Dils strengthens team in Portugal with four leading hires in the sector

Dils, the international real estate group that entered the Portuguese market in May 2024, is taking another step on its growth path by hiring four new professionals who are benchmarks in the sector. With these new additions and following the acquisition of Castelhana, one of the country’s leading real estate companies focused in residential, the Dils team in Portugal expects to reach 100 employees by the end of the year. The company is thus consolidating its presence in Portugal, combining local expertise with its experience and innovative approach developed at European level.

Following the reinforcement of its operations in the country, which included the appointment of Pedro Lancastre as CEO, and the integration of Fernando Ferreira to lead the commercial property sector, Dils Portugal is now reinforcing strategic areas with the entry of Gonçalo Ponces, Marta Lourenço, Gonçalo Santos and Rui Costa, strengthening focus areas such as Capital Markets, Advisory and Technology.

“Bringing in professionals with this experience and knowledge allows us to take our services and solutions to the next level. We are focused on creating value for our clients through an innovative and personalized approach,” says Fernando Ferreira, head of Dils’ commercial real estate sector.

With over 20 years' experience, Marta Lourenço heads the Advisory department, covering valuation, research and consultancy services related to property transactions (buy side and sell side). Her career includes leading JLL's business in Portugal, with a team of more than 450 people, as well as the local property valuations and portfolio advisory business for the consultancy's Southern European Cluster.

Her arrival at Dils reinforces the company's consultancy and business intelligence services, with a transaction-focused, client-orientated approach.

Gonçalo Santos, head of the Development, Living & Capital Solutions, brings almost two decades of experience in property development and investment, with roles in Investment, Consultancy and Brokerage. Before joining Dils, he was leading the Investment area at JLL, where he was Head of Capital Markets, having previously been the head of the Development department. Gonçalo Santos brings with him a wealth of experience in Investment and Development transactions and is essential to the growth and creation of new opportunities for Dils in Portugal.

Gonçalo Ponces, head of Hospitality & Living, has over 10 years' experience in the property sector. His career includes leadership positions at JLL, as Head of Development & Natural Capital, where he managed a market-leading property investment team for development and rehabilitation projects, as well as agricultural and forestry investment assets, and at Nexity Portugal, where he was responsible for the Built to Rent area, focusing on construction solutions for rental. At Dils, Gonçalo will be key to boosting the hotel and living segments, both of which are in strong demand from investors and occupiers.

Rui Costa, with over 15 years ‘experience in real estate technology, will be responsible for accelerating Dils’ digital transformation. His experience at JLL Technologies and in B2C solutions will enhance the integration of advanced digital tools in line with the company's innovative strategy. During his seven years at JLL, Rui played a key role in the technology area in Portugal, covering the entire data and applications component, having taken on a global position, focusing on tools dedicated to the Residential B2C business.

Expansion and innovation in the Portuguese market

Since entering the Portuguese market in May 20024, Dils has stood out for its combination of local talent and technological innovation, in line with its international expansion strategy. The company aims to become a leading player in the European property sector, focusing on attracting the best professionals and developing innovative solutions.

Pedro Lancastre, CEO of Dils Portugal, says: “The integration of these four excellent professionals is a fundamental step for our growth in the property market in Portugal. Their vast knowledge and experience in strategic areas reinforces our ability to offer innovative, high-value solutions to our clients. We are consolidating our position with a team that reflects Dils' commitment to leading the sector with a differentiating approach.”