Francisco Aires was born on 10 March 1975 in Foz do Douro, Porto. Coming from a family with strong academic traditions in Architecture and Engineering, he grew up in an environment that valued education, discipline, and dedication to high-performance sport—principles that shaped both his personal and professional path.

He completed his secondary education at Garcia de Orta School and graduated in Chemical Engineering, with a specialization in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals, from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. Alongside his academic training, he developed a significant competitive sailing career, representing Portugal in international events, including the Optimist World Championship in 1996. During his university years, he also worked as a high-performance sailing coach and as a mathematics and physics–chemistry teacher.

Since 1999, he has been part of the GALP Group, where he has held various roles over more than two decades, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the company’s entire value chain and building a career marked by responsibility, leadership, and international experience.

Francisco Aires has been Portugal’s World Advisor since December 2025.