BlueShift

“A leader with a huge experience in managing hotels. Firmness, security, responsibility and loyalty are all adjectives that we recognize him”

Nuno Carneiro | Diretor Revista FRONTLINE-Business and Lifestyle

“Working with him was always based on thinking ahead, search the next big hit and most of all challenge the status quo.”

Luís Raquilha | | CEO, Inova Consulting, Inova Business School & RWear; Invited professor, FIA & FT | ie BS CLA; Columnist, CBN Radio.

“A natural Leader. He leads with passion and get his team passionate for the Company Mission and their role in the organization. “

Rui Ventura | Regional Communications Manager / SBU, Monster Energy

“He is innovative and has some great leadership skills, which are essential towards keeping the cohesion and motivation of a workgroup. His positive attitude is one of his best attributes.”

Sérgio Leandro | General Manager, Mondrian London

“The true Hotelier from head to toe. His unique way to deal with guests and all team members was indeed special”

Paulo Figueiredo | General Manager, Onyria Golf Resorts

“Young, creative, compliant, committed, kind person and professional to the limits”

Manuel Teixeira | Pharma Industry career

“Francisco's native intelligence for marketing is among the best I have seen. He is both a team player and a dynamic leader.”

Joaquim Nogueira Fresco | Management Consulting

“A great team player, great people skills, a great communicator and manager”

Pedro Dias | General Manager at The Surrey

“Um excelente profissional, com uma consciência perfeita da gestão de equipas com motivação e liderança”

Maria João Rocha | Director of Sales Myriad by SANA Hotels

“Deeply impressed by his thoroughness, strong analytical skills and impressive drive to shape the organization into a new paradigm, building a best-in-class approach to revenue management and sales.”

Gonçalo Cadete | Managing Partner. Estoril Capital Partners

“A true leader with an entrepreneurial spirit that adds tremendous value to all ventures he is involved with.”

José Reino da Costa | Vice-Chairman & CEO, Millennium BIM

“Very impressed by his ability to grasp complex issues. Very detail oriented but without losing a good sense of the big picture.”

Joaquim Souza | CEO, Caixa - Banco de Investimento

“Consistently impressed by his drive, his focus on getting things done - the right way - and his clarity of purpose.”

João Soares | Partner, Bain & Company

“An intelligent and creative strategist but also an inspiring perfectionist with great interpersonal skills. One of the most valuable hospitality professionals I have ever met.”

Jorge Catarino | Hotel & Real Estate – Investment & Asset Management Advisory

“Success was achieved due to his leadership, persistence, dedication, motivated team work, a strong belief and focus on the goal of the project”

João Catanho | Director of Revenue & Distribution – Europe and Latina America, Minor Hotels

“All opinions were important, no matter where you are on the organization chart, making it a pleasure to work under his management.”

Luís Carvalho | Assistant Director of Digital & E-Commerce, Minor Hotels

“His organization, planning and communication skills are very strong, allowing him to easily shift from strategy to implementation, particularly in changing environments.”

Pedro Mira Vaz | COO, Topack Indústria

“Understands the big picture of business relations, is prepared with arguments and able to build “golden bridges” to reach agreement.”

Paulo Salvador | Global Chief Operations Officer, Omibees

“His work was extremely well planned and crafted. All areas of the problem had been identified and taken care off. Working together was very easy and fruitful.”

Pedro Ginjeira | Head of Strategy and External Communications, Vodafone Portugal

“One of the few inevitable "go to" professionals in hospitality in Portugal if one is seeking for high value added support whatever the challenge at hand”

João Pena | Manager, Consultant and Entrepreneur

“Great professional, with deep knowledge of F&B operations, as well as financial management. Operations focused, and sensitive to inter-personal relationships. Proactive, organized, assertive, dedicated. A pleasure to work with.”

Ivo Gonçalves | F&B Manager, Marriot Praia D’El Rey Golf & Beach Resort

“A very meticulous and gracious leader with very high operating standards, as well as the skills to induce others. One of the most creative persons I know and an F&B lover.”

Francisca Abecassis | Sales Executive, Hotéis Real

“Deeply knowledgeable of operations, very attentive to small service details. Always willing to help reach the most important target in hospitality – client satisfaction.”

Artur Rabasqueira | Hotel Manager, Grand Plaza Nampula

“A strong leader and a good team partner, supporting our requests, being demanding to our professionalism and commitment, but always leaving space for imagination and creativity.”

João Ramos | Groups Coordinator, Hotéis Real

“A motivated individual with a lot of new concepts and ideas that are conceived towards the client and business perspective”

Cristóvão Silva | Experience and Spa Manager, Hotéis Real

“A professional of excellence, both in accounting matters and in the matters related to audit and duties and obligations of statutory auditors. I highlight her integrity, the quality of her work and the sense of ethics and professionalism she transmits to her teams.”

João Ramos | Partner, PwC

“Affordable and available, responsible and fulfilling and, not least, a reference to the newest ones that follow her in the teams.”

Luis Ferreira | Partner, PwC

“Excellent financial knowledge and professional ethics. Always with a positive attitude, easy communication, great ability to lead teams.”

Carlos Ramalho Silva | CFO and Board Member, Yilport Iberia Group

“In addition to her personal characteristics that make her a leader, such as responsibility, ethics and fairness, she has excellent knowledge of accounting principles, namely IFRS, and internal control.”

Maria João Faia | Director, PwC

“A professional of excellence, always attentive to the details, and loyal to her colleagues.”

João Martins | Financial and Administrative Manager, Águas do Tejo Atlântico

“One of the creative mavericks with whom I have had the pleasure of working, open to creative ideas and marketing collaborations with other multi-national companies. Mario understands the importance of marketing partnerships.”

Paul Burditch | Principal & Founder, Burditch Marketing Communications

“An expert in international Hospitality Marketing and Branding. He managed to expand this edge cross industry in the luxury sector. He is creative and pragmatic. His seniority guarantees immediate productivity.”

Bruno Goffin | SVP Marketing, Procter & Gamble/ General Electric

“Professional and competent manager with a good vision and understanding of our industry. Mario was an invaluable help in setting up a clear and defined group standard and who always maintained a transparent and friendly face through all our negotiations. A professional and a gentleman.”

David Rinaldi | Travel Management Executive and Consultant

Achievements:

Achievements

WE ARE ACHIEVERS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A BLUE OCEAN OUT THERE WAITING FOR YOU

“We often close our eyes and jump. We never regret it”
Francisco Nogueira de Sousa

Francisco
Nogueira de Sousa

CEO & Founder

Francisco
Nogueira de Sousa

CEO & Founder

Dedicated 15 years of his career to Starwood Hotels & Resorts, fast-tracking through different operations and commercial assignments in Portugal and Europe. He was Managing Director of Portuguese group Hotéis Real, were he led a deep re-structuring. Graduated in Hotel Management, he complemented his education with several programs in Leadership, Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Branding, Sales, Six Sigma, and Blue Ocean Strategy, in schools such as INSEAD and MCE. Francisco started BlueShift in 2012, and was awarded in 2017 as the best General Manager for the Marriott group in Europe. He was a member of the Marriott Business Council in Portugal.

Was awarded best General Manager for the Marriott group in Europe;
Led the team behind a 7x EBITDA increase for an international brand 5 star hotel under insolvency procedure;
Led the reopening of former Westin Campo Real in only 45 days and the handover do Dolce Hotels & Resorts;
Co-ordinated the turnaround of Portuguese group “Hotéis Real”, increasing EBITDA by 162% in 3 years;
Led the turnaround of 5 star “Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa”, increasing the EBITDA tenfold in only one year;
As a Regional Head of Communication and Marketing of Starwood, increased 8x the Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE);
Was the youngest ever DOSM at Starwood, distinguished as “best performance sales person” in Europe.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisco-nogueira-de-sousa-2971b46/

Filipe
Santiago

Senior Partner
Managing Director, Consulting

Filipe
Santiago

Senior Partner
Managing Director, Consulting

Economist by the internationally awarded Nova SBE, and an MBA by INSEAD, he started his career in business consulting, at Roland Berger and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He was in banking, in Strategic Marketing and as Head of Direct Banking, and was the COO for pmelink.pt, the biggest e-commerce platform in Portugal at the time. Filipe joined leading Portuguese group Tivoli Hotels & Resorts in 2007, as Head of Development and was assigned to the Board of Directors as CS&MO, and, later, as an interim COO, up to the successful acquisition by Minor Hotels. He is currently an advisor of Nova SBE for the subject of management applied to hospitality.

Was a member of the Executive Board that sold the 14-property Tivoli group to Minor Hotels, under deep financial distress, while assuring a 2.3x increase in EBITDA in only two years;
Led a deep commercial re-structuring that resulted in a 37% growth in Room Revenue in 3 years, with a mature portfolio;
Increased direct Revenue by 80% in only two years;
Co-ordinated a comprehensive operational efficiency program, that untapped yearly cost savings amounting to 8% of Total Revenue;
Led critical negotiations with key operational business partners, that resulted in 50-80% cost savings, for the same universe, with equivalent or superior service levels.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/filipe-santiago/

Pedro
Catapirra

Partner
Director of Operations

Pedro
Catapirra

Partner
Director of Operations

Started his career in F&B, in landmark properties such as Lapa Palace, by Orient Express, Pestana Palace and Bairro Alto Hotel. He was an F&B Manager for Grande Real Villa Itália, from where he evolved to General Manager within Hotéis Real group. Pedro integrated the team that re-opened Campo Real Resort following insolvency and loss of the Westin flag, and then moved to Praia d’El Rey Marriott Hotel, as an Operations Director. He was also a GM for landmark hotel Quinta das Lágrimas. At BlueShift, Pedro is the Partner in charge of Hotel Operations.

Doubled the GOP on his first year as Head of Operations at the 5 star Praia D’el Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort;
As an F&B Director at Dolce Hotels & Resorts he achieved a score of 96% in client satisfaction;
As an F&B Director at Campo Real Resort, he re-structured all outlets, increasing capture rates from the range of 20-30% to 60-70 %;
As an F&B Director for Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa, he slashed F&B departmental costs by 32%, while simultaneously increasing the internal guests’ capture rates by 21% and revenue by 53%;
Was listed, in two consecutive years, as one of the seven top F&B Directors in Portugal, by Publturis magazine anf the Portuguese Hotel Directors Association.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-rodrigues-catapirra-73317bb/

Carla
Andrade

Partner
CFO

Carla
Andrade

Partner
CFO

Graduated in Business Economics by ISEG, Carla has post-graduations in Management and Leadership, by Catholic University, and in Top Management in Hospitality and Tourism, by INDEG-ISCTE. She is also certified in auditing and internal control according to the Sarbanes-Oxley law. Carla worked twenty years in auditing and consulting, at Coopers & Lybrand and PWC, where she developed strong skills in financial consolidation and reporting, public offerings and M&A. As a CFO at Praia D’el Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort, Carla was a key element on the turnaround process led by BlueShift, where she is today a Partner and CFO.

Integrated, as CFO, the team of a hotel, managed under an international brand, that achieved a six-fold EBITDA increase in the two years after taking over;
Was, for 20 years, a consultant at PWC, achieving a Manager position;
Solid experience in financial consolidation and reporting in several corporations quoted on the Portuguese stock exchange Euronext Lisboa;
Experience in IPOs, including a capital increase of € 1,2 billion by Portuguese utility EDP;
Experience and certification in auditing and internal control, according to Sarbanes-Oxley law;
Experience in M&A, as a consultant in several transactions.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-andrade-a5904911/

Achievers

Álvaro
Aragão

Operations Management

Álvaro
Aragão

Operations Management

With degrees in Hospitality Management and General Management, Álvaro integrated the F&B Department at Porto Palácio Hotel. In leading Portuguese hotel group Pestana, he held several management assignments in Algarve, Madeira and in Rio de Janeiro, as an Operations Director. He was a GM for CS properties São Rafael Atlântico and São Rafael Suites, and, more recently, for Quinta do Lorde Hotel in Madeira, where he led a deep re-structuring. At BlueShift, Álvaro was a Resident Manager at Marriott Praia d’El Rey, and is now a GM at Casa da Calçada da Relais & Chateaux, and Hotel Navarras. He integrates the Operations Management.

As a General Manager of Hotel Quinta do Lorde, in Madeira, led a global re-structuring of the commercial area, that resulted in a 2,5x increase of Occupation Rate in only two years;
Increased Total Revenue by 55% in only one year, increasing TO and OTA Revenue by factor of respectively 7x and 3x;
On the same property, more than tripled (3,3x) GOP in only one year;
Undertook comprehensive service improvement measures that led to a sustained increase in client satisfaction indexes (e.g. Booking from 8,4 to 8,7 in one year);
Conquered prestigious prizes and awards, such as the World Travel Awards and Luxury Travel Awards.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/

José
Pedro Almeida

BI and Revenue Management

José
Pedro Almeida

BI and Revenue Management

A professional with over ten years of Revenue Management experience in several leading hospitality groups. In the regional division of Starwood Hotels, in Ireland, he offered support to over 800 properties worldwide in the area of reservations, and started the Guest Communication Office to supervise and support CRM initiatives on the EAME and APAC divisions. At Hotéis Real group, José Pedro led the implementation of a world-class revenue management practice. He was also Business Intelligence Director at Campo Real Resort. José Pedro is the founder and Managing Partner of XLR8 and leads the BI and Revenue Management Achievement Center of BlueShift.

Led the Revenue Management Department of a mature 5 star hotel, managed for more than 10 years, under a major international brand, achieving a Total Revenue growth of 26% on his first year;
As a Business Intelligence Director at Campo Real Resort, he strategically guided the commercial team that took over the hotel from Westin management, following an insolvency, and reopened in only 45 days, achieving, only two months after, the second best ever month in terms of Room Revenue;
Was part of the tem that increased the Room Revenue of 5 star Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa by 50% between 2009 and 2012, during a strong market contraction.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josealmeidarevenuemanagement/

Raquel
Valente

Marketing

Raquel
Valente

Marketing

Graduated in Management, Raquel was an Innovation Project Manager at Sonae group’s consumer electronics division and a Brand Manager for Bacardi-Martini. At Nestlé, she oversaw Purina group’s super premium brands, and participated in several European division strategic projects. As a Marketing Director for Portuguese group Hotéis Real, she created the grounds, processes and frameworks for strategic planning, project and communication management. Raquel has her own project on the marketing and communication area. At BlueShift, she leads the Marketing Achievement Center.

Her co-leadership, as a Marketing Director for Hotéis Real, of the project of upgrade and re-launch of all websites, resulted on a threefold increase of direct sales in only four months, as compared to the previous complete year;
On one of the projects she led as a Marketing professional, increased by 12,5 pp the market share of the brand under her responsibility, thus achieving leadership on its category;
The work undergone as a Brand Manager at Bacardi-Martini, for Moët & Henessy brands, was internally recognized as the best benchmark at European scale for the launch of a marketing program.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-raquel-valente/

Adriana
Silva

Head of Blueshift Design

Adriana
Silva

Head of Blueshift Design

With a Master degree in Communications and New Media by Faculdade de Belas Artes de Lisboa, she was a communication designer and head of communication at Instituto Piaget. She conceived and developed campaigns for corporate communication, events and promotion of education services and editorial products. Adriana also performed management roles in purchasing, corporate identity development and communication plan supervision, both at a national and an international level. Currently, she leads BlueShift Design, the first creative agency focused on hospitality and food & beverage outlets. She also steers the Creative Services Achievement Center at BlueShift.

As head of the communication department of the Piaget Institute, she implemented several procedures to improve work processes, namely a new IT system, which allowed the request pipeline to be controlled and the response time considerably improved;
Developed national and international institutional campaigns that led to an increase in the number of students in all the universities and led to the increase of brand awareness;
Was responsible for the graphic image of several international conferences that boosted the Piaget Institute brand in Portugal and abroad.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianasilvadesign/

João Silva
Santos

Head of BlueShift Talent

João Silva
Santos

Head of BlueShift Talent

With a Psychology degree from Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa, and a Master in Corporate Social Psychology by ISCTE, João also collects extensive trainings and certifications with Marriott International. He started his career in the HR Management team of Lisboa Marriott Hotel. In addition to several consulting projects, he was the HR Manager of Dolce Campo Real Lisboa, part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, with a seat on the property’s Executive Committee. João was also the HR Director at Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, then moving to BlueShift, where he currently leads the HR Management Achievement Center and the business unit BlueShift Talent.

As a HR Director for Dolce Campo Real Lisboa, increased the Employee Engagement Score by 19% in only one year;
Achieved, in 2015, the best Engagement Score of all Dolce Hotels and Resorts in Europa and, in 2016, the best Engagement Score of all Wyndham Hotel Group units in Europe;
Was a decisive contributor to the improvement of Guest Satisfaction Scores and results at Dolce Campo Real Lisboa, resulting an a GOP growth of over a € 1,6 million in two years, and the award of best managed property at Whyndam EMEA region;
Was key to the Culture Rebranding process of Marriott Hotels in Portugal, that revamped the organizational culture established by the brand over thirty years.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joao-silva-santos/

Sandra
Teixeira

Quality Assurance

Sandra
Teixeira

Quality Assurance

Graduated in Food Engineering from Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Sandra has developed her career at Marriott Hotels & Resorts, initially as an F&B Supervisor at Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, and over the past years, as a Quality Assurance Supervisor at the same property. An expert on quality assurance, food health and safety and environmental sustainability best practices, Sandra is also responsible for all the training of operational teams in areas such as food safety, waste management, food allergies and chemical product manipulation. Is now Hotel Manager at Duecitânia Design Hotel and leads the Quality Assurance Achievement Center.

Increased, in only two years, food safety process compliance metrics, form 60% to 80%, and sustained that performance until today;
Accomplished, through analysis and development of waste management processes, a screening rate of 25% of produced waste;
Obtained, for Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, for two consecutive years, the Environmental Sustainability Award from the Portuguese hotel association (AHP).

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-teixeira-125a63a/

Albano
Oliveira

Construction Management

Albano
Oliveira

Construction Management

Graduated in Civil Engineering by highly acclaimed Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), he pursued an international career at Odebrecht group, in increasingly demanding assignments. Albano worked in supervision, production engineering and, later, as a Construction Manager in highly complex projects in Portugal, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates and Ecuador. Currently he is devoted to family business, in Lisbon, comprising asset management, real estate development and construction, on the residential, hospitality, commercial and office market segments. At BlueShift, Albano leads the Construction Management Achievement Center.

Was acclaimed at Odebrecht by his remarkable performance on the preparation of the executive works and methodologies, on the highly complex and demanding STEP Pump Station contract, a pioneer engineering solution worldwide;
Was recognized at Odebrecht as the most skill-diversified and versatile production manager in terms of intervention areas and contract types;
On the hydroelectric project of Baixo Sabor, set a new record for concrete placement in a dam job, peaking at a monthly 47 thousand cubic meters (benchmark of 29 thousand cubic meters in Alqueva);
Succeeded in anticipating by three months the delivery of the contract for SCUT das Beiras Litoral e Alta.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/albano-oliveira-19a0b15/

Ana
Pinto Coelho

Real Estate

Ana
Pinto Coelho

Real Estate

Graduated in Marketing, and with degrees in Social Organizations Management by AESE and Management by Nova SBE, Ana collects several international certifications in Coaching and Mindfulness by Activision, MBSR and Center for Body Language, she has 20 years of experience in marketing in groups Impresa, Sonae and UAU, including projects such as the opening of the Lisbon Casino and the first Cirque du Soleil in Portugal. Currently Ana is an Associate Partner at 12inBlue real estate agency, CEO at InsightOut and Director at the Activision Coaching School by Variations, in Portugal. At BlueShift, she leads the Real Estate Achievement Center.

Certified coach, with the degree of Associate Certified Coach, by the International Coach Federation;
As a Marketing Manager of Sonae.com, led the re-launch of telecom brand Novis;
As a Marketing Director of “Ideias & Negócios” magazine, increased by 20 percentage points the brand’s market share, leading it to the second ranking position of its segment;
At Impresa media group, as a Marketing Manager, managed a total of seven press titles, five of which were uncontestable market leaders under her management;
As a Trade Marketing Manager for the same media group, planned and implemented a program that more than doubled the sales of the titles under her supervision.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anapc/

Be part of
the team

Applications