Free Worldwide Seminars about residency, taxation, legal issues, healthcare

CEO - Open Media Group / Event host

Bruce has lived in the Algarve most of his life, having moved to Portugal from the UK as a child when his family relocated in the late 1970’s. His career has been mostly in publishing, as founder and CEO of the Open Media Group; publishers of the Portugal Resident newspaper and Essential Algarve magazine amongst other titles.

Whilst continuing in his role at Open Media, Bruce also has interests in real estate. Alongside his business activities, he is also a member of the board of directors of the Lisbon based British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. Bruce is the host and a speaker at the Living in Portugal and Living in the Algarve events.

Founder & Chairman - LifePlan Resorts

Jack Shevel is a primary care physician turned entrepreneur and now runs the Shevel Family Office LLC in San Diego.

Jack Shevel has been involved in several projects in the health sector: he founded and ran Netcare, a health services company in South Africa, and was director of CareRx, a Canadian company providing medication dosage services for seniors, until the end of 2022. He has been to many places around the world, but Portugal stands out because "it has everything".

A new development, owned by Life Plan Resorts, will be built on a 509-hectare estate, located in the Tagus River Nature Reserve, 30 minutes from Lisbon - and along a 2.8-kilometer riverfront. The resort aims to offer the antidote to accelerated ageing and promote an active community retirement that celebrates life, by harmonizing physical and cognitive well-being, financial security, social involvement, inclusive culture, basic needs, healthy diet, natural surroundings and access to quality care.

Real Estate Director - Elegant Group 

Sara Allen is the Real Estate Director of the Elegant Group who own Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts. The Founders of the group developed the Martinhal Resort in Sagres in the Algarve from scratch and have successfully expanded the “Martinhal” brand across 3 other properties in the best and most prestigious locations in Portugal – with one more branded hotel residence coming up in Lisbon. They are also working on commercial real-estate projects and an Education Hub project in Lisbon, between the Park of Nations and the airport. The school, United Lisbon International School successfully opened in September 2020. The school forms part of a wider Edu Hub. Soon, the Edu Hub will be filled with other innovators, tech companies and an academy that all have something to contribute to the ecosystem of education. The school is a K-12 International School with an American-based Curriculum and IB diploma. 

Founder & CEO - Medal Insurance brokers  

Henrique founded Medal Insurance in 1996 and has built the business with his family and a dedicated team to be Portugal’s leading insurance brokerage for expats.

His presentation at our Living in the Portugal seminars will focus on health insurance and healthcare in Portugal for foreign residents.

Medal was founded in the Algarve where it has three offices covering the whole coast. Medal also has offices in Cascais covering the Greater Lisbon area.  

Partner - Vida Capital

Alex Ohnona is a Partner at Vida Advisors, responsible for overseeing strategic initiatives related to asset selection, concept development, design, and hospitality. He previously served as Managing Partner at Solis Capital, aiding real estate operators with expansion plans and capital raising. Alex was the VP at Selina, the fastest international hospitality expansion to date, where he spearheaded product development, managed global partnerships, and contributed to significant portfolio expansion. Alex played a pivotal role within the Chairman of Strategy Office at HCL He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Babson College.

Chairman - Ando Living / OptylonKrea

Hakan Kodal, Chairman of Ando Living and OptylonKrea, is renowned for his 30-year tenure in investment management and real estate. As the Founding Chairman of various real estate organizations and companies including his fund management partnership with Merrill Lynch, he led 1.8 billion real estate investments in Europe. Hakan has evolved into a recognized authority in Portugal, with a focus on invesment management and branded residences”.

Sales & Marketing Director - Fine & Country  

Jorge was born in Angola but grew up in Setúbal near Lisbon before moving to Geneva, Switzerland where he completed a degree in Tourism Management. He lived and worked for five years in Ukraine before moving to Portugal in 2012 and started his career in real estate in 2015. Jorge has been with Fine & Country since 2018, initially as general manager of the central Algarve office and more recently as sales & marketing director for the Algarve region. Whilst based in the Algarve, Jorge works closely with his colleagues at the Fine & Country offices elsewhere in Portugal, from Porto in the north to Lisbon, Estoril and Comporta. 

Founder & CEO - Nomad Capital

Alexandre Mansour is the Founder & CEO behind Nomad Capital, a Real Estate Development company renowned for its projects such as Nomad Bay in Carvoeiro and Masana in Olhos de Água, Algarve. 

Drawing from his extensive background, Alexandre brings expertise garnered from his experience at Optylon Group and AXA US in New York. 

With his passion for the Real Estate sector, particularly in the Algarve region, Alexandre offers invaluable insights into the unique lifestyle, rich culture, and promising investment opportunities that characterize the allure of the Algarve. 

Chief Commercial Officer - Ombria Algarve

João has been managing the Ombria Algarve sales team in Loulé since 2016. João has extensive management experience in real estate, having worked in several mixed-use luxury resort developments, namely at Pine Cliffs Resort, Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort and Westin CampoReal Golf Resort & Spa, in Portugal.  

Ombria Algarve is a luxury low-density sustainable development surrounded by nature, in the south of Portugal and less than 25 minutes from the coast and Faro airport. It includes a 5-star hotel, the Viceroy at Ombria Algarve set to open 1 October 2024, an 18-hole golf course already open and several different types of properties for sale.

Senior Partner - EDGE International Lawyers 

Ana Rita was born in 1984 in Lisbon, Portugal, and graduated from Lisbon Law School, University of Lisbon, in 2007, having completed The General Management Program (PGG) from the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics in 2010, the same year she was admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association. 

Ana joined EDGE International Lawyers in 2007 as a Trainee Lawyer, where she would go on to develop her career. She was appointed Equity Partner of EDGE in February 2023. Throughout her career, Ana spent several months in the London office (2010) and a few years in the Cape Verde office (2010-2014). 

Her areas of practice are now mainly Conveyance & Real Estate, Immigration Law and Corporate & Commercial. 

Ana is now based in the Lisbon office and is fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish. 

CEO & founder, Living Group / Pagani Capital SGPS

From an early age, João was immersed in conversations about investments, financial markets, capital gains, and dividends. This exposure sparked his passion for entrepreneurship and business, leading him to pursue a degree in Business Management and later an MBA in Business Administration at UPC in Barcelona. 

He has held positions in several notable companies such as Parkalgar and Paço Investimentos, where he assumed management roles. 

João is currently the CEO and founder of Livingroup Pagani Capital SGPS. Since its creation in 2012, Livingroup has leveraged its local experience to develop several landmark projects, supported by a multidisciplinary team of excellence and a network of architects, builders, tax professionals, and financial partners. Livingroup has developed more than 340 apartments, generated over €123 million in revenue, and totaled around 64,000 square meters of building space. 

With a strong international presence and proven capabilities, the company operates in various sectors, including real estate development, tourism, and coworking spaces. The main goal as a holding company is to leave a long lasting family legacy.

Operating Partner - C2 Capital Partners 

Dario is an Operating Partner at C2 Capital Partners, focusing on fundraising for the C2 Legacy Buyout, a private equity fund investing in SMEs across various sectors.  

With over 15 years of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity, he leverages his extensive expertise to drive value creation for portfolio companies and investors.Throughout his career, Dario has worked across various sectors and places, with a particular focus on the Portuguese market.  

His strong academic background includes a Master of Science in Business Administration from Università degli Studi di Torino, a Master in General Management from ESCP Europe, and an executive program in international tax law from Leiden University. Dario has a keen interest in family business management. 

His passion lies in creating long-term value and sustainable growth for the fund, which is open to retail and institutional investors. 

Senior Vice President - Sagres Vacations

Marco was born in Portugal and currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two children. Bringing travel dreams to life is one of Marco’s passions. In 2013, Marco founded Sagres Vacations, a Destination Specialist Tour Company focused on curated and bespoke private itineraries in Portugal and Spain.  

With offices in Portugal, Spain and the US, the staff at Sagres Vacations specializes in authentic, immersive experiences highlighting the culture, history and the people of Portugal and Spain. 

“We don’t remember days; we remember moments and experiences”. Sagres Vacations is a destination expert for Portugal and Spain, with a team who crafts amazing private itineraries showcasing authentic, luxurious, and cultural immersive experiences that highlight the local culture, and history. 

“At Sagres Vacations we believe in creating our own unique moments. We quickly realize it is not the things or places that move us, but the people we meet along the way and the memories we create”.