An Impressive Journey of Rapid Growth in Portugal for Joao & Joao

An Impressive Journey of Rapid Growth in Portugal for Joao & Joao

‍Joao Costa & Joao Pontes are the Country Managers for Portugal at ERA Group, where they share a common ambition: to establish ERA Group as the leading consultancy in cost optimisation in the Portuguese market. Over recent years, they have made significant progress toward that goal, growing the business ninefold and supporting more than 200 clients, with an average of around 15% in delivered savings.

Their approach is grounded in a clear set of values—transparency, trust, and collaboration. For them, success is built on strong client partnerships, where open communication and reliability form the foundation of long-term relationships. Rather than focusing solely on cost reduction, they see their role as helping organisations become more efficient.

As they put it, “it’s not just about cost optimisation, it’s about helping clients become more efficient, more competitive, and more successful.”

A key part of their philosophy is adaptability. They work closely with stakeholders across client organisations, combining leadership with empowerment, and encouraging teams to think critically and creatively about complex challenges. In their view, innovation is essential—not just in solving today’s problems, but in anticipating future ones.

They also recognise the pace of change in their environment. Inflation pressures, supply chain disruption, and rapid digitalisation all shape the challenges their clients face. At the same time, they see these factors as opportunities—particularly as ERA Group continues to evolve its capabilities in areas such as digital tools, sustainability, and emerging advisory services like virtual CFO support.

One of the clearest examples of ERA Group's strength, in their experience, comes from the depth of expertise within the global network. On one occasion, a client in cable manufacturing presented a highly specialised challenge involving a core material outside their immediate scope. Initially uncertain, the team explored the network and ultimately identified a specialist with direct industry experience. By bringing together an international team, they were able to exceed client expectations and deliver a solution that would not have been possible locally.

For them, this reflects one of ERA Group’s defining strengths: deep, distributed expertise combined with the ability to mobilise it quickly when clients need it most.

Their story in Portugal is one of rapid growth, strong collaboration, and an evolving market where knowledge sharing and adaptability continue to drive value for clients.

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