Porto Regional Centre opens the Assis de Magalhães Room
The Porto Regional Centre of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) inaugurated, on 15 November last, a new space named Sala Assis de Magalhães, which was attended by Assis de Magalhães and his family. Also present, among others, were Artur Santos Silva (honorary president of BPI) and Isabel Braga da Cruz, Pro-Rector of UCP.
Assis de Magalhães was born into a large family in 1928 and began his professional career at a young age, studying and working simultaneously. He founded the SARCOL Group in 1943, which saw the consolidation of the brand under his charismatic leadership, participating in the founding of renowned associations and institutions such as Banco BPI (1981), CLIP (1986) and the Serralves Foundation (1989), and later expanding the business area to the Real Estate sector.
His merit as a businessman and his uprightness as a person, always available to help his fellow man, have been publicly acknowledged through various decorations and commendations awarded.
"It is a great pride for the Universidade Católica Portuguesa to be part of this tribute to Assis de Magalhães. We have been working to give the names of important figures of Portuguese society to spaces in our campus. The recognition of the legacy of people so relevant to the country, to the North region, to the economy and to society as a whole, is something that we hope can also inspire the new generation of students who come here", said Isabel Braga da Cruz, Pro-Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
Alexandra Magalhães, Assis de Magalhães' daughter highlighted "my father was a hard worker all his life; what he built professionally, he did with unmatched perseverance and capacity for work. He was a born leader and this is recognised by those around him, who have always admired his negotiating skills, his strategic vision and the way he inspires confidence. Alexandra Magalhães also revealed "I greatly admire his resilience and the way he deals with life's setbacks without fear."
