributed to the second edition of the Handbook of Macroeconomics with a chapter on economic cycles. He leads and/or participates in several research projects funded by institutions such as the Norwegian Research Council, Foundation for Science and Technology and Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos. Also leads several consulting projects for Economics for Policy, a Knowledge Center of Nova SBE. These typically cover sectorial impact studies, public entities capacitation programs, national and foreign. Pedro Brinca also is a regular contributor with comments and articles in the media, namely tv, radio and printed/online press.

Journalist for SIC and SIC Notícias, with nearly 20 years of experience across various fields of television journalism, particularly in news anchoring and reporting. She is also distinguished for hosting conferences and various institutional and corporate events, as well as moderating interviews and debates. Recognized as one of Portugal’s most specialized journalists in housing, real estate, and urban planning, she hosts a real estate-focused podcast forExpressoand is responsible for presenting and moderating theSIC Notícias/Expresso Real Estate Awards.

Writer, commentator, consultant, and Director of the NewsMuseum. He became known as one of the founders of the blog 31 da Armada. As a communication consultant, in 2008 he founded the agency NextPower, which he led until 2019. In 2016, he was one of the coordinators of the NewsMuseum project (in Sintra), which was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award. He continues to serve as its director. He holds the position of President of the Strategic Council of the Portuguese Association of Shopping Centers – APCC. He has published six books, with Pax English – A nossa tribo being the most recent, released in 2022.

Rui has a financial background and began his career in this area at companies such as Sonae Sierra and Carrefour. He joined Nhood in 2009 as Chief Financial Officer and, in recent years, has led Property and Asset teams. Between 2014 and 2018, he led the company’s sales and acquisition processes, and in 2022 he was appointed Real Estate Director (North), becoming responsible for the management of both Property and Asset operations in Northern Portugal. In May 2024, he took on a new role in the Capital Markets area and is currently Head of Capital Markets for the Iberian market.

With over 25 years of experience in shopping centers, Partner Director of the Retail division at Hamilton, a strategic research consultancy, he is a keen observer of consumption trends and one of the leading analysts and specialists in the sector within the Iberian market. For 20 years, he has been a member of the Technical Committee of Traders at AECC, where he is a regular contributor to various Forums and Congresses. A speaker in different settings across Europe and Latin America, he is also a regular collaborator with several specialized media outlets in marketing and retail, as well as with multiple Spanish universities (UCM, UB, UAH, UV...). He is passionate about innovation, convinced that the evolution of any company lies in the development of the talent within its teams, and a strong advocate for the need to humanize brands to meet the demands of society and today's consumer.