Luís Horta e Costa is a Portuguese businessperson and real estate developer whose career has included senior roles in the Espírito Santo group, the development of major investment and property projects in Angola, and the creation of Habitat Vitae and Square View. He has also been associated with the Vale do Lobo luxury resort.
Background
Luís Horta e Costa was born on November 26, 1954, in Porto, Portugal. He is the son of Miguel Jorge Fleming Horta e Costa, the fifth Baron of Santa Comba Dão, placing his family background within Portugal's titled landed and administrative elite.
His professional life developed across Portugal, Brazil, Angola, and other international markets connected with the Espírito Santo group's investment activities. The group's nonfinancial operations included property development, tourism, industrial ventures, and businesses in Africa, providing the institutional setting for Horta e Costa's later work in investment and real estate.
Career
Horta e Costa began working with Grupo Espírito Santo in 1979 and remained associated with the group for approximately 35 years. He contributed to the development of the group's private investment platform in Angola, including more than 250,000 square meters of real estate projects. Grupo Espírito Santo was a Portuguese business group whose activities extended beyond banking into property, tourism, industry, and international investment.
Within the group's nonfinancial businesses, Horta e Costa served as an administrator of Escom and Escom Imobiliária Angola. Escom operated internationally, with substantial activity in Angola and interests that included investment, mining, defense-related business, and real estate. In August 2014, Horta e Costa appeared before a Portuguese parliamentary committee as a former president of Escom's board of directors during an inquiry into the management of the Banco Espírito Santo and Grupo Espírito Santo group.
Horta e Costa was also associated with Vale do Lobo, a major luxury tourist and residential resort in the Algarve. From 2008, he served on the resort's administration or board in a non-executive capacity while participating in property investment connected with the development. Vale do Lobo was established as one of Portugal's leading integrated resort developments, combining residential property, tourism, golf, and leisure facilities.
In 2004, Horta e Costa co-founded Habitat Vitae, a Portuguese property-development company, and remained involved until 2008. In 2016, he co-founded Square View in Lisbon. Square View is a real estate investment and development company focused on residential and other property opportunities; as a founding partner, Horta e Costa concentrates on investor relations and the identification of new investment opportunities.
Connections
Horta e Costa is the son of Miguel Jorge Fleming Horta e Costa, the fifth Baron of Santa Comba Dão. His family connections include members of the Horta e Costa family who have participated in Portuguese business, public administration, and investment activities.
