Allow me to briefly summarise my most recent career. I am an entrepreneur with more than 35 years' experience in creating and developing companies, working in various sectors of two industries that have marked my professional profile. My career has taken me to markets as diverse as Australia, Germany, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and, more recently, Portugal.

Much of my experience has been in the precious metals industry - namely fine jewellery - working with a variety of metals, from silver to platinum, totalling 14 different types, aimed at various international markets. My activity encompassed the manufacture of fine jewellery, its wholesale distribution to large retail groups with hundreds of shops, as well as direct trade, including family shops and individual designers.

I was born on Madeira Island, Portugal, with ancestral family roots that go back to the island's first settlers, namely Bartolomeu Perestrello. I left Madeira in the early 1980s on an adventure that began with a holiday in South Africa. After a long and enriching stay, I explored much of that vast continent. Through family ties, I met my first wife, of Australian origin, and together we decided to embark on a journey with the common goal of discovering new destinations and enjoying our youth.

It was in Australia that I decided to continue my studies, completing a degree in Electrical Engineering at the TAFE Institute in Sydney. Shortly afterwards, I joined one of the city's leading electrical engineering companies, specialising in HVAC systems for high-rise buildings, lift control and floor safety.