About Profectus
An independent boutique consulting firm, built on relationships.
We strive against a closed and grey world deprived of values or commitments. We do not simply deliver good work — we identify the real needs of our clients and work to fulfil them.
Who we are
Profectus Consulting is an independent financial and strategic advisory firm based in Lisbon, launched in 2017. We partner with companies, families, institutional investors, charities and other social-economy entities — in Portugal and internationally — across the full financial cycle: raising capital, creating and managing businesses, real estate, outsourcing and investment.
Our independence is the foundation of our advice. We are not tied to any economic or financial group, so our opinion is impartial and our commitment is to you alone. We aim to build strong, long-term relationships in which our clients' success is our own.
What we stand for
Commitment to the client
On any matter involving a conflict of interest, the client always comes first. We are committed only to our clients.
Integrity & confidentiality
We do what we say and keep our commitments. Client information is treated with absolute responsibility and discretion.
Ethics & transparency
We operate and communicate with clear, accurate and complete information. Trust is earned through ethical, transparent conduct.
Excellence & innovation
We pursue the highest standards and look for innovative solutions — each client is specific, and there is no off-the-shelf answer.
The founder
Luís Barbosa
Founder · Chief Investment Officer · PhD in Finance · Professor at NOVA SBE
Profectus reflects the experience and conviction of its founder. With more than twenty-five years in financial services — corporate finance, investment banking and private equity — and broad work and management experience across financial and non-financial industries, startups and the social economy, Luís Barbosa brings senior, hands-on judgement to every mandate.
For more than twenty years he has been a board member of financial and non-financial companies, leading financial services in the investment-banking and social-economy segments, running private-equity mandates across Portugal and Angola, and managing companies as CFO and CIO in several industries — financial services, tourism, real estate, manufacturing, health and energy efficiency.
More recently he led investment for a Portuguese healthcare group, serving on the boards of several of its companies, and today is CIO at an energy-efficiency company. He holds a PhD in Finance, a postgraduate degree in real-estate valuation, and a degree in Economics, and teaches finance courses in the Master's and Executive programmes and advises Master's theses in Equity Research, Valuation and M&A at NOVA School of Business and Economics.
Career highlights
- Chief Investment Officer at an energy-efficiency company (2023–present)
- Green-bond issuances
- Professor, Master's & Executive programmes, NOVA SBE (2023–present)
- Master's-thesis advisor — Equity Research, Valuation & M&A, NOVA SBE (2023–present)
- Published article in the “Small Business Economics” journal
- Founder & team coordinator, Profectus Consulting (2017–present)
- Head of Investment & board roles at a healthcare group (2019–2023)
- Executive Board Member and manager in the financial services industry — 16 years
- Social-economy financing programme with the CEB — Council of Europe Development Bank
- Mentor in startup acceleration programmes
- Court-appointed expert
- Council Member, Order of Economists
Education
- PhD, Management — Finance, ISCTE Business School
- Postgraduate, Real-Estate Management & Valuation, ESAI
- Degree in Economics, Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Areas of expertise
- Corporate finance — Valuation & M&A
- Financial structuring & modelling
- Project Finance
- Financial markets & banking
- Restructuring
- Private equity
- Business Strategy
- Risk management