Free Seminar Events about Moving to Portugal

Our in-person seminar events provide expert information from sources you can trust on all aspects of living in Portugal

Seminars

Independent, expert information from sources you can trust

The Living in Portugal seminars are held throughout the year at different locations worldwide. The seminars are organised by the Open Media Group, Portugal’s leading publishers of foreign language media, in association with key partners offering advice on all matters related to living in Portugal.

All under one roof you will have the chance to listen to live presentations by experts in areas as legal matters, insurance, taxation (focusing on the NHR – non-habitual residency scheme) and residency options such as the D7 and other residency programmes.

If you are considering moving to Portugal permanently at some time in the future, living there part time or maybe looking at setting up a business, our Lisbon and Cascais seminars offer a unique opportunity to have all your questions answered in one place, at one time.

The events have two identical seminar sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, before or after which you will have time to chat with our event partners.

Our events are free of charge to registered guests. All you need to do is register for your preferred seminar session and book your seats. You will then be sent an e-mail requesting reconfirmation within 2 weeks of the event date. Registration is also possible on the day at the event reception, subject to availability, so we advise you to register in advance and secure your seminar places.

No data was found

Guide to living in Portugal

Fiscal number

Residence permit

Bank account

Healthcare

Insurance

Import a car

Driving licence

UK TV

Internet

Schooling options

Moving with pets

Organising utilities

Organisers

The Open Media Group is Portugal’s leading publisher of foreign language media with print and online publications in the Algarve such as the Portugal Resident newspaper in English (established in 1989) and Barlavento in Portuguese (established in 1977). Our magazines include Essential Algarve, the region’s luxury lifestyle magazine (established in 2000) in English and Vivre Le Portugal in French.

Seminar Speakers

Bruce Hawker

CEO - Open Media / event host

Bruce has lived in the Algarve most of his life, having moved to Portugal from the UK as a child when his family relocated in the late 1970’s. His career has been mostly in publishing, as founder and CEO of the Open Media Group; publishers of the Algarve Resident newspaper and Essential Algarve magazine amongst other titles. Whilst continuing in his role at Open Media, Bruce also has interests in real estate. Alongside his business activities, he is also a member of the board of directors of the Lisbon based British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. Bruce is the host and a speaker at the Living in the Algarve events.

Shelley Wren

Head of Business Development - The Sovereign Group, Portugal

Shelley has over thirty years’ experience in investment advisory working with high net worth investors. Shelley works closely with Sovereign’s Wealth Management and Retirement Planning teams and is able to make recommendations according to clients’ needs and objectives to guide them through the complexities of acquiring international investment property, of using trusts, foundations, funds and companies worldwide, to structure, develop and maintain individuals’ assets for secure wealth succession planning.
In addition, and working with the Sovereign Portugal team, Shelley can advise clients on their Non Habitual Resident and other residency options to ensure maximum tax benefits for our clients.

Matthew Krystman

Blevins Franks Partner | Lisbon, Porto and Northern Portugal

Matthew has been working in the financial services industry since he graduated from university in 1995. He began his career at a major UK life and pensions organisation before becoming an independent financial adviser a year later. In 1997 he set up and ran his own independent financial services company in Central London.
In 2000 Matthew left the UK to embark on a career in international financial services that has taken him to Madrid and then on to Lisbon in 2003, where he has settled. He specialises in advising high-net-worth individuals in the areas of investments and tax planning.
A member of the Personal Finance Society, Matthew holds a Diploma in Financial Planning and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese fluently.
Matthew is an adviser for Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) which is registered with the Malta Financial Services Authority. He is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

Chitra Stern

Owner & Co-founder, Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts

Chitra Stern is a passionate entrepreneur and real-estate developer working alongside her business partner and husband Roman on their projects in Portugal with the Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts - leading luxury hotels and resorts for families in Portugal.
Chitra is of Singaporean-Indian origin, she is an Electronic Engineer, and a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from the London Business School. In 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Deloitte Institute Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the London Business School.
Between 2017 and 2019, Chitra was on the Committee of Portugal IN, a special task force created by the Portuguese Prime Minister’s office to further enhance Foreign Direct Investment into Portugal. Chitra is also on the Advisory Board of the Portuguese Association of Tertiary Education Institutes.
Chitra and Roman have recently launched their latest project - the United Lisbon International School with over 425 students enrolled already. The school has recently won the prestigious “Lisbon Prize” at the World Architecture Festival.

Suraj Gokani

Founder - Currencies 4 You

Suraj has over twenty years of experience working closely with private individuals, whether transferring money for their new life overseas, investing in high-value goods or simply making regular international money transfers. Currencies 4 You is a Regulated Currency Exchange Specialist with offices in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Poland. Founded in 2009, the company has grown significantly over the last 13 years, having safely transferred over $2 billion globally, with access to 150 currency pairs, and an online platform with 2-factor authentication. Currencies 4 You, an award-winning company, continues to be a market leader. Currencies 4 You’s team of currency experts works closely with each of its clients to understand their currency requirements, providing a tailored strategic approach and minimizing the risk of volatility using financial tools, which saves their clients millions of pounds each year.

Henrique Pinheiro

Founder & CEO - Medal Insurance brokers

Henrique founded Medal Insurance in 1996 and has built the business with his family and a dedicated team to be Portugal’s leading insurance brokerage for expats. His presentation at our Living in the Portugal seminars will focus on health insurance and healthcare in Portugal for foreign residents. Medal was founded in the Algarve where it has three offices covering the whole coast. Medal also has offices in Cascais covering the Greater Lisbon area.

Afonso Capitão Sousa, Business & Sales Manager - Fine & Country - Speaker at the Living in Portugal Seminar Events

Afonso Sousa

Business & Sales Manager – Fine & Country Lisboa

Born and raised in Lisbon, Afonso de Sousa graduated with a degree in Finance and a Post-Graduation in Business Management at ISEG (Lisbon School of Economics and Management).
He started his career in management consulting and financial controlling and later in 2017, he was challenged to enter the real estate market, an area in which he already had a particular interest. Since then, Afonso has performed commercial and management functions, in companies related to both mediation and property development.
Outside the professional environment, Afonso dedicates a lot of his time to his family, along with an interest in travelling and getting to know new destinations and cultures. He also has a passion for sport, more specifically Rugby, a sport he has played for 20 years and through which he had the opportunity to represent Portugal.

Speaking at the Lisbon event

Charles Roberts

Managing Partner - Fine & Country

Charles Roberts is a Managing Partner of Fine & Country Portugal, which is one of the leading real estate agencies catering for the luxury market in Central and Northern Portugal. Charles, whilst British, has lived and worked in Portugal since 1985 and has always been related to the sales and marketing of higher-end residential and touristic real estate.
He has worked as a Sales Director for some of the most prestigious golf resorts in Portugal for 20 years. Charles also headed up the operations of Christies Great Estates for Central Portugal before founding his own company in 2008 with his business partner Nuno Durão, Irglux representing Fine & Country in Lisbon, Cascais, Comporta and the blue coast, and Porto and northern Portugal.

He lives in Cascais on the coast outside Lisbon and works out of Fine & Country’s Head Office in Estoril.

Charles was educated at Marlborough College, Wiltshire, and gained a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics and Economics at Kent University, Canterbury. Charles was Chairman of the Royal British Club Portugal for seven years and has served on the committees of various charitable entities in Portugal.

Speaking at the Cascais event

Geoffrey Graham

Senior Partner - EDGE International Lawyers

Geoffrey is a Portuguese advogado, a solicitor of England and Wales and a member of the Law Society of Ireland. He started his legal career by practising in Belfast, followed by London and Lisbon where he has lived and worked for 23 years. Geoffrey has a strong connection to the international communities and institutions in Portugal, including the British and Irish Embassies – he has been Honorary Legal Advisor to the British Ambassador since 2012 and is recommended by the Irish Embassy. He is a founder of the Ireland Portuguese Business Network, currently serving as its Chair, and sits on the Executive Committee of the Royal British Club. Geoffrey is one of the founding partners of EDGE International lawyers, a full-service law firm at the forefront of advising international investors and private clients. Pioneering in the Non-Habitual Residency and other visa programmes, EDGE has a global portfolio of clients and specialties in areas such as real estate, tax, corporate and commercial. EDGE is a member of the RBB international network of tax advisors and has connections with some of the long established and historic family businesses in Portugal.