Rita de Sousa Coutinho serves as an Independent Board Member at Americanas S.A retail group with more than 1500 stores, e-commerce and several brands in Brazil, Ferrari Group PLC global luxury logistics company in the UK and, as Chair of the Board at Fairtrade International, a trade development non-profit global organization headquartered in Germany. She is also a member of the International Advisory Board at Catolica Lisbon and of the Editorial Board of MIT Technology Review Portugal.

With more than 25 years’ experience in retail and consumer goods in various geographies in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, Rita has been working since 2017 with Boards of Directors and Executive Committees, supporting companies in diverse areas spanning international business, restructurings and reinventions, digitalization, and development of new brands and operations.

She has been CEO of businesses in major global retailers, such as Walmart/Sam’s Club in China, Casino/Grupo Pão de Açúcar in Brazil, and the founder and CEO of Ocean Participações, with several investments in companies, namely Benjamin bakeries. Rita began her career at Jerónimo Martins Group in 1997, where she held various executive positions, including Marketing and Commercial Director of Pingo Doce, E-Commerce Executive Director and Director of New Businesses.

She has a degree in Management and Business Administration from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, an MBA from INSEAD, and attended the Advanced Management Programme (AMP182) and Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director at Harvard Business School, being an Alumni of both institutions.

She has been a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council since May 2018.