Could you share a bit about your role as an administrator at TENSAI Industria SA and explain how you reconcile this responsibility with your conviction in the importance of cultivating a strong culture and inspiring people?
The invitation extended to me by Mr. João Preto, which was a great honor, aimed at having me join the board of directors of Tensai and the associated group of companies, had two objectives. Firstly, to contribute my experience to the implementation of governance policies and deeper risk analysis at a time when the challenges of globalization have significant impacts on Tensai’s activities. Secondly, to contribute to the launch of Inspired Orbit, a real estate promotion company in Portugal.
Throughout my nearly 20-year professional career in banking in Portugal and abroad, I had the opportunity to closely interact with companies with strong values that were easily perceptible and mostly synonymous with success. Tensai Industria is a clear example of this, with values rooted in a solid work culture established by Mr. João Preto since the company’s inception—a culture I fully identify with, facilitating my integration.
Regardless of the role and responsibility each person has in the organization, my life philosophy is that each day is an opportunity to learn and share knowledge, to improve without fear of making mistakes, always giving our best with a concern for respecting and doing well to those around us, whether at home, on the street, or at work. I have been fortunate to interact with leaders who inspire me, and I strive to do the same.
How does the Tensai Group manage the need to maintain a strong and inspiring culture within its organization?
Tensai Industria is an organization with over 35 years of activity, characterized by easily identifiable values such as relationships and proximity, concern for the environment, trust, sustainability, modernity, efficiency, availability, innovation, and adaptability. It has a highly stable team of professionals, from the executive committee to administrative staff, production, or support services, all of whom play crucial roles. Above all, they act as guardians of Tensai’s values, with the responsibility to transmit them to newcomers.
It all begins with a recruitment process focused on these values, proximity, and support during the integration process, ongoing investment in continuous training, daily sharing of information and ideas, and regular celebration of achievements in an open and transparent manner. Challenges arise every day, but the key is to approach them with rigor and tranquility, gather as much information as possible, and then decide and follow through.
In your opinion, what is the role of clear communication in building a strong organizational culture? And how does the TENSAI Group approach this issue?
Good communication is essential in shaping the culture of companies and how they relate to all stakeholders—employees, customers, suppliers, partners, or public entities. Communication is closely tied to Tensai’s past, present, and future, whether through image, voice, or a simple facial expression. Although often seen as a responsibility of marketing departments, communication is everyone’s responsibility.
Tensai has also been growing in this area, being present on major social media platforms and various communication channels, showcasing products, testing procedures, recycling and zero-waste initiatives, the use of renewable energies, all focused on environmental protection and improving efficiency. The company promotes team-building and competition initiatives, encourages team participation in festive moments, and honors those who have contributed significantly to Tensai, like our freezer “Rita,” a tribute to a departed factory worker who will always be remembered as a Tensai example.
Inspired Orbit, despite being a newer and smaller entity, maintains an intense activity with various projects happening simultaneously. Communication is equally crucial here, following the same principles. Communication starts with each project, from the idea/creation phase with our partners and extends to the delivery of the final product to our customers.
How does your previous experience, especially as the founder and member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Banco Único, shape your approach to the complexity of challenges faced by TENSAI?
Banco Único was a beautiful chapter in my life, undoubtedly marked by the people who trusted me to be part of the conception and foundation of the bank. I had the honor of working with Dr. João Figueiredo, and it was a learning experience. We formed a small group that, step by step, day by day, hour by hour, faced the challenge of establishing a bank from scratch in Mozambique, India, Portugal, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with sacrifice and the support of my wife.
We aimed to create a different bank, focused on being unique and creating value for Mozambican society, shareholders, employees, customers, and partners. With the motto “Being Unique Changes Everything,” everything at Banco Único was meticulously thought out, anchored in relationships, innovative technology, a distinctive image, and branches that were experiential spaces for visitors. Over seven years, I got to know everyone who joined the project, a vast majority being local professionals eager for achievements.
The complexity in banking is high due to the sector’s responsibility in societies, the importance of checks and balances, risk anticipation and monitoring (credit, liquidity, interest rate, reputational, operational, etc.), governance, relationships with different stakeholders, local authorities, and international entities, communication care, and market relations. The management and balance of teams and customer relations are also crucial. In industrial and real estate activities, the complexity is not the same as in banking, but in my opinion, the principles are similar, and success factors are anchored in the same principles: easily understandable values, a strong, cohesive, and committed team, deep knowledge of the national and international market, strategies for market trends, research and development, and people management shaping short, medium, and long-term decisions.
How does the Tensai Group address the constant quest for innovation in its products to ensure a good sales and after-sales experience for its customers?
Tensai has been a leading SME for several years, primarily focused on exporting to around 80 countries, with a focus on geographically close markets. Tensai tests all its products rigorously, achieving very high satisfaction levels, and conducts reliability tests above the most demanding sector standards. The company does not compete on price but on quality, reliability, and innovation. Tensai highly values stable relationships with its partners and welcomes challenges.
In early 2024, what challenges do you identify as the most significant for TENSAI?
The national and international context is highly uncertain and volatile. We are experiencing a pandemic that has changed all our lives, affecting logistics and production chains. At the end of this period, we are witnessing an inflationary peak that we haven’t seen in a long time, impacting monetary policies with the traditional recipe of raising interest rates and reducing liquidity to cool consumption. Now, we anticipate a “soft landing,” but it’s uncertain if it will be an effective reception. International conflicts have enormous impacts on distribution chains, suppliers, and customers. Tensai’s major challenges are assessing supply chains accurately to maintain production with quality and price, continuing to diversify product lines, and seeking new markets.
As a founding member of the ‘Gorongosa Business Club,’ how does your connection to the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique influence Inspired Orbit’s projects in creating integrated green spaces in its properties?
Nature is a common good that we all share, and we have the obligation to care for it. However, it is an almost intangible asset in the sense that very few can measure and appreciate nature and what it provides. Perhaps that’s why there is a weak global awareness of its importance and what should be done to preserve it. In some parts of the world where pollution has reached extreme levels and is a daily presence, this perception might be changing. In our society, weather phenomena are the most frequent reminders of the issue, but they are still seen as isolated events.
I grew up in the countryside, in close contact with nature, and for the past 27 years, I have been involved with Mozambique, developing a passion for animal life and conservation. I was part of the founding of the “Gorongosa Business Club,” whose primary goal was to showcase to the business world in Mozambique everything being done in the restoration of the Gorongosa National Park, with both direct and indirect impacts on improving the living conditions of local populations. It was an honor and immense satisfaction to witness the success of the project and everything that could be achieved with the involvement of many companies in the Gorongosa National Park, notably JAT Constrói, a company owned by Mr. João Preto, who shares the same passion.
Green spaces are a hallmark of the projects we have under construction, and we strive to have them consistently present in both quantity and quality. We draw inspiration from the concept of integrating these spaces, with South African architecture serving as an excellent example.
In conclusion, what advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to leadership positions, especially in building a career in dynamic sectors such as finance and real estate?
Response: Always seek knowledge and organizations that value knowledge-sharing. Don’t focus solely on remuneration; don’t hesitate to ask questions or take anything for granted. Be curious, even about things that may not be directly related to your responsibilities or field. Look for innovation, pay attention to small details, gather as many contributions as possible, work as a team, be highly attentive to communication, don’t shy away from responsibility as making mistakes is part of the process. Embrace uncertainty as the only certainty we have, but never stop making informed decisions. Always foster positive relationships around you, if possible, travel, meet as many people as you can, and finally, as the late Raul Solnado used to say, ‘please be happy.’