1. Hi Carlos, thank you for your time. You’ve just completed 6 years with the company, could you briefly tell us about your professional experience with us?
For the past six years, I’ve been involved in the implementation and currently in the consolidation of MAGNA in the Portuguese market. Initially, I was part of the production department, and for the last five years, I’ve held positions in the strategy and development departments, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of our operations for the coming years.
2. And what are your current responsibilities?
I currently coordinate the project development area in Portugal, overseeing the entire process, from identifying new opportunities to final delivery to the client. During this period, I am focused on the development of our industrial and logistics projects, leading technical teams and ensuring that each initiative meets the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
3. How would you define Magna’s current development strategy in Portugal?
Well, it’s clear that, looking at what we’ve done, we have a strategy to which we remain faithful and consistent, characterized by three fundamental pillars: a) internal critical mass, with solid multidisciplinary teams, meeting the high standards demanded by the sector at all stages of a development project, from identifying and selecting land (for example, non-urban land) to the occupancy of a property built on that same land by a tenant; b) a high level of commitment to the long-term relationships we develop with our clients, avoiding short-term relationships; c) And finally, anticipating market needs, which we demonstrate with well-structured projects in terms of location, product type, ESG, etc., so attractive that they result in immediate market absorption.
4. What is the main factor guiding the selection of your projects in the Portuguese market?
This is one of the fundamental pillars of the department’s activity. Generally speaking, market demand in our sector knows exactly what it’s looking for: where (location), how to get there (access quality), and what (type, size, and sustainable ESG policies). The real challenge lies in competitiveness regarding timelines, that is, the time required to bring a new project to market. That is the great challenge.
To successfully overcome this, it is necessary to select projects with a certain degree of complexity in their urban development, since that is precisely where we add value. In this selection process, the balance arises from identifying those opportunities that are viable and should be developed, and distinguishing them from those that, due to their high level of complexity, cannot be executed in time to meet current demand.
Therefore, I would say that the main factor is internal critical mass, with the ability to understand what truly constitutes an opportunity for the development of one of our projects.
5. What added value do you think MAGNA brings to the logistics and production ecosystem in Portugal?
It’s clear that we bring value. I don’t consider this statement a lack of modesty, but rather the recognition of a fact. When we analyze our trajectory over these years, the projects we have developed and those we have in the pipeline, as well as the strategic clients with international reach with whom we maintain long-term and sustainable collaborative relationships, the positive impact of our work becomes evident.
I understand, therefore, that what we offer to the ecosystems you mention is the direct result of MAGNA’s values, values that we strive to reflect and demonstrate every day by fulfilling our commitments with a high level of professionalism and competence.
This translates into both the quality of the opportunities we develop, facing all challenges with resilience.
