Election of the Director General of COTEC Portugal as Co-Chair of the European Federation of SME Associations – Executive Summary

Director General of COTEC Portugal, Jorge Portugal, has been elected Co-President of the European Entrepreneurship CEA-PME (European Confederation of SME Associations).

Joining Jorge Portugal as head of the organization is Christoph Ahlhaus, president of the BVMW – the German association representing the fabric of Mittelstand companies – and a lawyer with political and association experience.

“We take on this new responsibility at CEA-PME with great enthusiasm and a sense of public interest mission, recognizing that we are at a crucial moment for the future of European SMEs and medium-sized enterprises, and that by working together, we can contribute to measures that support investment, innovation and productive growth of our companies.” “, says Jorge Portugal.

The Brussels-based organization gives a common voice to 30 business associations representing around 2.4 million SMEs, creating 20 million jobs in 35 European countries, and maintaining relationships with other associational entities on all continents.

Jorge Portugal has been General Director of COTEC Portugal since 2016, and during his career he has extensive experience in business management, particularly in the banking, retail and IT sectors, where he highlighted his position as Advisor to the President’s Civil House. The Republic of Innovation and his role as one of the founders of the Portuguese Diaspora Council, of which he has been a member since 2012.