U.S.–PORTUGAL CEO FORUM

A new platform for transatlantic economic and business cooperation

The U.S.–Portugal CEO Forum is a joint initiative of the Governments of Portugal and the United States of America, established to deepen bilateral economic relations and strengthen cooperation between the two countries through structured and regular dialogue between government officials and leading business leaders.

AmCham Portugal acts as the Implementation Partner and the point of contact and liaison with companies, facilitating the Forum’s work, coordinating private sector participation and monitoring its activities, in close coordination with AICEP and the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy.

The Forum fulfils the commitment made at the 52nd U.S.–Portugal Standing Bilateral Commission, held in Lisbon in January 2026, and aims to create the conditions to transform the existing economic relationship into new opportunities for trade, investment, innovation, job creation and economic growth.

More than a platform for institutional dialogue, the CEO Forum aims to bring together companies with the capacity and willingness to invest, innovate and create jobs, alongside public officials who can identify and help overcome the obstacles affecting business activities in both markets.

The initiative is advisory in nature, led by the business sector, and is neither binding nor regulatory. Its work focuses on identifying priorities, presenting concrete recommendations to the relevant authorities and promoting solutions that help improve the business environment and strengthen the competitiveness of both economies.

Entities Involved

The Forum is a joint initiative of the Governments of Portugal and the United States and is co-chaired by:

• Manuel Castro Almeida, Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, representing the Portuguese Government;
• John J. Arrigo, Ambassador of the United States of America to Portugal, representing the U.S. Government.

Four Strategic Sectors and Their Respective Working Groups

The CEO Forum is organised into four sector-specific working groups, bringing together Portuguese and U.S. companies with operations and interests in the respective sectors. Each group has two business co-chairs, one Portuguese and one American, responsible for driving the work forward, liaising with public authorities and monitoring the implementation of recommendations.

The four working groups and their participating companies are:

1. Technology & Digital Platforms

• Co-Chairs: Tiago Azevedo (OutSystems), representing the Portuguese side, and André Rodrigues (Amazon Web Services), representing the U.S. side.
• Portuguese companies: Feedzai, OutSystems and Talkdesk (TBC).
• U.S. companies: Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Start Campus.

2. Energy, Connectivity & Infrastructure

• Co-Chairs: EDP, representing the Portuguese side, and Beatriz Romero (GE Vernova), representing the U.S. side.
• Portuguese companies: EDP, Galp Energia and Visabeira.
• U.S. companies: GE Vernova, Google Cloud and Vertiv.

3. Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare

• Co-Chairs: António Portela (Bial), representing the Portuguese side, and Paulo Teixeira (Pfizer), representing the U.S. side.
• Portuguese companies: Hovione Pharmaceuticals, Bial and Bluepharma.
• U.S. companies: Sword Health, Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb.

4. Defense & Aerospace

• Co-Chairs: João Carreira (Critical Software), representing the Portuguese side, and Tehmur Galindo (Lockheed Martin), representing the U.S. side.
• Portuguese companies: OGMA, Tekever and Critical Software.
• U.S. companies: Lockheed Martin, Raytheon (TBC) and Northrop Grumman (TBC).

The groups also include representatives from companies participating exclusively in the working group activities, without necessarily taking part in the CEO-level plenary meeting.

In total, the Forum brings together 21 companies, twelve Portuguese and nine American, representing sectors that are fundamental to the economic development, innovation and security of both economies.

What Does the Forum Aim to Achieve?

The objective is for the working groups to maintain ongoing activity throughout the year, with an agenda focused on results rather than simply discussing issues.

Participating companies are expected to actively contribute their experience and market knowledge by identifying specific barriers to trade and investment, proposing solutions and submitting recommendations to the relevant government authorities.

Key priorities include identifying administrative and bureaucratic barriers, improving investment conditions, strengthening regulatory predictability, facilitating market access and creating the conditions for new business and technological partnerships.

The Forum therefore seeks to bring companies’ real needs closer to public decision-making processes and help Portugal and the United States make better use of the economic opportunities available on both sides of the Atlantic.

First Plenary Meeting – 10 November 2026

The first annual plenary meeting of the U.S.–Portugal CEO Forum took place on 10 November in Lisbon, marking the formal launch of the work of this new bilateral economic cooperation platform.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, and the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, John J. Arrigo, and brought together representatives of both Governments and the Portuguese and American companies participating in the Forum.

This first meeting marked the transition from the preparation phase to the implementation of the Forum’s activities. Three key elements for the operation and development of the CEO Forum were approved:

1. Establishment of the Four Sectoral Working Groups

The launch of the four working groups, corresponding to the strategic sectors defined for the Forum, was confirmed, together with their respective operating structures, business co-chairs and mandates.

2. Approval of the CEO Forum Action Plan

The Action Plan was approved, providing a framework for organising the activities of the four groups, monitoring the implementation of identified priorities and ensuring an approach focused on concrete results.

3. Approval of the 10 Joint Recommendations

The proposed 10 Joint Recommendations, developed based on the contributions and experience of participating companies from both countries, were also approved.

This document identifies priorities and proposes measures aimed at reducing barriers to trade and investment, improving competitiveness and facilitating business activities in the Portuguese and U.S. markets.

The recommendations will serve as a central reference for the work of the four sectoral groups throughout the coming year and will be presented to the relevant government authorities.

[View the 10 Joint Recommendations – Joint Recommendations]

From Establishment to Implementation: The Work Now Begins

Following this first plenary meeting and the approval of the three key instruments – the working groups, the Action Plan and the Joint Recommendations – the CEO Forum is now entering a new phase.

The challenge will be to translate the identified priorities into concrete initiatives, foster closer cooperation between companies and public decision-makers, and help remove the obstacles that continue to limit the potential of economic relations between Portugal and the United States.

The active participation of companies will be essential to ensure that the work carried out addresses real needs, identifies investment opportunities and delivers results that have an impact on the competitiveness, innovation and economic growth of both countries.

As the Implementation Partner, AmCham Portugal will continue to ensure coordination with the companies and entities involved, helping to drive the working groups forward and monitor the implementation of the Action Plan and the Joint Recommendations.

The CEO Forum therefore represents a new instrument for transatlantic cooperation, with a clear ambition: to bring companies and Governments closer together, turn dialogue into action and create better conditions for investment, innovation and growth on both sides of the Atlantic.