Bernardo Villa serves as the CEO of smart Portugal, where he oversees the establishment of the national smart organization, a task he previously accomplished with the first generation of smart models some 20 years ago.
With a degree in economics and a background in consulting, Bernardo joined Mercedes-Benz Portugal in 2000 as a district manager. In 2001, he took on the responsibility of introducing the smart brand to the country. Following the integration of smart into the Mercedes-Benz organization in 2006, he successfully set up a fleet department, securing initial contracts with leasing companies. This achievement led to his appointment as Sales Director for Mercedes-Benz Portugal in late 2007.
In 2011, Bernardo returned to smart Portugal as Sales & Marketing Director. Under his leadership, he elevated the brand’s awareness through innovative campaigns, earning Portugal the distinction of being recognized as the "smart Market of the World" in 2013 and 2017 for outstanding sales and marketing performance. In recent years, Bernardo and his team have focused on enhancing the seamless customer journey, establishing partnerships for charging solutions, and preparing the dealer network for the challenges of e-mobility.
Since August 2021, Bernardo has been the CEO of smart Portugal, Lda and is helping to write its next successful chapter.
