Government appoints Ana Paula Casaca as president of the AICEP agency

The Council of Ministers has appointed Ana Paula Lopes Borges Ferreira Casaca as chairperson of the board of directors of the Portugal Trade & Investment Agency, E. P. E. (AICEP, E. P. E.), for the current 2024-2026 term. The decision is contained in the Council of Ministers Resolution no. 183/2026, published in the Diário da República, 1st series, no. 182, of September 18, 2026, and takes effect on October 1, 2026. The appointment follows the resignation of Maria Madalena de Sousa Monteiro Oliveira e Silva from the position of chairperson of the public agency’s board of directors.

The resolution was signed on September 9, 2026, by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and falls under articles 13, 15, and 17 of the Statutes of AICEP, E. P. E., approved by Decree-Law no. 229/2012, of October 26, article 13 of the New Statute of the Public Manager, approved by Decree-Law no. 71/2007, of March 27, and subparagraph d) of article 199 of the Constitution. Pursuant to paragraph 4 of article 15 of the Statutes, the chairperson of the board of directors is appointed by resolution of the Council of Ministers, upon proposal by the members of the Government responsible for the areas of finance, foreign affairs, and economy.

The Recruitment and Selection Commission for Public Administration was heard and issued a favorable opinion on the appointment, as required by paragraph 3 of article 13 of the New Statute of the Public Manager. The Government bases the choice on the suitability, experience, and professional skills evidenced in the curriculum note attached to the resolution, which forms an integral part thereof.

A term already changed three times

The board of directors of AICEP, E. P. E. was appointed for the 2024-2026 term by Council of Ministers Resolution no. 70/2024, of June 4, a legal instrument since amended by three resolutions:

• Council of Ministers Resolution no. 104/2025, of June 26;
• Council of Ministers Resolution no. 140/2025, of September 10;
• Council of Ministers Resolution no. 98/2026, of May 25.

With the resignation of the previous chairperson, the Government considered it necessary to appoint a new holder to complete the three-year term of the board of directors in office. AICEP, E. P. E. is a public law legal entity with a business nature, responsible for the promotion of Portuguese investment and exports.

Academic and business profile

The attached curriculum note describes Ana Paula Casaca as a guest professor at Porto Business School and the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, a guest associate professor at ISEG, Lisbon School of Economics & Management, and an evaluator for the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Program. As an independent member, she is part of the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC), an advisory body of the European Commission, and has participated in working groups on the revision of the Science and Innovation Law and in the monitoring of the Agency for Research and Innovation, E. P. E.

She holds a degree in Microbiology from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (2000), completed an MBA at Porto Business School, and attended programs at Columbia University, Cranfield University, INSEAD, and Singularity University. Since 2020, she has served as Global Director of Innovation at Galp, having previously been the Director of Digital Transformation at Worten, part of Grupo Sonae (2019-2020), and Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Grupo José de Mello (2010-2019). She is a monthly columnist for Jornal de Negócios and has been honored, among others, with the 2026 IMPACT Campaigner Award from the Women in Renewables Alliance and the 2025 Ecosystem Award from Unicorn Factory Lisboa.

Remuneration and accumulation of functions

The remuneration of the new president complies with the provisions of Council of Ministers Resolution No. 16/2012, of February 14, and the classification assigned by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 36/2012, of March 26. The resolution also authorizes, under subparagraphs b) and c) of paragraph 3 of article 20 of the New Statute of the Public Manager, the accumulation of functions with:

• teaching activities in public or public-interest higher education institutions;
• participation in the European Innovation Council Board.

AICEP, E. P. E. is the main public instrument for supporting the internationalization of the Portuguese economy; therefore, the choice of its president has a direct impact on the execution of policies for attracting foreign investment and promoting national exports. Taking office on October 1, 2026, ensures the continuity of administration until the end of the 2024-2026 mandate, now with leadership originating from the fields of innovation and business management.

Source: Diário da República, 1st series, no. 182, of September 18, 2026, section I (Presidency of the Council of Ministers) (official reference: Council of Ministers Resolution No. 183/2026).