In global business, the ability to read the world is everything. This session uses art (provocative, culturally coded, and always ahead of its time!) as a lens to explore three fundamental skills for intercultural leadership: navigating transformation, making conscious choices, and taking personal responsibility for renewal.
Rita Marques is a faculty member at Porto Business School, University of Porto, and an Executive Board Member at Pestana Hotel Group, Portugal’s leading hospitality group. She is part of the curatorial team of Fundação Livraria Lello (President, 2023–2026), a cultural foundation focused on literature, heritage and social impact. She is also an Expert at the European Commission’s Just Transition Platform and a Group Leader at the Harnessing Talent Platform, working at the intersection of sustainability, public policy and digital transformation.
Rita served as Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services (2019–2022), contributing to national and European responses during the COVID-19 crisis, and was a member of the Executive Committee of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. She was CEO of Portugal Ventures, the Portuguese public venture capital firm supporting innovative and high-growth companies. Rita holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a Master’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Porto, and has completed executive education at INSEAD, London Business School and IE Business School. She has been recognised for her contribution to tourism, including the World Travel & Tourism Council Award for Leadership and Social Impact.