At the top of the list, Maria Fernanda Amorim and her daughters Paula, Marta and Luísa Amorim remain firmly in first place. The Amorim family is the only Portuguese family featured on Forbes’ global list, ranking 498th worldwide, with an estimated net worth of €5.84 billion. The family’s business legacy includes stakes in Corticeira Amorim, the world leader in cork, and Galp Energia, alongside other diversified investments.
Second place has been reclaimed by the Soares dos Santos family, descendants of Alexandre Soares dos Santos, the driving force behind Jerónimo Martins, founded by his grandfather Francisco Manuel dos Santos. The family holds 56% of the company that controls the group and now has an estimated fortune of €3.2 billion, reflecting the appreciation of Jerónimo Martins’ shares. In 2024, the company posted revenues of around €33.5 billion.
Pedro Soares dos Santos, the CEO of Jerónimo Martins. Photo/DR
In third place is the Guimarães de Mello family, heirs to the business empire of José de Mello and grandchildren of the industrialist Alfredo da Silva, founder of CUF. The family currently owns the CUF healthcare group, with 44 units — including 12 hospitals and 18 clinics — as well as the industrial arm rebranded as Bondalti, in addition to minority stakes in the Rubicone consortium, owner of Brisa. The family’s wealth has been valued at €3.1 billion.
Top 5: Azevedo and Pestana stand out
In fourth place, the Azevedo family, heirs to businessman Belmiro de Azevedo, saw their fortune rise from €2.383 billion in 2024 to €2.79 billion in 2025, driven by the appreciation of Sonae. Rounding out the top five is Dionísio Pestana, whose wealth reached €1.98 billion, climbing from sixth place the previous year.
The ten richest families in Portugal now account for €25.1 billion, a significant increase from €23.5 billion the year before. Among them, Maria do Carmo Neves, owner of the pharmaceutical group Tecnimede, entered the top 25 this year, rising from 38th to 23rd place with an estimated fortune of €623 million, reflecting growth in the pharmaceutical sector. Other notable gains include Luís Portela, founder of the Bial Group, whose wealth increased from €742 million to €810 million.
Maria do Carmo Neves, owner of the pharmaceutical group Tecnimede, entered the top 25 this year
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Highlights and curiosities
The last family to enter the top 25 in 2025 was the Rios de Amorim family, with €612 million, whereas in the previous year the final position was held by the Mota family, founders of Mota-Engil, with €505 million.
The Mota family recorded an increase of almost €215 million in its fortune, reaching €720 million, even after the death of the family patriarch, António Mota, in November 2025.
The Forbes Portugal ranking highlights not only the concentration of wealth among traditional families, but also the rise of new fortunes linked to strategic sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, retail and hospitality, keeping Portugal’s business landscape shaped by family legacies and sustainable growth in specific industries.
