FC Porto's President and Chief Strategy Officer took part in the Distinguished Speaker Series in view of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup
After another day of work with the main squad in New Jersey, André Villas-Boas travelled to New York to speak at Columbia Business School, where he was invited to take part in the Distinguished Speaker Series, a series of lectures with some of the most influential business leaders on the planet.
The President of FC Porto was joined by Michele Montesi, the club's Chief Strategy Officer - both alumni of Columbia Business School - and together they shared FC Porto's strategic vision with students and faculty in a session moderated by Professor Jonathan Knee.
Throughout the conversation, André Villas-Boas spoke about the challenges of leading a football club with a membership-based governance model, the importance of democratic leadership, and the responsibility of combining sporting ambition with institutional discipline. He outlined the club's priorities for this new era – focused on internationalization, talent development, financial sustainability, and fan engagement.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was highlighted as a major opportunity to expand global visibility and strengthen the emotional connection with a broader international audience.
The event concluded with an informal exchange between the speakers and CBS students - including several FC Porto fans - in a moment that underscored the club's global reach and the strong personal ties of its leadership to the Columbia community.
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