Founder & Director of Intercapital Ventures
Living in London & Sao Paulo
EGMiM class of 2012-14
What's your academic and professional background?
I have a legal background, and completed a five-year law degree before enrolling on the EGMiM programme. I am a qualified Portuguese and Brazilian lawyer, and have worked for leading Portuguese law firm PLMJ, as well as Santander Asset Management and Silicon Valley Bank. I was also Company Manager responsible for the set-up of the Brazilian operation of Cotton On (the largest apparel retailer in Australia). I am currently an investor with InterCapital Ventures, and Executive Board Member of eyeSight (one of InterCapital’s portfolio companies) with the responsibility for its operation in Brazil.
What attracted you to apply for the EGMiM programme?
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Faculty excellence
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LSE’s extensive and international network
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A fresh approach to the global business dynamic, without losing sight of a rigorous theoretical framework
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The opportunity to deliver learning from the programme to my work in ‘real time’, as I continued to work full-time while I studied on the programme
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The quality of the diverse and internationally minded cohort, with students coming from all over the world, and from truly varied academic and professional backgrounds
How has the programme helped the general development of your career?
EGMiM provided me with the necessary tools and skills to better understand the complexity of the ‘global agenda’ and its economic, political and social status quo. The unique LSE approach to global issues was key to enable me to understand and analyse the global principles which affect the daily management of my company, and has helped me to make better business decisions.
How have you applied specific learning from the classroom in your work/job role?
As Executive Board Member of eyeSight, I am fully responsible for establishing the entry strategy in the Brazilian Market of a smart home device - SingleCue. As we are launching SingleCue globally we can witness the differences of approach that different markets require. One example that stands out for me are the challenges we have faced in defining the price of our product in different markets (USA, Europe and Brazil) and the impact of supply and demand on those markets that a price strategy must take into consideration. EGMiM was determinant to understand those concepts and created the right framework for my price strategy in Brazil.
How has the global/international focus of the programme helped your career?
EGMiM equipped me with the critical thinking skills necessary to tackle the problems of management from an international and global perspective, promoting the expertise to face the challenges of developing my firm, and the vocation to operate on a truly global scale. The international modules - taught in different cities - created an opportunity to engage with local stakeholders and to truly understand the unique dynamics of different regions and business hubs. InterCapital Ventures has in its portfolio companies from across the world (Israel, London, Lisbon, etc.), and they operate on a global scale. It is therefore mandatory to understand the subtleties of global markets in order to ‘think global and act local’.
What has been the best thing for you about completing the EGMiM programme?
LSE and EGMiM provided both amazing faculty and unique course content, with the opportunity to deliver what we learn in ‘real time’. Another factor that stands out is the quality of the diverse and internationally minded cohort, with students coming from all over the world, and from truly varied academic and professional backgrounds. Such a cohort experience is fundamental to establishing strong networks and to exploring the possible synergies that might arise.