Joao Baracho
CDI Portugal
APPS FOR GOOD - Disrupting technology education by helping young people to become problem solvers and inspiring them to find a professional path
João Baracho began his professional career as a merchant marine officer, where he remained for five years, specialising in the transportation of chemical products. After this period, he moved to the management area, having served as a Board Member of national companies operating in the area of technologies, such as Datacomp, Digidoc and Megamedia. He was also country manager for multinational business units, such as Siemens Computers and Compaq Computers, and for 12 years sales manager at Portugal Telecom in the public administration area. Currently, in addition to being Executive Director of CDI Portugal - an NGO promoting social and digital inclusion - he is an advisor to the Board of Directors and member of the Fiscal Council of ACEPI - the Electronic Commerce and Interactive Advertising Association - where he was the coordinator of PME Digital, a programme of the Ministry of Economy promoted by IAPMEI, with responsibility for encouraging the adoption of the digital economy by SMEs. Recently he was named Portuguese Ambassador for Goal 4: Quality Education of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For the last three years, João Baracho has been Managing Director of Apps for Good Portugal.