In anticipation of the IPBN's 4th annual Sustainability conference and as part of the Energy efficiency solutions we will be covering at the conference, we are very pleased to welcome IPBN member Florijn Founder of SmartHoods. SmartHoods develops modern, self-sufficient Eco Villages that supply their own energy, food, and water ranging from 100 to 2000 households. Listen as Florijn details his work history and where he sees the future heading.

Please join us as we welcome summaries of sustainable initiatives several of our Executive Partners are taking as we approach the 4th Annual St. Patrick's Day Sustainability Conference on March 17 at the CCIP in Lisbon. We have assembled an exciting program exploring the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), the impact of Smart Cities on a greener future, and how technology can aid advancement in that direction. Thank you to Declan Wynne, CEO of Skanstec, Claudia Coelho, Partner at PwC Portugal, and Stefan Goor, Group CIO of Ardanis, for their participation!

IPBN Content Manager Ellis Dixon sat down with John Paul Prior, who is the Chair of the IPBN Porto committee, the Manager of the iconic Musicmaker shop located in Dublin, and the founder of a company that is mixing sustainability with agri-tech right here in Porto, called Farmony. John Paul has recently made the move to Porto and is remotely managing Musicmaker, growing Farmony, sourcing musical incredible handmade instruments from Braga, and running 5Ks almost every day. Find out his secret for success on this episode of the IPBN podcast.

Luis da Silva is the founder and director of Senior Living Villages (also known as Algarve Senior Living and Portugal Senior Living) who provides a range of solutions for the senior expat market, with a strong emphasis on the Algarve as well as the Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril, and Porto areas. This podcast focuses on senior housing and the unique challenges and opportunities that Portugal offers, what market requirements are addressed and which are not, as well as the subject of physical and logistical side of retirement planning in Portugal.

IPBN member Dr. Michael Averbukh, MD is CEO and Managing Partner at Serenity: Your Medical Concierge in Portugal. In this podcast, he outlines the pros and cons of both the private and the national healthcare systems, how Portugal is managing healthcare demands from new arrivals, and how outside support can be a game changer in getting the care you need.

In this podcast we discuss the various methods to manage working capital (accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventories) and the day-to-day things we do in business that influence the result. Brian Shanahan of Informita shares tips to help you navigate the choppy waters that are 2022 from his 30 years of experience. You may be surprised at the number of techniques that you might not know about while learning practical steps you can take to collect cash more quickly from customers, maximize accounts payable, and optimize inventories.

In anticipation of the IPBN Tech event Sept. 22 in the Algarve and the Tourism Conference in Lisbon Sept. 29, we are speaking to Joana Glória, CEO and Founder of Lagos Digital Nomads who is participating in not one but two of the IPBN's upcoming conferences as she is in a privileged position to speak on both tourism and tech, as her company finds itself nestled squarely between the two sectors. Find out what it means to be a digital nomad, how local businesses in the Algarve are appealing to this attractive lifestyle, and how you can get involved in the community yourself.

Sharon Farrell, Chair of the IPBN Algarve Committee is a 29-year veteran in the financial services industry who moved to Portugal from Ireland several years ago and is working as a partner with Blevins Franks. In this episode of the IPBN podcast, she reflects on her "leap of faith" and gives tips on settling, living, working, connecting, and doing business in the Algarve from Quinta do Lago’s Magnolia Hotel in a conversation with IPBN board member Mario Gago, co-founder and CEO of Pink Room.

IPBN member and Executive Coach Göran Engberg has a history of helping business leaders to make the conscious choices necessary for their businesses to thrive, and now you can gain insights into this topic too. Find out what future managers will be like, what challenges they will face, and what practices they must abandon in order to succeed.

Listen to the recent panel discussion moderated by the former chair of the IPBN board Aoife Healy, with three special guests:

• Philomene Dias - Director Inward Investment - AICEP Portugal Global;

• Rui Manuel Monteiro, Director of the Municipal Department of Economics (Porto City Council);

• Aisling Riordan - Corporate Communications Manager - Global Shares.

This podcast covers the topics of living, working, and doing business in the region as part of the IPBN’s April Porto Conference recorded live at the Porto Innovation Hub.