Portugal, From Here to Where? Macroeconomics challenges for the next decade, was the title of the lecture that Olivier Blanchard, one of the greatest macro-economists in the world, delivered in the Salão Nobre of the Ritz Four Seasons Hotel Lisboa at 9 a.m. on 19 May.
 
This was not the first time that this eminent MIT professor and former Director of the IMF Research Department had come to Portugal. When he was here at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2007, his address caused such an impact in Portugal and abroad that no economist, academic or entrepreneur remained indifferent to his analyses, thoughts and predictions. Blanchard certainly left his mark on the Portuguese economic and financial world. It was therefore with great anticipation that we awaited the address by this emeritus professor and we learned of the great challenges that he brought to Portugal.
 
As you can see in the lecture programme, after Professor Blanchard’s lecture, there was a discussion on the main strategic Portuguese sectors. The guests included distinguished personalities from Portugal’s political, economic and social life, such as António Vitorino, Augusto Mateus, José Galamba de Oliveira, Pedro Machado and Rafael Domenech. Moderated by the journalist Helena Garrido, they analysed the contemporary dynamics of the Portuguese economy. The conference was opened by the Portuguese Minister of the Economy, Manuel Caldeira Cabral. Daniel Traça, Dean of Nova SBE, delivered the closing speech.
 
We would like to thank Jorge Braga de Macedo and Francesco Franco, both lecturers at Nova School of Business and Economics, for their priceless contribution to making this conference happen in Portugal.

 

 
•  08h45 – CHECK-IN – REGISTER

•  09h15 – WELCOME
                  – Manuel Caldeira Cabral – Minister of Economy

•  09h25 – OLIVIER BLANCHARD’S PRESENTATION
                  – Jorge Braga de Macedo – Nova SBE

•  09h30 – Keynote Speaker – Olivier Blanchard – Macroeconomist
                  – Portugal – From here to where?

•  10h15 – Paper Discussion
                  – Olivier Blanchard and Francesco Franco – Nova SBE

•  10h30 – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

•  11h00 – Coffee-Break

•  11h30 – DEBATE PANEL
                  – Strategic sectors for Portugal
                
        • António Vitorino – Cuatrecasas
        • Augusto Mateus – Augusto Mateus & Associados
        • José Galamba de Oliveira – Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores
        • Pedro Machado – PwC
        • Rafael Domenech – BBVA
        • Helena Garrido (Moderator)

•  12h45 – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

•  13h00 – CLOSURE – Daniel Traça – Nova SBE