Board Director | Advisor & Mentor | C-Level Marketing & Commercial Strategist | Columnist | Fuelling Growth in Life Sciences & HealthTech
Amo-te Portugal. A reflection on my belonging. I am Polish but with some Nordic DNA due to a 17th-century Swedish invasion on my country. My mindset has been shaped by short summers, long winters, and lots of snow. Things did not get much different in Germany/Switzerland/Belgium where I spent my grown up professional life, although I did get to change my snow jacket for a rain jacket in Brussels – for two decades. First six months in Portugal felt like I had died and gone to heaven. I woke up to blue skies and sunshine, I delighted in everything like a child; everything was beautiful. Occasionally, I had nightmares about being sent back to the north, but thankfully, they never came true. By early 2022, I was calling Portugal my ‘geographic soulmate’ and writing poetry (loveandlisbon.com) to express my love. That was the first six months of my time here. Then… nothing changed. Three years on I’m still in love. I even love the A5 to Lisbon - a masterpiece compared to the soul-sucking Brussels ring road or the congested A661 around Frankfurt. I embrace Portugal’s imperfections the way you do when you love someone: with empathy. Portugal has given me so much - beauty, home, community, and a sense of belonging I never knew was possible for a disinfrenchised ‘expat’. Like so many foreigners, I aspire to be an asset to this country, seeing, with growing clarity, Portugal’s immense potential as: 1️⃣ a leading business and innovation hub in Europe, exporting innovation to the world, without exporting/losing its top talent 2️⃣ a bridge between Europe, Africa and the Americas allowing for cross-fertilization of ideas and scaling of businesses across continents 3️⃣ a unique melting pot blending local talent, foreign investors, expats and entrepreneurs, the Portuguese diaspora abroad and the Portuguese executives returning home into one potent, high performing ecosystem 4️⃣ a cost-effective, European gateway for R & D, serving as a launch pad for industries from green energy to life sciences 5️⃣ Europe’s geopolitical ‘safe haven’ in turbulent times (my mother’s home in Western Poland is roughly as far from the Ukrainian border as Porto is from Lisbon) 6️⃣ a model for sustainability, diversity and resilience, embodying modern best practices and ways of working for various societal and technological transitions needed 7️⃣ have I missed anything? If so, please add In my lifetime, I would love to see my Portugal move from being the ‘Sleeping Tiger of Europe’ to a ‘Shooting Star of Europe’ (or maybe better a Shining Sun of Europe!?). There is much potential and realizing it depends on the practical steps we take individually and collectively every day. I wonder if you too see the transformations I am referring to in my points above? Or different ones? Do you see/feel the energy and the possibility? Whatever the pace, whatever the challenges, and whatever happens, I am here. ♥️🇵🇹. #portugal #livinginportugal #businessinportugal
Anna Mulock Houwer, any Portuguese would love to read a foreign perspective about our country expressed with this much feeling and passion. I truly hope you have found your corner of the world, it's your home now too and we are lucky to have you. Obrigado pela simpatia, honestidade e por teres dito "o meu Portugal". Tocou-me e comoveu-me, porque nós, portugueses, não sabemos valorizar o que temos e de vez em quando é preciso ler uma opinião desinteressada para nos lembrarmos de quem somos e do que valemos e podemos fazer. Mais uma vez, obrigado.
As a Portuguese who made the reverse journey to #Poland, with a few stops along the way, I really connected with your reflection. While I miss the sun and, even more, the unique light of Lisbon – with its reflection on the 'Calçada Portuguesa' and the waters of the 'Tejo' – I’ve found great joy living in Poland. Poles and Portuguese are surprisingly similar once you get past the initial Polish reserve. Beneath that, both nations are warm, resilient, and deeply value community and connection. Over the past 13 years in Poland, I’ve seen its amazing growth – a country transforming, catching up to Portugal in economic indicators, and quickly becoming a leader in the EU27. It’s been incredible to watch, and in my own small way, be part of it. What really stood out to me in your post is how, in just six months, you’ve seen something about #Portugal that many Portuguese don’t even realize in a lifetime: its true #ValueProposition as a bridge between continents – Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Your perspective is rare and serves as a reminder of how important it is to see Portugal through the eyes of those who choose to call it home. Thanks for sharing. 🇵🇱🇵🇹
Portugal is great because of the lifestyle. A successful economy is about work and sacrifice. But it’s not about working and sacrificing for the sake of. What you talk about is real work, the difference between success and just getting by is the mindset that makes just work, real work - effective highly productive and profitable value adding work. Pretty sure that mindset includes abdicating of a lot of what makes Portugal so lovely: no more whole month vacations, no more sneaking out and doing “a ponte” for numerous; day weekends, no more regular 2 hour (or sometimes more) lunches, no more shooting the shit on the phone with xyz personal relationship for half to an hour mid-day, no more just sneaking out for a coffee and a pastel de nata, no more job security by default, no more low or risk free living, no more playing it safe, no more complaining, no more… at least not as a norm. All that also reflects and changes public policy and the living environment. Then there’s the gap, most are not going to be a part of this new prosperity (its already happening in case you didn’t notice), so sure, some will be able to affort the niceties, and even the lifestyle, but it’s going to get pricey and thus, only for a very few.
I fully agree Anna, thanks for sharing. The first company I created in Portugal some time last millenium was called “Adoro Portugal.” To your 7, maybe add that Portugal also has an unique opportunity to be Europe’s preferred health tourism destination. And without oil rsource conflicts, Portugal should be an EU leading renewable powerhouse with sustainable energy exports. Plus capitalising on a 20 times larger sea territory than land, it could be a leading ocean tech sector. Portugal has so many opportunities for us to benefit from, while enjoying its culture and climate.
Very enthusiastic and empowering I am Portuguese and live in South Africa but love Portugal Thank you for your delightful writing
“There is much potential and realizing it depends on the practical steps we take individually and collectively every day.” Yes, there is much potential but this is marginalized and penalised time and time again. The State’s deep-rooted mindset remains one of ‘how much can we tax’ rather than ‘how can we develop a truly inspiring business ecosystem’. This clash between old ways and new one is causing friction and lost opportunity. For as long as ’capitalista’ remains a sneer, the country will twist and turn in torment.
Portugal has the people and the potential to be a powerhouse but needs to move on from legacy leadership models and business practices.
Agreed on all points. (portuguese with a polish heritage)
Multidisciplinary professional with a background in Law and Business Administration.
4dIt is great to see foreigners like Portugal, my country, so much... I really envy the positive outlook you have for our country because I agree it is definitely one of the most beautiful, amazing and diverse countries in Europe and which I miss so much. However, for most of the young Portuguese, Portugal has become truly impossible to live... low wages, high taxes, corruption, nepotism, crumbling infrastructures and proliferation of populist (right and left) ideologies. It has become something of middle ground between Latin America and Europe and all of its consequences - consequences that affect mostly the youngsters, who, like me, found a new home in some of the countries you've mentioned - Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands... Here, in the Netherlands, I found a country which is organized, with proper infrastructure, much greater healthcare and social security, focus on keeping public finances viable, much better work productivity and relationships, employers care for their employees and whose society as a whole takes care of it's country and nation with far better interest than in Portugal. (continuing below)