About Luis Pinho de Aguiar

Why this work

Most organisational and operational problems are known to someone inside the business: a process that fails between two departments, figures that no one trusts, a plan that has stalled, or costs that have drifted. What is missing is a value for each issue, an owner, and a routine that reviews progress every week.

I have seen this from both sides. For four years I worked in strategic planning inside an aluminium manufacturer, preparing budgets and investment cases. For more than fifteen years, in Europe and the Middle East, I worked in strategy consulting, as the adviser brought in to identify the gap and close it. For that reason, I start with your data and finish with your team running the routine, rather than with a report.

Selected experience

The business cases set out ten assignments in full, as problem, approach and results. Further experience includes:

A corporate strategy, operating model and three-year plan for a state-owned energy trading company in Europe.
An operating model update for a utility in East Africa, including diversification and investment opportunities.
A technical and financial model of every business unit that became the basis of the annual budget (in-house).

Career summary

2026 to date: LA Consulting FZ-LLC, UAE. Founder.Leads every engagement personally, from the first diagnosis to the 90-day implementation plan, for organisational, operational and management issues.
2020–2026: Neos Advisory, Dubai. Engagement manager, then senior engagement manager, until May 2026.Led client engagements and multidisciplinary teams on utility diagnostics, turnaround PMOs, procurement improvement and operating models in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Responsible for delivery, for relationships with chief executives and senior management, and for the quality of every deliverable.
2015–2019: Tetra Tech, Dubai. Senior associate, then principal.Led workstreams on utility turnaround strategies, five-year strategic plans, performance audits and process re-engineering in Africa, the Gulf, Latin America and Europe. Built financial models for lenders and investors, and mentored consultants and analysts.
2012–2015: Al Ghurair Metal Industries (Al Ghurair Group), Dubai. Business analyst, then senior business analyst, in strategic planning.Built the business-unit financial model behind the annual budget and the investment cases for Board decisions of up to $10 million. Supported the CFO in renegotiating the aluminium and power supply contract, which recovered more than $1 million, and led internal efficiency projects.
2007–2011: CUF – Químicos Industriais (José de Mello Group, now Bondalti), Portugal. Strategic planner, then senior strategic planner.Ran the annual strategic planning cycle and the group technical and financial model, which shortened planning from five months to three. Evaluated capital and R&D investments, and supported the €97.5 million sale of the fertiliser business.
2001–2006: Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (now Capgemini), Portugal. Analyst to senior strategy consultant.Delivered strategy, process re-engineering and organisational projects for public and private clients in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa, including the redesign of a national tax system’s processes.

Credentials

MBA with Distinction, Hult International Business School
PRINCE2 Practitioner
Balanced Scorecard Certified Professional

I work in English and Portuguese.

References

Clients, colleagues and partners on working with me. Each reference is published with the person’s written permission.

I had the pleasure of working with Luis at Tetra Tech, where he supported a number of energy and utilities consulting assignments focused on strategy, business processes, and organizational improvement. Luis consistently demonstrated a professional and collaborative approach, contributing effectively to project delivery and working well with both clients and colleagues. He was a valued member of our team.

David SharashenidzeFormer Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Tetra Tech

Former manager
Luis and I worked together for over a decade, during which time I led two organizations, including NEOS Group, Inc. Luis demonstrated a sound collaborative spirit, professionalism, and commitment to both teamwork and the company’s success. During this time, he managed several large complex engagements focused on the international electricity sector and utilities. He maintained positive working relationships with clients and other staff and subcontractors and was an important member of a close-knit team and work environment.

Dean S. WhitePresident, NEOS Group, Inc.

Former manager

How I work

I start with your data. Interviews explain the figures; they do not replace them.
I put a value on every finding, or state clearly that it cannot yet be valued and what is needed to do so.
I work alongside the people who will run the routine after the engagement, not in a separate project room.
You work with me directly from the first conversation to the handover. Nothing is delegated to a junior team.
If I am not the right person for the problem, I will say so at the outset.

What I do not do

Work that ends with a report and no one responsible for implementing it. Every action has a named owner.
Headcount reduction as a first response. I examine contracts and processes first.
Selling or recommending software or systems. I am paid by the client, never by a vendor.
Engineering design or technical studies. These stay with qualified specialists.