Sonae Sierra has announced the appointment of Luís Mota Duarte as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will assume the position from January 2027, succeeding Fernando Guedes de Oliveira. This leadership change follows over four decades of service by Fernando Guedes de Oliveira within the Sonae Group, 35 years of which were spent at Sierra. From 2010, he served as CEO of Sierra, significantly shaping the company's development by overseeing and managing various phases of growth and transformation.
Under Mr Guedes de Oliveira's leadership, Sierra expanded its international presence and evolved into an integrated real estate platform. The company established high expertise in investment management, real estate development, and service provision. Furthermore, business activities were extended to new asset classes, contributing to portfolio diversification.
Continuity and Expertise in Leadership
Luís Mota Duarte joined Sonae in 2014, initially leading the group's M&A department. In 2018, he moved to Sierra, progressively taking on further responsibilities until he became Deputy CEO and Executive Director for Investment Management. Prior to his tenure at the Sonae Group, Mr Mota Duarte accumulated 14 years of international private equity experience in London. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford and a visiting lecturer at the Nova School of Business & Economics. He holds an MBA from INSEAD.
This announcement aims to ensure a seamless transition, characterised by a comprehensive understanding of Sierra, its teams, and partners. Until the end of 2026, Fernando Guedes de Oliveira and Luís Mota Duarte will jointly prepare for the leadership change in January 2027. Cláudia Azevedo, CEO of Sonae, stated that Fernando Guedes de Oliveira played a crucial role in building Sierra and shaping its development into the company it is today. She emphasised that he guided the company through various growth phases, from internationalisation to the recent business transformation, leaving Sierra as a diversified and future-ready enterprise. Ms Azevedo expressed her gratitude for his leadership, commitment, and outstanding contribution over more than four decades to Sierra and Sonae. Looking ahead, she expressed full confidence in Luís Mota Duarte and her conviction that he will successfully lead the next cycle. She highlighted his extensive knowledge of the company, its teams, and partners, combined with his experience and focus on value creation.
Fernando Guedes de Oliveira expressed his pride in Sierra's development over the years. He highlighted the company's growth, international expansion, and adaptability, always staying ahead of developments. This, he noted, was only possible due to the quality and commitment of team members and the trust of partners. He expressed gratitude for the journey with its challenges, insights, and successes, emphasising having helped shape a company with Sierra's current capabilities and potential. Luís Mota Duarte declared that he would assume leadership of Sierra with great responsibility and ambition. He acknowledged the organisation's strength, the quality of its teams, and the capabilities built over the years. On this foundation, they will continue to develop, unlock new growth opportunities, and strengthen the ability to create value for investors, partners, clients, and society.
