Paulo Valério re-elected Executive Director of APDIR

The Portuguese Association of Insolvency and Recovery Law (APDIR) has elected its governing bodies for the 2025–2028 term, with lawyer Paulo Valério, founding partner and Managing Partner of VFA, reappointed as Executive Director.

Under Paulo Valério’s leadership, the remaining members of the Board include Ana Filipa Conceição, University Professor, and Ricardo Silva Pereira, lawyer and Senior Consultant at PLMJ, who moves from the presidency of the General Assembly to serve as board member.

The General Assembly of APDIR will now be chaired by Francisco Seco Oliveira, Insolvency Administrator, supported by Micaela Afonso (lawyer and partner at Abreu) and Joana Granjo Pimenta (lawyer at Forjaz Advogados), who will serve as board members.

In the Fiscal Council, leadership is now entrusted to Ângelo Dias, Insolvency Administrator, with active participation from two VFA partners: Bárbara Figueiredo and João Mota da Costa, who take on roles as board members.

For Paulo Valério, this re-election marks the beginning of a new chapter:

“APDIR is entering a new cycle. After the foundation and consolidation phases, we are now entering a development phase, defined by a new strategic direction that seeks to position APDIR as a hub for education and training with a Lusophone vocation — bringing together professionals from across Portuguese-speaking countries, particularly Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Brazil.”

Strengthening ties with INSOL International and consolidating the partnership with INSOL Europe are also among the priorities for this new term.

APDIR is a non-profit association created to foster participation among professionals working in the field of insolvency and recovery, particularly from legal and management backgrounds — including lawyers, economists, judges, accountants, insolvency administrators, and university professors. Its core areas of activity include the organisation of training events, promotion of scientific research projects in partnership with other entities, publication of specialised content, and the advocacy for greater involvement of sector professionals in the legislative process.