TED Community » Manuel Forjaz

About Me

Manuel Forjaz
Personal Information

Born in Mozambique, 1963, living in Lisbon with wife and two kids;

Employment

99-now Founder and Managing Director of Ideiateca Consultores, leading sales consultancy company, operating in Portugal for eight of the largest 10 business conglomerates (Exame 500);
96-98 Managing Director of Medipress, holding company of 3 newspapers; increased readership and ad sales; strong successful marketing strategy;
94-96 Managing Director of Bertrand Livreiros leading book retailer in Portugal, 23 stores, 160 staff; revamped brand, positioning and strategy, thus generating impressive sales growth and total re-perception of Portuguese customers;
88-94 First marketing management, left as Head of Sales in Unilever (12 managers, 60 staff, 70 million USD sales; launched 21 in 1 shampoos, and several current product and category leaders in the personal products market;

Also I have developed myself in various functions including National TQ Facilitator, Unilever’s Advertising Library Coordinator, Strategic Planning Manager, Change Management, Business Process Improvement, “Supply Chain Re-Engineering” (with SAP). Frequent professional speaker for university, and other public and private organizations;

And Assumed Executive Committee functions in National Young Entrepreneurs Association with the Entrepreneurship Fostering Program management (97-04), including program’s launch in Brazil, with Sebrae; accredited journalist writing for several magazines and newspapers (00-now); teacher of Marketing, Personal Marketing and Events Management in degree and post-degree university majors (Católica, ISEG, Independente, ISCTE); UN Volunteer (00-04); invited teacher in degrees, post-graduates and master courses (inc. MBAs) in public and private universities – Marketing, Business Development, Sales and Retail, Entrepreneurship, Market Research, Happiness; regular writer in economics and management newspapers and magazibnes;

Education and Qualifications

Main Degree in Economics in Universidade Católica; Masters Degree in Social Development in ISCTE; current PHD student in African Studies in ISCTE; 2006 Social Entrepreneurship program in INSEAD; 4th Course in Lisbon Studies in Univ. Autónoma;

Also All my live I care about professional and academic training, covering several diversified issues from Business Process Improvement to Vision Building. Attended seminars and courses with major experts: Kotler on Marketing, Kalacota on e-trade, Derricks on Negotiation, J. Welch on leadership, M. Porter on Positioning, Drucker on Strategy, Tom Peters on Leadership, Prahalad and Hamel, Handy and several other, together with international conferences on governance and democracy subjects, in particular, since 2001, in Portugal and Brazil; I have recently created an International Community of Social Entrepreneurs, powered by INSEAD, who gathered in an International Congress in Cascais (May 2007), Portugal; In 2006 I have organized and structured a Business Club formed by 52 national entrepreneurs called Homo Faber; also this year I developed a TV, Radio and Press Program fostering entrepreneurship, to be published in a book in November 2007 by a major Portuguese publisher;

Languages Fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Scratchy German. I have previously worked in 6 different countries. Starting Mandarin lessons Nov 2007;

Interests and Hobbies
Wines, chess (GM level), squash, and Swatch. Newspaper cuttings file (#70k). I am a member of Grémio Literário (literary centennial private club), Honorary Life Member of Fundação Viver, member of A.P.D.C. (Telecommunications), Ordem dos Economistas and A.P.P.M. (Marketing) Sponsoring a child through CCF, since 1992. I collect rare and exquisite bottles of wine and own a large collection of Swatch Watches. Occasionally, I like painting, with “técnicas mistas”; I was member between 2000-2004 of the Executive Committee of the Lisbon Players Theatre, with responsibility for PR, Marketing and Sponsoring;
Personal Persuasive, hard working, committed, culturally aware and well versed in marketing, sales, retail, internet and general management skills. Socially eclectic and audience fluent. Family oriented with deep personal interest in Africa. Good health, strong supportive family environment. Starting in 2001, I have created the concept and helped developing, promoting and co-ordinating the launch of a currently successful development/cooperation project in Mozambique (www.paisprotectores.com), including a remote support survival kit (Step 1), an employment development skills program (Step 2) and business venture development (Step 3);
References
Career/Personal Mr. Ricardo Monteiro, President, EuroRscg, Lisbon; João Mesquita – CEO at Globosat, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil;
Professional Mr. Alberto Ramos, Goldman Sachs, Vice-President, New York; Bruno Lehman, Partner at Egon Zender Lisbon. Jan 2007