Antonio Da Silva

Academic qualifications:

• Degree in Economics from the Economics Faculty – Oporto University, graduating with the highest classification in his course.
• MA (Distinction) in Contemporary European Studies (Economics) from Reading University, UK. (Studies furthered through British Council Scholarship).

Currently:

• Founding shareholder and CEO of FINANCETAR, Sociedade de Serviços Financeiros, Empresariais e Imobiliários, S.A (Financial, Business and Real Estate Services).
• A major shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Deimos Engenharia, S.A., an engineering company operating in the space industry, whose main customer is the European Space Agency (ESA).

• Vice-President of the Confederation of the Portuguese Industry General Assembly..

• Chairman of AED – the Portuguese Aeronautics, Space and Defense Federation

• Chairman of PROESPAÇO, the Portuguese Association of Space Industries.

• Member of the Council of EUROSPACE – The European Association of Space Industries

• Chairman of AAPEUA, the Portugal-US Friendship Association.

• Full member of the BANIF-Banco Internacional do Funchal, SA Audit Board and non-executive Member of the Bank’s Board of Directors.

• Professor at Portuguese Catholic University (Lisbon) lecturing on “Sustainable Development”, as part of the Master’s and Ph.D courses in European and Political Studies

• Member of the Confederation of Portuguese Industry’s Council for Industry

• Deputy Chairman of the BUSINESS ANGELS CLUB – an association of investors in start-ups.

• Resident Weekly Commentator of Economy and Politics on channel “Económico TV”.

Past Appointments:

• Secretary of State for Foreign Trade and Foreign Direct Investment from April 24, 1990 to October 31, 1991. As holder of this office, was: – The Chief negotiator for the FORD-VOLKSWAGEN project, a $3billion investment project. Successfully completed negotiations on 07.06.91, guaranteeing for Portugal the biggest ever foreign direct investment. – Negotiator for Portugal’s textile sector at the European Community’s Council of Ministers during the Uruguay Round. – Head of the campaign to promote Portugal abroad.(USA, Japan, UK, Belgium and Spain) – Head of negotiations for all foreign direct investment projects in Portugal, which totaled, each, more than €50 million.

• Member of the European Community’s Economic and Social Committee and the European Atomic Energy Community (1986-1990).

• Chairman of the Committee for External Relations, Trade Policy and Cooperation of the Economic and Social Committee of the EEC and EURATOM (1988-1990)

• Member of the Bureau of the Economic and Social Committee of the EEC and EURATOM (1986-1988)

• Member of the Consultative Board of BANIF – Banco Internacional do Funchal, S.A. (1992-2003)

• Member of the Presidents’ Board of the Confederation of Portuguese Industry (CIP).

• Member of the General Board of COTEC.

• Executive Director of the postgraduate course in European Economics at the Portuguese Catholic University – Oporto – covering Trade Policy and External Relations and European Community Financial Instruments.

• Visiting Professor at Portugal’s Higher Institute of Financial and Business Studies (IESF), giving seminars on courses for Young Entrepreneurs of Special Potential, as well as the Advanced Management Course on the topic, “Management in the 21st Century”.

• Member of the Consultative Board of Portugal’s Higher Institute of Financial and Business Studies (IESF).

• Vice-Chairman of Clube Via Norte.

• Columnist for Diário Económico, Portugal’s leading financial newspaper.

• Member of the European Community’s Economic and Social Committee and to the European Atomic Energy Community (1986-1990).

• Lecturer at the Economics Faculty – Oporto University, on Project Planning and Evaluation and as Chair for Economic Integration and International Institutions (1976-1984).

• Professor at the Portuguese Catholic University – Lisbon – as Chair for European Regional Development Problems and Policies, as well as the postgraduate course in European Studies (economics option) and European Economics (law option) (1980 to 1989).

• Director of services for the Confederation of Portuguese Industry (CIP) for the northern region (1981-1983).

• CIP representative on the Consultative Committee for European Integration, until May 1983.

• Vice-Chairman of ICEP – Portugal’s Institute of Foreign Trade from May 1983 to 1984.

• Vice-President of TRADINGPOR – Empresa de Comércio Externo de Portugal (Foreign Trading), SARL (1984 and 1985).

• Economic Consultant to IPE – Investimentos e Participações do Estado, S.A.

• Manager of SML – Vestuário (clothing company) (1985-1988).

• Founding shareholder and Chairman of the Board of SOCIFA, SA. (1988 – 1990)

• Organizer of the Syndicate of Investors, Shareholder, and Chairman of CLÍNICA PARTICULAR DO PORTO (a private clinic in Oporto).

• Columnist for Semanário Económico

• Member of the National Council of the Social Democrat Party (PSD) from 1998 to 2002. Has published numerous books and studies on economics, European integration and regional development, including the following:

• Antonio Neto da Silva, O Triplo Conflito – Globalização, Fundamentalismo Islâmico e Desenvolvimento Sustentavel, Booknomics, Lisbon 2007

• Antonio Neto da Siva and Luís Rego – Teoria e Pratica da Integração Económica, Porto Editora, Oporto 1984

Publications

Has published numerous books and studies on Economics, European integration and Regional Development, including the following:

• António Neto da Silva, O Triplo Conflito - Globalização, Fundamentalismo Islâmico e Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Booknomics, Lisboa 2007.
• Antonio Neto da Siva and Luís Rego - Teoria e Pratica da Integração Económica, Porto Editora, Porto 1984.
• As a speaker, has participated and continues to participate in numerous Economic Conferences and Seminars in Portugal and abroad (ex: The Economist Lisbon Summit, the Estoril Political Forum, etc.).