On 9 September, Católica Porto Business School will host a new conference as part of its Executive MBA, dedicated to one of the most pressing issues for the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy: business growth and scale.

At a time when increasing productivity, fostering innovation and strengthening the ability to compete in international markets are more important than ever, the conference, "Portuguese companies need to grow. What now?", will bring together business leaders, experts and academics to discuss one of the greatest management challenges facing Portugal today: how to build more competitive, resilient organisations capable of achieving sustainable growth.

Part of the annual Executive MBA conference series at Católica Porto Business School, the initiative aims to promote discussion on key management issues that are closely aligned with the programme's curriculum while addressing challenges with a broader impact on society and the business community.

The 2026 edition is built on the conviction that enabling Portuguese companies to achieve greater scale is essential to improving the competitiveness of the national economy. Rather than focusing solely on organisational size from a quantitative perspective, the conference will explore different pathways for companies to strengthen their capabilities, reinforce their strategic positioning and create the conditions for sustainable growth.

Through this conference, Católica Porto Business School seeks to encourage meaningful debate on management topics that not only complement the Executive MBA curriculum but also contribute to wider reflection on issues that matter to society. This year's edition focuses on the scale of Portuguese companies, based on the belief that growth is fundamental to strengthening the country's competitiveness and preparing organisations to meet the demands of an increasingly challenging global market.

Throughout the session, experts, executives and business leaders will share different perspectives on the challenges, opportunities and decisions that can help shape a new ambition for Portuguese companies.

The conference will take place on 9 September at Católica Porto Business School, Porto. The full programme and speaker line-up will be announced soon. Click here to find out more.