As part of the partnership between the Portuguese Diaspora Council and Jornal de Neg\u00f3cios, Ant\u00f3nio Magalh\u00e3es, General Manager of Prometeus, reflects on his international career and shares his strategic vision for strengthening cooperation between Portugal and Angola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 \u2014 What led you to leave Portugal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My departure from Portugal was not a rupture, but a natural progression of a path that has always combined public service, operational leadership and institutional building. After more than 20 years in leadership and command roles, in Portugal and in international missions \u2014 those carried out in Angola being the most challenging and enriching \u2014 I realized that I could contribute more directly in contexts where the need to structure organizations, form teams and create processes was urgent. Angola emerged as a real challenge: a country in transformation, with room for those who were willing to work with rigor, method and sense of mission. I came because I felt I could add value and because I believe in Lusophone as a space for practical cooperation, where knowledge circulates and is transformed into real impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 \u2014 What advantages or disadvantages did the fact that you are Portuguese bring you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Being Portuguese opened doors, especially because of the language, the common history and the reputation for professionalism that Portugal has built over decades. The ease of communication and cultural proximity accelerated integration. But being a foreigner implies added responsibility: you have to prove every day that you are there to add up, respecting local dynamics and contributing to sustainable solutions. Trust is not inherited\u2014it is earned with work, consistency, and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2014 What obstacles did you have to overcome and how did you do it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest challenges were structural: creating processes where they did not exist, consolidating diverse teams, implementing high standards of ethics and transparency, and ensuring that the organizational culture evolved at the pace of needs. But there were also very concrete challenges. I remember, for example, arriving at an operational unit where there were no written procedures, no defined shifts or evaluation criteria. Everything was done “as it has always been done”. Transforming this environment required active listening, discipline and a lot of pedagogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There were also personal challenges. In the early years, he lived in Talatona and worked in the center of Luanda \u2014 about 15 kilometers that, in practice, meant 4 to 5 hours of daily commuting. Alignment conversations with my wife, often held in the car, have become an essential space to share ideas, adjust routines and maintain family balance. This experience taught me that leadership begins at home: with dialogue, resilience and the ability to adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working in developing environments requires a fine institutional reading, but also a leadership that trains, empowers, and sets an example. I have always believed that leading is creating conditions for others to grow. That’s what I tried to do: listen, structure, train and stay focused on the essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4 \u2014 What do you admire most about the country where you are?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Angola has an energy that is difficult to explain to those who have never lived it. I admire the resilience of its people, the ability to start over, the creativity and strength of the youth. It is a country with enormous economic and human potential, where the will to make it happen often overcomes material limitations. Life in Angola is intense: the days start early, the distances are long, but there is a contagious vitality, a very strong sense of community and a capacity for welcome that marks those who arrive. There is a warm informality in relationships, a direct way of communicating and an enormous willingness to collaborate. This combination creates an environment where it is possible to build, innovate and transform. It’s a daily inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5 \u2014 What do you admire most about the company or organization where you are?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What I value most is the strategic vision and the ability to execute in a demanding context. Prometeus, Prorumus and Teramed combine ambition, social responsibility and professionalism. Prometeus, being a hygiene services company, operates in an area critical to public health and the functioning of essential institutions. Working with teams that ensure hospital cleaning, industrial maintenance or urban hygiene gives a very concrete idea of the daily impact that our work has on people’s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the period of COVID19, this responsibility became even more evident. We have created an operational force of around 250 employees dedicated exclusively to the disinfection of public spaces, hospitals, schools, airports and critical infrastructures. Between training, equipping and carrying out daily missions, this team has become a national reference, and the work has been publicly praised by the National Assembly. It was a moment that reinforced internal pride and demonstrated the vital importance of the hygiene sector for collective safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prorumus, dedicated to vocational training, allows you to transform skills and open up real employability opportunities, something particularly relevant in a young country. Teramed, a reference startup in the health area, represents innovation, technology and the future. Working in a group of more than 8,000 employees requires organizational maturity, process clarity, and consistent leadership. It is an environment where rigor is non-negotiable and where every decision has a direct impact on the lives of thousands of people. This awareness reinforces the sense of mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6 \u2014 What recommendations would you give to Portugal and its entrepreneurs and managers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Portugal has talent, knowledge and innovation capacity, but it needs to strengthen its presence in emerging markets. Economic diplomacy must be more assertive and internationalization more strategic. Africa cannot be seen only as an export destination, but as a space for partnership, investment and joint creation of value. It is essential to invest in long-term relationships, where trust, presence on the ground and understanding of local realities are as important as the product or service. Portugal has a lot to gain from a bolder and more global approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7 \u2014 In which sectors of the country where you live could Portuguese companies find customers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Angola today offers concrete opportunities for Portuguese companies in various sectors with strong demand. Health continues to be a national priority, with the need for equipment, digital solutions, hospital management and specialized training. Education, especially technical and vocational training, maintains consistent demand. Energy \u2014 traditional and renewable \u2014 makes room for efficient solutions and energy transition projects. The digitalization of the economy creates opportunities in information technology, systems integration and cybersecurity. Logistics, construction, agriculture and financial services complete a picture of real needs. The Angolan market values technical competence, reliability and adaptability. Those who invest in presence on the ground and in building relationships find here a space for sustainable growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8 \u2014 In which sectors of Portugal could companies in the country where you live want to invest?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I see great potential in tourism, agribusiness, renewable energy, real estate, higher education, health and the food industry. Portugal offers stability, legal certainty, qualified talent and access to the European market \u2014 factors that attract Angolan investors. The complementarity between the two countries is evident and still little explored. There is room for structuring investments that benefit both economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9 \u2014 What is the competitive advantage of the country in which you live that could be replicated in Portugal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Angola has remarkable agility. When there is a common goal, decisions happen quickly and focused. This ability to mobilize people and resources is a competitive advantage that Portugal could watch closely. Angolan entrepreneurial energy, combined with Portuguese rigor, would create a highly effective model. There is much to learn from this ability to move forward with determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10 \u2014 Are you thinking of returning to Portugal? Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Portugal is my origin and will continue to be my identity axis. But, at the moment, I feel that my contribution is more relevant in the international context where I work, especially in environments that require institutional building, operational leadership and the ability to transform organizations. The return may happen, but not out of inertia or nostalgia: it will happen if there are challenges that make sense for the country and for my path, and where my experience can generate real impact. My logic is one of mission, not geography. Where I can serve better, that’s where I’ll be \u2014 whether in Portugal, Angola or elsewhere in the Portuguese-speaking world or in the global space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As part of the partnership between the Portuguese Diaspora Council and Jornal de Neg\u00f3cios, Ant\u00f3nio Magalh\u00e3es, General Manager of Prometeus, reflects on his international career and shares his strategic vision for strengthening cooperation between Portugal and Angola. 1 \u2014 What led you to leave Portugal? My departure from Portugal was not a rupture, but a…","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":27549,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n