Lénia Mestrinho has built a multidisciplinary and international career at the intersection of strategic management, data science, artificial intelligence, and technology, always guided by principles of responsibility, ethics, and social impact.
She currently leads Nova SBE’s two flagship technology initiatives, both of which she co-founded: the?Digital Data Design Institute (D³ Institute) at Nova SBE and Nova Medical School — in partnership with Harvard University — and the Data, Operations & Technology Knowledge Center, a research hub focused on developing technology-based solutions to organizational challenges.
Lénia designs and teaches executive education programs tailored to real-world business challenges (over 60 to date), fostering data-driven cultures, accelerating experimentation and strategic adoption of AI, developing leaders with strong tech literacy, and promoting responsible innovation, ethics, and governance rooted in emerging technologies.
Alongside her academic work, she advises companies and senior leaders on technological trends and data-driven decision-making. She also leads multidisciplinary teams in applied data science and AI projects across various sectors.
She is a member of the Think Tank on Structural Fund Fraud led by the Portuguese Public Prosecutor’s Office, where she contributes her expertise on the use of data and technology to improve transparency and decision-making.
She also serves on the board of Reshape, a non-profit organization focused on reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals into society.
Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Deloitte, the Portuguese Ministry of Economy and Employment, and the IES – Social Business School. She also collaborated with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and Yunus Social Business in Albania.
Lénia Mestrinho is a regular speaker at conferences on data, technology, and their responsible use, addressing audiences across corporate, public, and social sectors.