Afonso Antunes
Associate Consultant
Escritórios: Portugal
Email: afonso.antunes@technopolis-group.com
Afonso Antunes works as an Associate Consultant for the Brazilian market.
Based in São Paulo, he has over 20 years of international experience and a strong background in strategic planning, coordination, and operational project execution, working in both the private and public sectors.
Afonso worked as an Area Manager at the Amorim Group (Portugal), overseeing different geographic regions (North America, Latin America, Asia, and Australia).
He worked also for AICEP Portugal Global – Trade & Investment Agency (government body) in Portugal and Brazil, where he held responsibility for the investment area. This role allowed him to build an extensive network and gain insights into the opportunities and complexities of the Brazilian market from the perspective of both companies and international investors.
In Brazil, he co-founded a company specialising in internationalisation consulting, completing over 150 projects for Brazilian and international companies. In the public sector, he has been directly involved in projects with the State Government of São Paulo and other regions of Brazil.
In the technology and startups sector, Afonso focuses on promoting internationalisation and skills exchange with international ecosystems. Over the past few years, he has been a partner of APEX (the Brazilian public agency for the promotion of exports and investment) in various sectoral projects in different countries. He has also collaborated with European sectoral associations and public entities in supporting business development and partnerships in Brazil, with a particular emphasis on consumer goods, services, and technology industries.
Afonso is currently City Lead for São Paulo at Global Class, a movement originating from Silicon Valley focused on educating and preparing companies for international expansion. He’s actively involved as a mentor for startups and new businesses.
Afonso holds a degree in International Economic and Political Relations from the University of Minho and a Postgraduate degree in International Management from the Faculty of Economics of Porto. Additionally, he has completed various executive education courses with a focus on finance, administration, and innovation. He is a native Portuguese speaker and fluent in English and Spanish.