- Pedro Jesus strengthens executive team Mazars in Portugal as an international partner.
- He is responsible for managing the Financial Services area - Audit and Assurance services.
- Experience and expertise are added value for responding to new market challenges, such as talent management, digital transformation and ESG targets.
- The move is in line with the area's growth strategy and the strengthening of Mazars' brand awareness.
December 15th, 2021, Lisbon: Pedro Jesus is Mazars' new international partner in Portugal. The former Associate Partner of the international auditing, tax and consultancy firm, who is responsible for managing the Financial Services (FS) area, has been appointed at a time when Mazars is now number 5 in this market in Portugal. The appointment in this FS area is aimed at the development, growth and consolidation of this business area, in terms of the provision of Audit and Assurance services, and follows the firm's growth logic. This is a growth strategy based on the quality of the service and on strengthening the reputation of the Mazars brand among its clients. stakeholders, between clients, regulators, shareholders and financial institutions.
Mazars' effective investment in Portugal in a team dedicated to the FS sector, which took place in 2018, is explained by Pedro Jesus, “because we felt that this market needed new players, who could have the necessary capacity and skills to be recognized as a real alternative, not least because the possible conflicts of interest between auditing and other work limited the number of options available to entities in the market.”.
Mazars' new international partner in Portugal adds: “To this end, we have developed the internal resources that were already working in this area and hired people with skills in each of the sectors that make up the Audit and Assurance area, so that we can be recognized in the market as a player that can make a difference.”.
The results of the strategy are already visible: “So far we can safely say that this has been a totally successful bet. The good acceptance we've had in the market is reflected in the significant double-digit growth we've seen every year in Audit and Assurance Financial Services” concludes the new partner.
Mazars' FS area in Portugal currently encompasses a diverse range of clients in the areas of banking and credit institutions, insurance companies, investment funds (securities and real estate), pension funds and venture capital, and has more recently integrated the area of real estate. The latter, in line with the Group and with a view to benefiting from skills acquired in the analysis of independent expert valuations of real estate assets.
Responding to new market challenges
The appointment of Pedro Jesus comes at a time when there are three enormous challenges facing the market, not forgetting the existence of an uncertain economic scenario that has taken on considerable importance.
Firstly, attracting and managing people. As a service provider Mazars will only be able to maintain the provision of a quality service and grow by attracting and then retaining the people who have the greatest capacity and vocation for such a specific area of activity. Identifying and retaining talent is therefore now a challenge that requires innovative approaches and solutions.
On the other hand, there is a need to encourage and accompany a process of technological transformation, which can be analyzed in two distinct dimensions: (i) externally, in the ability to create/implement new services to offer the market and (ii) internally, in the transformation/improvement of processes to boost efficiency and competitiveness, in a scenario with ever-increasing levels of demand and with fees under constant pressure.
Last but not least, monitoring all regulatory developments related to ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) and its potential impacts at the regulatory, financial, risk management and business levels, among others.
To respond to these challenges, Pedro Jesus brings “in addition to technical competence, which is a factor that will always be present in any top position in a service provider, resilience and the belief that it is possible to achieve goals, even at times when the scenario may not be the most favorable”, says Luís Gaspar, Country Managing Partner of Mazars in Portugal. “I think that, regardless of the experience each person has, this is the main asset in any activity: believing and never giving up on achieving the goals we set ourselves. At the same time, the ability to listen, versatility and adaptability, especially in today's world where change happens very quickly and in a short space of time.”, says Luís Gaspar.
A journey of experience and expertise
Pedro Jesus has a degree in Business Organization and Management from ISCTE. He began his professional career in 2003 in management consultancy. For a year he worked on preparing investment projects for submission to support programs under the European Union's 3rd Community Support Framework.
In September 2004 he joined Mazars, where he has spent his entire professional career as an auditor, contributing to the company's development and growth. Initially, he worked with a portfolio of clients spread across various sectors (including companies in industry and services, as well as in the financial sector, especially in terms of asset management and the insurance sector). Since 2017, he has dedicated himself exclusively to the financial area and is currently responsible for managing Mazars' Financial Services department, which includes a wide range of Audit and Assurance work.
In addition, and as a result of the work carried out, it has also acquired other skills, namely the review of functional, administrative and accounting organization systems, the implementation of internal control systems, regulatory reporting (AML, Solvency II), consolidation of accounts, acquisition audits (due diligence), as well as accounting consultancy (IAS/IFRS, SNC). As of January 2021, she joined a team dedicated to dealing with and advising (internally and externally) on issues related to the interpretation of IFRS standards.
Also since January, he has been a member of the Technical Committee of the Portuguese Institute of Statutory Auditors for the Banking and Asset Management areas.