Founder of the Rangel Group, one of the largest companies in the field of transport and logistics in Portugal, which has been around for 40 years and is present in several countries, Eduardo Rangel has witnessed the sustainable growth of the firm, as well as the challenges of this long business journey. He has globalised his business, and these two decades have been marked by the evolution of the group’s operations, not only in logistics, but also in the most important decision the «creation of the pharma sector for logistics and distribution of medicines».
If you could choose, which would be the moments that have most marked the country and the world in these last 20 years?
Two major events have marked these last two decades: the 2001 attacks on the USA, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which persists to this day. The attacks on the USA have caused great instability in the world, increasing terrorism with a great capacity for proliferation, migratory crises and strong economic crises. The attrition, above all of the USA in the wars on the Arab peninsula, with the culmination of Afghanistan returning to the Middle Ages and imposing a defeat on the USA. With regard to COVID-19, we all know what has happened and is happening, without knowing yet what the end will be. The adoption of the Euro in 2002 and the expansion of the European area marked a strong economic change within Europe. Other events were also very important, especially in the digital area – the launch of the Apple iPhone and all the other smartphones, such as Samsung’s. The legalisation of same-sex marriages was important socially, while we cannot forget for the coming decades the fight against climate change, which has been imposing itself.
Professionally, what was the most decisive moment for you in these two decades?
For me, these two decades have stood out for the evolution of the group’s business. At a certain moment we considered that logistics would be one of the engines of growth, and the most important decision was the creation of the pharma sector for logistics and distribution of medicines.
In your opinion, what would be the great change that the country and the world would need to undergo in the next 20 years?
The fundamental change remains one of mentality. We need to modernise the country, digitalisation will be an important opportunity, but we need to take decisive steps in the management model of both the country and companies. We have to engage the Portuguese in a mission that it is possible to take Portugal to the average level of the European countries.
If you could choose, which would be the moments that have most marked the country and the world in these last 20 years?
Two major events have marked these last two decades: the 2001 attacks on the USA, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which persists to this day. The attacks on the USA have caused great instability in the world, increasing terrorism with a great capacity for proliferation, migratory crises and strong economic crises. The attrition, above all of the USA in the wars on the Arab peninsula, with the culmination of Afghanistan returning to the Middle Ages and imposing a defeat on the USA. With regard to COVID-19, we all know what has happened and is happening, without knowing yet what the end will be. The adoption of the Euro in 2002 and the expansion of the European area marked a strong economic change within Europe. Other events were also very important, especially in the digital area – the launch of the Apple iPhone and all the other smartphones, such as Samsung’s. The legalisation of same-sex marriages was important socially, while we cannot forget for the coming decades the fight against climate change, which has been imposing itself.
Professionally, what was the most decisive moment for you in these two decades?
For me, these two decades have stood out for the evolution of the group’s business. At a certain moment we considered that logistics would be one of the engines of growth, and the most important decision was the creation of the pharma sector for logistics and distribution of medicines.
In your opinion, what would be the great change that the country and the world would need to undergo in the next 20 years?
The fundamental change remains one of mentality. We need to modernise the country, digitalisation will be an important opportunity, but we need to take decisive steps in the management model of both the country and companies. We have to engage the Portuguese in a mission that it is possible to take Portugal to the average level of the European countries.
