Português
Iscte's Honoris Causa tops Forbes rankings
Isabel Furtado, CEO of TMG Automotive and an Iscte honorary doctor, has been named the most powerful woman in Portuguese industry by Forbes Portugal. She is ranked first in the Industry category of the magazine's As Mais Poderosas nos Negócios 2026 (Most Powerful Women in Business) list.
The recognition comes less than a year after Iscte awarded her an honorary doctorate in December 2025, at the ceremony marking the university's 53rd anniversary in the Grand Auditorium. Iscte honoured her links to the business world and her commitment to management models built on social and environmental responsibility, sustainability and industrial innovation.
At the ceremony, the then Rector, Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues, singled out her presidency of COTEC Portugal from 2018 to 2022 and her current role as Chair of the Board of Directors of Casa da Música, one of the country's leading cultural institutions.
Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão in 1961, Isabel Furtado is the third generation of the family behind the TMG Group. An Economics graduate of the University of Manchester, she has led TMG Automotive since 2008, turning it into Europe's leading manufacturer of car interiors, with operations in China and the United States.
Her honours include the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry and the Dona Antónia Award for Career Achievement.
The honorary doctorate ceremony can be watched on Iscte's YouTube channel.
