Meet the members of our Societal Advisory Board (SAB) — a group of business and societal leaders who contribute their vision and experience to help Católica Porto Business School strengthen its ties with society.
In today’s edition of Inside the SAB, we speak with Manuel Alves Monteiro, who shares some of his reflections on leadership, lifelong learning and the challenges of management in Portuguese companies.
Manuel Alves Monteiro
"leadership awareness is needed, along with the humility and courage for leaders themselves to become the driving force behind the solution."
How has your connection with Católica Porto Business School influenced your perspective on education and the development of leaders?
Católica Porto Business School has been an essential companion along my journey, allowing me to gain knowledge, keep up to date and find inspiration, enriching my perspective and providing me with vision and practical tools.
What has been the most defining professional experience or decision in your career, and why?
The period in question has been long, which makes it difficult to choose just one. I tend to think it was the decision, before turning 30, to leave a promising career in business law to pursue a path in corporate management and consulting, alongside ongoing complementary education. Although I still have serious doubts about the reasons behind that change, I have never regretted it.
What do you consider to be the greatest challenge currently facing companies, and how can business schools help address it?
In my opinion, the quality of management in Portuguese companies is the greatest challenge. Addressing it requires leadership awareness, as well as the humility and courage for leaders themselves to become the driving force behind the solution. More recently, significant improvements have been observed, largely due to the qualifications of new generations of entrepreneurs and managers.
If you could give one piece of advice to future managers and business leaders, what would it be?
A continuous commitment to valuing people, for which maintaining a strong and ongoing connection with a business school is a vital instrument. In addition, prioritising the development of a strong corporate culture, based on rigour and transparency in relationships and processes as its fundamental pillars.
This is another contribution to the Inside the SAB series, a space for sharing that brings Católica Porto Business School closer to society and its leaders.