Joana Magalhães Barbosa

I support the Portuguese Business Council in Kuwait by strengthening business ties between Kuwait and Portugal, facilitating connections, collaborations, and market opportunities.

Partnerships | Business Development | Growth Strategy | Sustainable Forestry | Reforestation | Nature-Based Solutions | ESG Partnerships

I’m currently running an online fashion business, which I built myself from scratch. I design new items for sale and have sourced cost-effective suppliers in the UK, Portugal, Italy, Spain and India. I manage all marketing and financial aspects of the business, as well as sales and procurement. Key achievements in this position include: - Acquiring new commercial skills and business acumen - Developing the business from scratch to achieve profitability

During this time I acquired experience across the full product development lifecycle whilst leading sourcing, procurement and production quality control for Portuguese and Brazilian fashion brands. I developed and implemented brand strategies to drive growth and managed budgets of up to €400,000 per season. I was tasked with managing critical paths for production to ensure that customer deadlines were met, and coordinating the entire end-to-end supply chain process. Sourcing suppliers was a key part of this role. This involved identifying factories able to meet customer requirements and evaluating their production capability and working conditions. I also led price negotiations to achieve the best possible margins. From a fashion perspective, I was tasked with selecting fabrics and materials, developing the range, building a collection over 4 seasons and overseeing quality control. I also acted as a Sales Partner for brand distribution across Portugal. Key achievements in this position include: - Acquiring expertise in high quality garments and new textile techniques - Developing new skills, gaining experience and completing industry qualifications

With my business partner, I established a company distributing fashion jewellery brads across Portugal. I was fully responsible for all aspects of commercial management, including liaising with fashion retail outlets to drive sales and maximise new opportunities. Key achievements in this position include: - Opening and managing 3 new fashion shops which became well-known in the region - Building a strong distribution network across the country - Gaining valuable retail experience - Selling share in the business to partner for a profit