Rodrigo Tavares

Rodrigo Tavares
“Free Connected Minds” Conference, Beirut, 2016
Born	Rodrigo Marques Tavares (1978-12-26)December 26, 1978 Lisbon,Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Education	Harvard University,Columbia University,University of California, Berkeley,University of Gothenburg
Spouse	Mirna Queiroz
Scientific career
Fields	Sustainability,Finance,International Relations

RodrigoMarquesTavares(Lisbon,December 26, 1978) is a Portuguese financial market professional, scholar, and public administrator. He is the founder and CEO of Granito Group, a financial group dedicated to the advancement of the sustainable economy, and afull professor(adjunct) at theNOVA School of Business and Economics.In 2017, he was named aYoung Global Leaderby theWorld Economic Forum.He is a columnist forFolha de S.PauloandExpresso.

Education and academic work

Born inLisbon,Portugal,and with parents from the municipality ofProença-a-Nova,it was in the city ofCastelo Brancothat Tavares spent his youth, having completed secondary education at Escola Secundária Nuno Álvares.After graduating inInternational RelationsatNOVA University Lisbon,he completed his PhD in Peace and Development Studies in 2006 at theUniversity of Gothenburg,School of Global Studies. He was the first Portuguese person to obtain a doctorate in Peace and Conflict Studies. His thesisUnderstanding Regional Peace and Security: A New Framework for Analysiswas supervised by Professor Emeritus Björn Hettne and Associate Professor Fredrik Söderbaum.Tavares discovered Björn Hettne's academic work as an undergraduate student and traveled toSwedento meet him in person and persuade him to be his doctoral supervisor.

While working on his thesis and after publishing his first scientific articles, Tavares was invited to theUniversity of California at Berkeleyas a visiting scholar in the Department of International and Area Studies. He lived inCaliforniain 2003 and 2004.

In 2010, Tavares returned to theUnited Statesto carry out post-doctoral research atColumbia University,at theSchool of International and Public Affairs,under the supervision of professor emeritus of economicsAlbert Fishlowand with a post-doctoral fellowship granted by theFoundation for Science and Technology.He wrote the bookSecurity in South Americaduring this period (Lynne Rienner, 2014).

After serving in the government of thestate of São Paulo,Tavares moved toBostonto work as a senior researcher atHarvard University,at theKennedy School of Government,on topics focused on the global competitiveness of cities (2014-2015). He wrote the bookParadiplomacy: Cities and States as Global Players(Oxford University Press,2016) during this period.

He also worked at theUnited Nations University,theUNthink tank,inBelgiumandEthiopiafor five years. As a researcher, he coordinated applied research work on regional integration, security, and development inAfrica.He was also a professor at the MBA in International Relations atFundação Getúlio Vargas(FGV) inBrazilbetween 2013 and 2018.

He is currently a full professor (adjunct) atNOVA University Lisbon,at theSchool of Business and Economics(Nova SBE), where he teaches courses in sustainable finance and corporate sustainabilityIn 2024 Nova SBE's Master's in Finance has been ranked 7th worldwide by the Financial Times.

Rodrigo Tavares' academic work has focused on finding innovative solutions in the fields ofinternational relations,finance,andsustainable development.In particular, his publications are focused on exploring new forms of political, economic, and financial governance. He began his career evaluating the social, economic, and security impacts ofregional integrationand supranational organizations. Subsequently, his research focused on local governments (cities, states, and provinces) and their ability to become global actors, known asparadiplomacy.Currently, Tavares studies the connections between the financial market, society, and the environment.

He has been described as "one of those rare diplomacy experts who combine the scientific rigor of an academic with the serious experience of a foreign policy professional"and as "one of the world's leading experts in sustainable finance" (Grupo Globo).

His most recognized publications are:

Books

• Paradiplomacy: Cities and States as Global Players(Oxford University Press,2016)
• Security in South America(Lynne Rienner,2014)
• Regional Organizations in African Security(Routledge,2011, with Fredrik Söderbaum)
• Regional Security(Routledge,2010)

Peer-reviewed articles

• ESG Factors and Risk-Adjusted Performance: a New Quantitative Modelin Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 2016, Vol. 6 (4), p. 292-300 (with N. C. Ashwin Kumar, Camille Smith, Leïla Badis, Nan Wang, and Paz Ambrosy)
• Foreign Policy Goes Localin Foreign Affairs, October 2013
• Resolving the Kashmir Conflict: India, Pakistan, Kashmiris and Religious Militantsin Asian Journal of Political Science, 2008, Vol. 16 (3), p. 276-302 (first peace proposal for Kashmir published in an indexed academic journal)
• The Participation of SADC and ECOWAS in Military Operations: The Weight of National Interests in Decision-Makingin African Studies Review, 2011, 54 (2), p.145-176

Granito Group

The Granito Group is a global financial group dedicated to advancing the sustainable economy. Targeted at financial institutions, it provides strategic consultancy, financial advisory, and research & policy services. The vision to create the Granito Group occurred when Tavares was a senior researcher atHarvard Universityand noticed that the bridges between financial markets and society, or between financial resources andsustainability,could be stronger and more sophisticated. The consulting firm Granito & Partners, the embryo of the Granito Group, was founded in 2015 by Tavares.

In 2021, it was announced that Tavares had been selected by the British government and theCity of Londonto lead a global initiative that aimed to create the first classification system (technical standard) for responsible and sustainable investment funds.

In the same year, he led the working group created by oil-companyGalpto produce all technical studies relating to the future of theMatosinhosrefinery, integrated in the context of theenergy transition.The group was made up of external experts and company executives. After finishing its mandate, the group was replaced in 2022 by an executive committee whose objective is to develop the entire urban requalification project. The group proposed that the refinery site be used to create a sustainable innovation district, one of the largest inEurope.

Public sector

In 2011–2014, he served as head of the Office of International Affairs of the government of thestate of São Paulo(duringGeraldo Alckmin's government) (currently the Secretariat for International Relations). During his tenure, the state of São Paulo was recognized by the press and the international diplomatic community as one of the most influential and active subnational governments globally. During this period, the Brazilian state received 1,595 foreign delegations, including 22 heads of state and government, organized 230 missions abroad, signed 234 international agreements, managed 150 international cooperation programs and projects, organized 104 international events, and maintained relations with 116 countries.Tavares was the youngest and the first foreigner to lead the state of São Paulo's external relations.

In 2008–2010, he was invited by theUnited Nations Secretariatto write Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon's annual reports on Africa's development, which were presented to theGeneral Assembly.The reports monitored the implementation of several commitments made by the international community, identified challenges, and presented the way forward. They also proposed the establishment of a new permanent United Nations monitoring mechanism to be led by the UN Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (OSAA). He was one of the youngest UN writers in the organization's history. Tavares was also a consultant for other UN agencies (FAO,United Nations University) and theSwedish Armed Forces,where he presented future scenarios for Africa in the areas of security and development.

Media

Tavares is a columnist forExpressoandFolha de S.Paulowhere he writes about economics, finance, public policies, and sustainability. He also writes regularly for theWorld Economic Forum's AgendaandQuartz.He was a columnist atTSF Rádio Notícias,where he focused on writing about his home country,Portugal(2018–2020). He also wrote regularly for Family Capital,the Brazilian magazineÉpoca,andVisãomagazine (where he contributed from 2006 to 2016).Tavares was interviewed or wrote opinion articles in outlets such asCNBC,Financial Times,Fortune,The Economist,Pensions & Investments,MIT Technology Review,CPAC,Estado de São Paulo,Diário de Notícias,Negócios,Antena 1,Público,Valor Econômico,Tampa Bay Times,Arab News,Boston Business Journal,among others.

In 2021, theWorld Economic Forumbegan publishing a series of exclusive articles with concrete proposals to make the world more fair, prosperous, and sustainable. Tavares was the project's curator and the authors included heads of state and government such asSanna MarinandAlexander De Croo,business leaders, and renowned intellectuals. The series, with around 20 articles published over a year, was also supported byProject Syndicate.

Awards and recognition

• In 2018, he was appointed ambassador of StartUp Portugal, the agency responsible for the global promotion of the Portuguese innovation ecosystem, together withVhils,Maria Mota and Miguel Pina Martins.
• In 2017, he was named aYoung Global Leaderby theWorld Economic Forum.
• In 2011, he was one of seven people selected by theQuebecgovernment as a young leader for his influence on foreign policy.
• Tavares has received scholarships from a wide range of institutions, such as theFoundation for Science and Technology(Ph.D. and postdoc) or theSwedish International Development Agency.

Personal

He is the great-great-grandnephew of Sebastião José Pereira (1857-1925), bishop ofDamanand bishop-prelate ofMozambique,buried in theBasilica of Our Lady of the Mount,inMumbai.