Manuel Magalhães develops financial structures and risk-reduction interventions that institutional markets have not yet built. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Materra Systemic Labs. Materra’s practice spans sovereign advisory, corporate strategy, and financial structuring across the water–food–energy nexus. He has directed over $4.5 billion in institutional capital toward agribusiness transformation and the energy transition, converting unpriced systemic risk into portfolio positioning and lower-cost capital. He works with Mitsui & Co. on adaptation-linked investment strategies, with Kilara Capital on resilience as infrastructure, and with the EBRD and other multilateral banks to mobilize capital for adaptation at scale.

He spent nearly two decades at the intersection of national security, defense technology, and transaction advisory. As Vice President for National Security Programs in Asia at a London-listed company, he co-architected an acquisition-led growth strategy and led a UK–Korea initiative producing cutting-edge surveillance and intelligence capabilities. He has advised heads of state, ministries of defense, and allied intelligence services on geoeconomic fragmentation and the convergence of climate risk and security.

Previously, he led aerospace and defense advisory engagements for Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus, BAE Systems, Thales, and Leonardo. He began his career in equity research covering the sector at Credit Suisse First Boston.

Manuel Magalhães has been Portugal’s World Advisor since April 2026.