FERNANDO MATOS
President @ DSPA & Co-Founder @ Closer Consulting
Fernando Matos is a Portuguese manager with over two decades of experience in the technology industry. He cofounded Closer Consulting, a Portuguese multinational reference in Data Science. He has a degree in Computer Science and Business Management from ISCTE-IUL, having developed throughout his career projects in areas such as data science, business intelligence, AI, data engineering, software development, and cloud computing. In addition, he's the president of the Data Science Portuguese Association (DSPA), one of the main organizations in the promotion and development of the ecosystem and knowledge about data science in Portugal. Married and father of three children, he values the balance between his professional and personal life. He takes an active citizen participation in several projects, among which stands out the presidency of the Voar para o Sucesso association, which supports young people from disadvantaged social situation to practice sports.
JOSÉ ESTEVES
Dean @ Porto Business School
I am the Dean and President Executive Board at Porto Business School, a leading institution for executive education and research in Portugal. I have over 30 years of experience in teaching, consulting, and coaching on information systems, digital strategy, and innovation in the digital world. I am also a Professor of Information Systems and Innovation at IE Business School, one of the top-ranked business schools in the world. I am passionate about helping business and academic leaders discover and seize new opportunities, create new value segments, and launch new ventures in the digital era. I believe that the success of digital transformation depends on how people interact with technology, and how their behavior, culture, and organization adapt to the changing environment. That is why I focus on areas such as digital leadership, smart cities, big data, cybersecurity, gamification, metaverse, sustainability, and artificial intelligence. I have published several books and articles on these topics, and I have been recognized as one of the 30 management thinkers by Thinkers50. I also act as a speaker and a consultant to a number of companies and C-level executives, providing insights, guidance, and solutions to their digital challenges.
Anne Geubelle
CEO at Prologica Healthcare
With more than 25 years of management experience in multicultural and international environment, with a successful track record in acquisition and fusion operations, I decided in 2015 to use my experience in technology, health and management to create a new business unit at Prologica focused exclusively on developing solutions that allow the use of health data for real time clinical and management support decisions.
Today, Prologica’s core business is centered at Healthcare and with a strong and committed team with the same vision, we unlock the power of data in hospitals and related healthcare organizations in order to accelerate the necessary digital transformation of the healthcare sector around the world!
Since 2018, Value-Based Healthcare has also become part of my path, focus and expertise.
After getting the VBHC certified Green Belt and successfully completed the program Train the Trainer – VBHC Green Belt Track, I was invited by Dr. Fred van Eenennaam and VBHC Center Europe to be a VBHC Center Europe Ambassador on the topic Data & IT.
As an Ambassador of VBHC, I am convinced that the adoption of VBHC methodologies at a larger scale is highly depending on the implementation of flexible and user-friendly information system designed to better evaluate patient outcomes, costs (TDABC), and, as a consequence, empower better decision making!
CARLOS OLIVEIRA
Ambassador @ European Innovation Council
Over the past 23 years, Carlos has led the successful growth of a number of technology and digital enterprises. He has also made M&As with publicly listed companies - Microsoft and SmithMicro. Carlos has an entrepreneurial and visionary spirit with experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, digital transformation, company growth strategy and policies for innovation. Carlos is the former Secretary of State for Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation at the Portuguese Government. In 2000 Carlos founded MobiComp, a mobile services startup, and led the company as CEO until he sold the company to Microsoft. His work included building the company product strategy, driving sales and growing the company. Carlos is founder of several startups and worked as an executive at Microsoft and as an angel/VC investor. He was one of the 15 members of the European Innovation Council Advisory Board at the European Commission. Strategic, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and long experience in the Digital, IT and telecom sectors. Carlos has a consumer-centric perspective with experience in management, strategic planning, and business development . Carlos regularly speaks at industry events aswell as contributing to print, radio and television media.
GUILHERME RAMOS PEREIRA
Executive Directorr @ DSPA & Co-Cooordinator @ ATTRACT EDIHData Science Manager at Feedzai
With over 25 years of experience, Guilherme holds a Management degree and accumulates vast national and international experience, both academic and professional, in the development and management of projects in different areas and sectors of activity with particular emphasis in the field of technology-based services. Having in recent years performed as General Secretary of the Portuguese Outsourcing Association as well as Head of International Business Development of a Portuguese based group of companies in the areas of Technological Consulting and Innovation and Outsourcing Services, he currently is the Executive Director of DSPA - Data Science Portuguese Association (since its foundation, in 2018), a very fast-growing national ecosystem of Data Science and AI private and public stakeholders. He is an enthusiast in creating projects from scratch, developing, and empowering it based on very transversal personal and professional skills. Guilherme is a Co-Coordinator of the EDIH ATTRACT - Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing, on which he leads the Networking and Ecosystem Development and Engagement activities.
JOANA FEIJÓ
Business Development Director - Executive Team - @ HEALTH CLUSTER PORTUGAL
Joana Feijó holds a degree in Microbiology from the Catholic University, a master’s degree in Basic and Molecular Biology and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from ICBAS. Near 20 years of her professional career were spent in the private sector working on business strategy, product development and commercialization in the Healthcare industry. From 2015-18 Joana has been developing a tech start-up on the Tourism area aside with consultancy projects on the Healthcare sector. Joana worked at CRITICAL Group between 2009-2015, where she has passed through different companies: from Critical Health & Oncaring, through Critical Software and Coimbra Genomics. Before joining CRITICAL, Joana has worked 3 years at ALERT Life Sciences Computing, as the Director of Clinical Content and Functional Analysis Dept. During those years, she has worked on the company internationalization to the BR, USA, UK and NL markets.
Joana is now part of the Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) Executive team as Business Development Director.
PAULO DIMAS
Vice President of Innovation at Unbabe & CEO @ Center for Responsible AI
Paulo Dimas is the Vice President of Innovation at Unbabel - an Artificial Intelligence startup with a mission to eliminate language barriers. He is also the CEO of the Center for Responsible AI, a consortium made up of AI startups, research centers and industry leaders with the mission of creating the next generation of AI products based on the principles and technologies of Responsible AI.JESSE ANDERSON
Managing Director of Big Data Institute
Jesse Anderson is a Data Engineer, Creative Engineer, and Managing Director of Big Data Institute.
From nimble startups to established Fortune 100s, Jesse mentors companies globally on Big Data, leveraging cutting-edge tech like Apache Kafka, Hadoop, and Spark.
A true innovator in the field, Jesse’s groundbreaking teaching methods have not only earned him recognition from industry leaders but also captured the attention of renowned publications like The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review.
His published works, spanning Apress, O’Reilly, and Pragmatic Programmers, further showcase his unique approach. Reaching a diverse audience through platforms like CNN, BBC, NPR, Engadget, and Wired, Jesse’s influence extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the future of data education.
RUI MENDES
Co-Founder at Ripply & Data Makers Fest
With a background in Applied Mathematics and Information Systems, Rui is passionate about the field of data and the insights it can yield. Combining this passion with a love for communities, he founded DSPT (Data Science Portugal), the largest technical community in Portugal for data scientists. He is a co-founder of Ripply, a company dedicated to fostering the data ecosystem. Additionally, he is a part of the founding team and organizing committee of the international conference, Data Makers Fest.
PEDRO NORTON BARBOSA
Founder @ Skill & Reach
Founder at Skill & Reach, a Cyber Risk Management Company. Organizer of the AI Security & Privacy Conference (https://aisecurityconf.com), a leading conference that brings together 300 Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other senior cybersecurity profiles from the largest organisations in Portugal.
Previously CEO at Multicert (a SIBS company), a Digital Trust, Identity and Security Provider (QTSP), and Head of SIBS Cyberwatch, a Cybersecurity Unit providing Managed Detection & Response services to large organizations and critical infrastructures out of 2 Security Operations Centers (SOC) operating 24/7.
In its 15 years dedicated to Cybersecurity executive and business development roles, Pedro was Country Manager Portugal at S21SEC Group, a leading MSSP in Iberia. Prior to S21SEC, Pedro was Head of Cybersecurity at Claranet Portugal, Co-Founder & CEO at Globinnova Cyber Intelligence (acquired by Claranet in 2017), and Partner & Head of Cybersecurity at AnubisNetworks (acquired by Bitsight Technologies in 2014).
International Experience working with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), Security Operation Centers (SOC), Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), and Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs/CSIRTs) in US, Europe, and Asia.
MBA, Porto Business School; E-Business post graduate, ISEG; University Degree (B.Sc) in Computer Science, UPT.
Pedro created the largest Cybersecurity conference in Portugal in 2015, reaching +600 participants in 3 years.
PAULO TEIXEIRA DE MORAIS
Director at Department of Science and Technology - Univ. Portucalense
Paulo de Morais was born in Viana do Castelo in 1963. He has a degree in Mathematics, an MBA in International Trade and a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Porto.
He is President of the Civic Front. He is Director of the Department of Science and Technology at Universidade Portucalense, where he has developed his academic career. He was a founding member of "Transparência e Integridade", the national chapter of Transparency International, of which he was also vice-president (2010 to 2017). He was a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic in 2016. He was deputy mayor of Porto from 2002 to 2005 and president of the Porto Foundation for Social Development. He was an expert for the European Economic and Social Committee in own-initiative opinions on children's advertising and on the use of new technologies to promote transparency in public management. He was an expert for the Council of Europe on international consultancy missions on good public governance, anti-corruption and money laundering. He was a student association leader in higher education. He was also National Director of the Union of Private Social Solidarity Institutions. Teaching, research and the fight to expose the mechanisms of corruption in Portugal are at the heart of his concerns. He is the author of the books "Mudar o Poder Local", "Da Corrupção à Crise", "Portugal: Janela do Futuro" and "O Pequeno Livro Negro da Corrupção".INÊS ANTAS DE BARROS
Partner @ Vieira de Almeida & Associados
Partner at VdA's Communications, Data Protection & Technology practice. With over 15 years' experience, she has focused her practice on Privacy, Data and Cybersecurity, having worked on cross-cutting projects in multiple jurisdictions and involving various legal or regulatory areas. She has provided specialized advice to companies and public entities in various sectors, including energy, health, pharmaceuticals, finance, distribution and infrastructure. She has also been involved in drafting data protection legislation in other jurisdictions, namely Africa and East Timor. She teaches on postgraduate courses in Data Protection and Cybersecurity at ISEG and at the Law Schools of Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Universidade de Lisboa.
KELWIN FERNANDES
CEO @ NILG.AI
He is the co-founder and CEO of NILG.AI, an AI consulting and development company. Kelwin has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and managers embrace AI in their organizations. He hosts the NILG.AI YouTube channel, which has over 70k subscribers and is becoming the top B2B AI channel on YouTube. Kelwin holds a PhD in Machine Learning from Universidade do Porto and a BSc in Computer Engineering from Universidad Simón Bolívar. Kelwin has published over 30 research papers in scientific journals and conferences.
LILIANA FERREIRA
Executive Director @ Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS
Liliana Ferreira is the director of its research centre for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions (AICOS) since 2017. Liliana is also an invited Full Professor at the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. Her research focuses on the areas of Natural Language Processing, Knowledge Representation, Information Extraction, and Health Informatics. Liliana holds a degree in Applied Mathematics and Technology by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (2002), a MSc in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering and a Ph.D. in Informatics (2011) both from the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Liliana has developed her research in industry and research organizations as Philips Research Eindhoven (NL), IBM Research and Development Böblingen (DE), the Institute of Electronics and Telematics Engineering of Aveiro (PT), the Ubiquitous Knowledge Lab of the Technical University of Darmstadt (DE) and the University of Tübingen (DE).
NÚRIA AMORIM DUARTE
President @ Data Science Portugal & Manager @ Metyis
Núria Amorim has end-to-end experience in consulting – from scope and approach definition to senior client management and project delivery – in countries such as Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, South Africa, Angola and Guinea-Bissau. She started re-imagining companies through technology and data in 2018 and currently serves as President at Data Science Portugal (DSPT) and as lecturer in an Analytics and Business Data Science postgraduate course.
Her interests include travelling, public speaking, and exploring new trends in tech and consumer behaviour.
ANDRÉ VALA
Senior Cloud Solution Architect @ Microsoft
With over 18 years of IT/software consulting experience, I am a Senior Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, where I help customers adopt the cloud and make the best possible use of Microsoft Azure. I have a strong background in enterprise software architecture, cloud-based architectures, collaborative solutions, and search, with a special focus on microservices and PaaS-based solutions.
I am also a former Microsoft MVP for Office Apps & Services, a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and a former Chief Architect at NTT Data Portugal, where I participated in architectural design for solutions of high complexity and provided guidance for other solution architects. I have worked on projects for customers of all sizes and in different countries, mostly with Microsoft technologies, such as SharePoint, Office 365, and Microsoft Azure. I am passionate about learning new technologies, sharing knowledge, and solving complex problems.
PEDRO AMORIM
Professor at Porto Business School and Co-founder at LTPlabs
Pedro Amorim is a seasoned professional bridging the realms of academia and analytics. Holding a Certified Analytics Professional and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management, he boasts over a decade of hands-on experience leading analytics projects. Pedro is a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto and Porto Business School, and he is a Co-founder and partner at LTPlabs. His multifaceted expertise underscores his commitment to advancing the field, both through practical applications and academic mentorship.
CONCEIÇÃO SILVA
Full Professor @ Católica Porto Business School, and Deputy Director for Research, Innovation and Sustainability
Conceição holds a master's degree in management science and operational research from Warwick University in the United Kingdom, a doctorate in management science from Aston University, United Kingdom, and an "aggregation" degree from Universidade Católica Portuguesa. She is the co-author of more than 35 publications in indexed international journals, in which she essentially addresses issues related to efficiency and productivity analysis. She has co-authored several chapters in international books by Sringer, Kluwer and Oxford University Press, among others.) She has applied the Data Envelopment Analysis technique to measure efficiency in contexts such as schools, bank branches, water companies, retail stores, primary health care units and hospitals. She was also principal investigator of 3 projects funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, which resulted in the development of benchmarking websites for secondary schools and hospitals in Portugal. She has also been involved in consultancy work and acts as Associate Editor of the Journal of Productivity Analysis and is a former Associate Editor of Omega magazine. She has held various management positions in her faculty, such as director of the Master's in Management for 3 years, or president of the scientific council for 2.5 years.
MIRIAM SEOANE SANTOS
Assistant Professor @ University of Porto & Founder @ As Raparigas do Código
Miriam Seoane Santos got her Ph.D. in Informatics Engineering, receiving the Award for Best Ph.D. Thesis in Artificial Intelligence 2022, promoted by the Portuguese Association in Artificial Intelligence. Her research spans several topics within data complexity, data difficulty factors, and data intrinsic characteristics with particular implications for AI Ethics and Responsible AI. In 2020, she founded As Raparigas do Código, a non-profit organization that provides free access to technology and programming education for girls and women in Portugal, helping to overcome the gender imbalance in the Information Technology sector. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Porto, Portugal.
MANUEL CRUZ
EU-MATHS-IN President and LEMA-ISEP-IPP Coordinators
Manuel Cruz is currently professor at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), in Porto, Portugal since 1999. He holds a MSc in Applied Statistics and Modelling at Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto and a PhD in Applied Mathematics in the field of projection methods for the eigenvalue problems at Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto. Manuel is the Coordinator of the Laboratório de Engenharia Matemática from ISEP (LEMA) since 2014, where he devotes much of his efforts solving industrial problems posed by several companies.
Manuel was President of the Portuguese Network for Mathematics in Industry and Innovation (PT-MATHS-IN), from 2016 until 2019. At the European level, Manuel was member of the European Service Network of Mathematics for Industry and Innovation (EU-MATHS-IN) Council from 2015 until 2019, stepping down after being elected as member of the Executive Board, where he served as Secretary until 2023. In December of 2023 he was elected as President of this European network that currently encompasses 20 different European countries.
Luís Roque
Founder and Partner @ ZAAI and Vice President of Data & AI @ Marley Spoon
Luís Roque is the Founder and Partner of ZAAI, a company focused on AI product development, consultancy, and investment in AI startups. He also serves as the Vice President of Data & AI at Marley Spoon, leading teams across data science, data analytics, data product, data engineering, machine learning operations, and platform. In addition, he holds the position of AI Advisor at CableLabs, where he contributes to integrating the broadband industry with AI technologies. Luís is also a Ph.D. Researcher in AI at the University of Porto's AI&CS lab and oversees the Data Science Master's program at Nuclio Digital School in Barcelona. Previously, he co-founded HUUB, where he served as CEO until its acquisition by Maersk.
PEDRO SANTA CLARA
Professor and entrepreneur
Pedro Santa-Clara is a Full Professor Finance at the Nova School of Business and Economics since 2007. He was Assistant, Associate and Full Professor of Finance at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management from 1996 to 2009. Pedro has an undergraduate degree in Economics from Nova SBE and a Ph.D. in Finance from INSEAD.
Pedro has published more than 30 papers in top academic journals of Finance and Economics. He was a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and a research fellow of the Center for Economic Policy Research.
In 2012, Pedro’s career took a radical turn, and, over the subsequent six years, he led the construction of the new campus in Carcavelos for Nova SBE and the €54 million campaign that funded it. In this context, Pedro led the creation of Fundação Alfredo de Sousa, which he presided between 2015 and 2018.
In the beginning of 2019, Pedro started Shaken Not Stirred a company that promotes and manages education projects: 42 Lisboa opened in October 2020 and 42 Porto opened in July of 2022; Miles in the Sky started in August 2021; TUMO to open its first center in Coimbra in September 2023. Pedro is a founder and member of the Board of Trustees of Instituto Mais Liberdade, a think tank that promotes the liberal ideals of individual freedom, market economy and democracy.
Pedro is a founding partner of Atrium Portofolio Managers, an asset management firm created in 1999, and of Data4Deals, a fintech startup created in 2021.
Pedro is married to Ana Conduto and has three wonderful kids, André, Tiago, Tomás, and two beautiful grandchildren, Mateo and Sofia. In his spare time – what spare time? – Pedro enjoys running, crossfit, reading, and, most of all, spending time with friends and family.
VASCO FIGUEIREDO TELES
Executive Director @ ATTRACT EDIH & Senior Researcher and Consultant @ INESC TEC
Throughout my career, my driving force has been the pursuit of creating a meaningful impact, supported by a curious and innovative mindset with continuous learning and collaboration.
I have been developing my leadership skills, my adaptability to new roles and industries, and my strategic thinking seeking new avenues for growth.
My experience in sports as rugby, rowing, and marathon running instilled in me invaluable traits such as teamwork, discipline, resilience, and determination, which I wholeheartedly bring to my professional endeavours. My heart as a father of four young boys fuels me the energy.
All experience have shaped my professional journey, preparing me for future challenges and opportunities.
MARGARIDA PROZIL
Head of Data at Data Colab
Margarida Prozil completed her master's degree in 2010 in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minho, Portugal. She holds a post-graduate degree in Health Care Economics and Management from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Porto, Portugal (2018). Since September 2023, she has been serving as the Head of Data at Data Colab. Throughout her professional journey, she has held various positions in the field of digital transformation and data intelligence at leading technology and healthcare companies.
RUI OLIVEIRA
Head of Mobility Operations at EDP
FREDERICO LOPES
IT & Innovation Director at Águas do Norte, S.A.
Frederico is a senior professional focused on technological environments in the water sector. He started in pure IT roles and evolved his career into OT, leading several different projects and teams. He has a degree in electrical engineering, a postgraduate degree in IT management, advanced training in business intelligence and business management. Passionate and involved in the innovation and transformation of digital and development of industry 4.0. An IT / OT facilitator. Her hobbies are the family she loves, travel and sports. If he still has free time, robotics and electronics experiments keep you alive and dreaming.
MIGUEL PORTELA
Executive Vice President at Bial
LILIANA SOUSA BERNARDINO
Head of Consumer Intelligence & Analytics at SONAE MC
Born amidst the rugged beauty of Trás-os-Montes and flourishing in the dynamic professional milieu of Porto, Liliana has crafted a distinguished 20-year career at the forefront of analytics. With a deep-rooted dedication to excellence, she specializes in transforming complex data into actionable insights, focusing on customer insights and strategic analytics.
Her academic achievements include a Master’s degree in Data Analysis and Decision Support Systems and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, recently fulfilled with an Executive MBA at Porto Business School. As the current head of Customer Intelligence and Analytics at Sonae MC, she leads a team of 32 skilled professionals, driving pioneering projects in analytics and customer intelligence. Her efforts have been central to the development and deployment of proprietary tools for campaign management and analytics, significantly enhancing decision-making processes and forging strategic partnerships that bolster corporate strategy and customer loyalty.
Liliana's professional ethos is characterized by a passion for answering critical consumer data questions such as "So what?", "How did it happen?", and "Why?”, which drives the creation of deep customer insights. Her expertise in predictive analytics has proven instrumental in translating customer loyalty into tangible commercial results.
Away from the rigors of the boardroom, Liliana finds solace and inspiration in off-road adventures across the Portuguese mountains, a hobby that mirrors her fearless approach to navigating complex challenges in her professional life.
Liliana is a firm believer in the transformative power of data & analytics, not just as a measurement tool, but as means to uncover insights, build strategies, and forge lasting customer loyalty.
Ricardo Pereira
Personalized Healthcare Head at Roche
CARLOS SOARES
Assoc Professor at FEUP
Carlos Soares is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of U. Porto, where he served in several management roles, including Subdirector of the Department of Informatics Engineering and Director of the Ph.D. Programme in Informatics Engineering. Carlos is also an External Advisor for Intelligent Systems at Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, a researcher at LIACC and a collaborator at LIAAD-INESC TEC. He is also a lecturer at the Porto Business School. The focus of his research is on metalearning/autoML but he has a general interest in Data Science. Carlos is currently responsible for the Center for Responsible AI at FEUP and has participated in 20+ national and international R&ID as well as consulting projects. Carlos regularly collaborates with companies, including recent projects with Feedzai, Bosch and InovRetail. He has published/edited several books and 150+ papers in journals and conferences, (90+/125+ indexed by ISI/Scopus) and supervised 10+/50+ Ph.D./M.Sc. thesis. Recent participation in the organization of events, includes ECML PKDD 2015, IDA 2016 and Discovery Science 2021 as programme co-chair and he will also co-chair ECML PKDD 2025. In 2009, he was awarded the Scientific Merit and Excellence Award of the Portuguese AI Association.
RAMIRO BRITO
Vice-President at Associação Empresarial do Minho
It was in motor racing that he found, from a very young age, the adrenaline rush that has always accompanied him in life. It was love at first sight, which took him to the highest stages of the sport, becoming an FIA Race Officer, a role in which he has operated on four continents, being one of the most international of his generation. In his spare time, as a driver, he gets behind the wheel in occasional speed, mountain and rally races. He has always had a flair for communication and this led him to study for a degree in International Relations at the University of Minho, and then to a degree in Law at the University of Portucalense, which he promises to finish one day. An entrepreneur for more than 20 years, he founded the Erre Group, uniting four companies he had previously created in the areas of communication, information technology and development, the environment, planning and land management, under the same name, while maintaining their functional organization. To these he added a partnership with Sonae Sierra in the operation of foodcourts. The Group operates in more than 12 countries in Europe, Africa and South America. He is CEO of the Group he founded and which he often says belongs to everyone who has written the pages of its history. In 2021, he was one of the constituent members of the Minho Business Association, of which he is first vice-president. Married and the father of two daughters, being a father has been the greatest and most rewarding challenge of his life.