As part of the partnership between the Portuguese Diaspora Council and Jornal de Neg\u00f3cios, Lu\u00eds Miranda, Head of Miranda & Associados’ Representative Office in Houston, reflects on his professional journey and shares his perspective on Portugal’s economic potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 \u2014 What led you to leave Portugal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My first departure from Portugal occurred when I was only eighteen years old. After completing my secondary education at the Lyc\u00e9e Fran\u00e7ais Charles Lepierre in Lisbon, I decided to move to France in order to continue my training at the Faculty of Law of the University of Toulouse. Although I did not have, at the time, an exact idea of the area in which I would specialize, there was a much more comprehensive offer of master’s degrees with an international aspect than in Portugal. This factor was absolutely decisive in my decision-making and turned out, a few years later, to be very important for my professional career. After some experiences abroad (in Timor-Leste, Macau and France), I had the opportunity to start working in the energy sector. I quickly began to express a huge interest in it, and the fact that I had spent long periods in Gabon and Cameroon working closely with oil companies made me decide to come to the United States in 2015 to pursue an LL.M. in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law at the University of Houston School of Law. This training allowed me to leverage my knowledge in this sector in a very significant way. In addition, as Houston is considered the energy capital of the world, there is a very close contact with the industry’s decision-making center that makes it an exciting city for those who work in this area.<\/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 I confess that I have never felt any disadvantage because I am Portuguese. On the contrary. As a general rule, the Portuguese have a set of characteristics that allow them to be successful, regardless of the country in which they are. I highlight, among others, a strong ability to adapt to other cultures, as well as the fact that we are able to establish relationships of trust with some ease. These traits were absolutely fundamental to create ties with my interlocutors in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, as we work closely with Portuguese-speaking markets (and beyond) in Africa, the fact of being Portuguese emerges as a real competitive advantage. There is, for historical reasons, a cultural proximity to these jurisdictions, which is seen as being very relevant by our clients. The ability to understand and navigate cultural differences allows us to be a real asset to our partners. <\/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 obstacle I remember was the first months in France. At the time, leaving the comfort zone in Lisbon, at the age of eighteen, for another country, away from family and friends, was a hard process. However, this period also allowed me to develop a certain resilience, which proved to be extremely useful in the years that followed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4 \u2014 What do you admire most about the country where you are?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meritocracy and entrepreneurship in the United States have always deserved my admiration. Although those who do not live in the country may have a somewhat different perception, the truth is that one of its trademarks is that there are no impossibles. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to hear several dozen success stories in various sectors that, if they had occurred in another part of the world, probably would not have had the same outcome. In fact, this strong environment of innovation, business and professional opportunities continues to be a catalyst capable of attracting talent from all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would also highlight the respect that exists for people’s time. When I started my professional activity in Houston, I systematically received an apology from my interlocutors when they arrived only a couple of minutes late from the scheduled start time of the meeting. I have always admired immensely the attitude of the Americans in this regard. <\/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 The Firm’s strong and diversified culture, which results from the more than fifteen nationalities that make up our universe of employees. It allows us to have a perfect idea of the needs and concerns of our customers, regardless of their country of origin. The diversity that exists in the sixteen jurisdictions in which we have a presence allows us to contribute different perspectives, which in turn provides our clients with the best of our joint thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, I also admire the international nature of this project. In addition to an unparalleled presence in the African market, the fact that we are the only Portuguese law firm with a presence in the United States (dating back to 2005) allows us to combine the highest standards of quality at an international level with a deep knowledge of the local realities in which we operate. <\/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 When considering investing in the African continent, do not restrict your bet to countries with which you share the language or culture. Africa is a fast-growing market, has abundant natural resources, and has very wide opportunities for diversification compared to other more saturated markets. I was even able to observe this window of opportunity in loco<\/em> when I was based in French-speaking jurisdictions on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our geography allows us to have a very relevant strategic position, and Portugal can (and should) act as a privileged platform between Europe and Africa. There are numerous areas in French-speaking or Anglo-Saxon markets that our entrepreneurs should look at with particular attention, such as agribusiness, renewable energy, telecommunications or logistics.<\/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 In addition to the more traditional areas, such as engineering, technology, and renewable energy, I would like to highlight a trend that I have been observing over the last few months, and that is related to the defence sector. In a context of growing global demand and international expansion of this sector, the United States seems to be asserting itself as a strategic market for Portuguese companies operating in this area. Proof of this was the recent participation, last April, of a Portuguese business mission at the Sea, Air & Space<\/em> exhibition in Washington D.C. This initiative was attended by twenty-two national companies and is particularly relevant, as it allowed them to have direct contact with decision-makers, companies and North American entities. This allowed to increase the visibility of the Portuguese offer in this sector.<\/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 There are several sectors in which American companies can invest in Portugal. In addition to the most obvious areas, in which I include tourism, real estate and technology, there seem to me to be very relevant opportunities in the energy sector, particularly in terms of renewable energies. Portugal’s geographical position is particularly favourable to multiple forms of renewable energy and, over the last few years, we have been witnessing a boost in innovation in this field. It is worth remembering that Portugal is the leader in the European Union in renewable energies, and that in the first two months of this year, more than 80% of the electricity generated came from clean sources.<\/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 Although I could list a very wide range of measures, such as a more attractive tax regime, I think it makes sense to refer to the slowness of the Portuguese judicial system. The efficiency of the judicial system is absolutely critical for foreign investors, as it ensures the necessary legal certainty for the long-term allocation of capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Portugal continues to be one of the Member States of the European Union with the longest duration of proceedings in the courts of first instance and higher instance (which is explained, among others, by excessive procedural bureaucracy, as well as by the lack of human and material resources). This situation has a direct impact on attracting foreign capital and contributes to the decrease in the confidence of foreign investors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 10 \u2014 Are you thinking of returning to Portugal? Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At the moment, I remain focused on continuing the work I have been developing over the last few years. The United States has been a true home for our family, and we are very grateful for the opportunities this country has provided us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Naturally, one day I will return to Portugal. When I do, I hope to be able to share many of the experiences I have had around the world, namely with the younger generations. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As part of the partnership between the Portuguese Diaspora Council and Jornal de Neg\u00f3cios, Lu\u00eds Miranda, Head of Miranda & Associados’ Representative Office in Houston, reflects on his professional journey and shares his perspective on Portugal’s economic potential. 1 \u2014 What led you to leave Portugal? My first departure from Portugal occurred when I was…","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":27558,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n