“You can’t stop innovation,” shared António Rios de Amorim at the event, which was held with the support of Católica Porto Business School.

On May 7th, the Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) organised the latest instalment of its “Conversations with a Leader” series, this time featuring António Rios de Amorim, President and CEO of Corticeira Amorim. The event took place at Católica Porto Business School and focused on a topic of particular importance to the network: the role of innovation in positioning Portugal within the global economy.

In fact, few people are better placed to discuss this topic than António Rios de Amorim, whose legacy at Corticeira Amorim reflects how the future can also be found in the past. After all, cork may not, at first glance, seem like a particularly new material on the Portuguese scene. But what if we knew that it has already reached space? “SpaceX rockets use Amorim cork,” shared the President and CEO, adding to the list other sectors, such as defence, mobility, thermal insulation and footwear, making innovative use of this material.

The conversation naturally turned to wine, an industry historically linked to cork, but that is now facing new consumer trends. That is why Corticeira Amorim is now exploring new processes, such as microbiological solutions for wine stoppers and the use of beeswax in certain applications.

Similarly, sustainability and the circular economy emerged as central themes throughout the session. When asked about industrial opportunities for Portugal within an increasingly regulated European context, António Rios de Amorim argued that industrial sovereignty will become increasingly important. “In Europe, we need to remain sovereign in certain industries. We cannot afford to lose them.” As far as Portugal is concerned, Rios de Amorim believes that the country’s competitive advantage continues to lie in its people: “We have a unique geographical location, we have talent. Our greatest asset is people.”

For Arnold Delville, General Manager of IPBN, “it was a unique opportunity to hear António Rios de Amorim share his vision for the future of the cork industry and the Portuguese economy. It was an honour for the IPBN to host this second conversation of the 2026 series with Católica Porto Business School.”

The full conversation is available on the IPBN's Spotify channel here. 

The IPBN would like to thank its Executive Partner in Northern Portugal, Vellozo Ferreira Advogados, for facilitating the conversation with António Rios de Amorim, Chairman and CEO of Corteira Amorim, as well as Sofia Salgado Pinto, Senior Affiliate Professor at Católica Porto Business School, for her brilliant moderation of the interview.