SRS Legal hosts dinner to strengthen ties between Portugal and Australia in the healthcare sector

SRS Legal, in partnership with the Perron Institute and Black Swan Biotech, hosted a dinner at the Grémio Literário in Lisbon on 24 March, bringing together a broad group of representatives from the healthcare, research and investment ecosystems of Portugal and Australia. The initiative aimed to foster strategic dialogue between the two geographies and explore concrete opportunities for collaboration in advancing healthcare innovation.

The event saw strong attendance, reflecting the level of interest and the relevance of the topic among decision-makers and industry experts. SRS Legal was represented by Pedro Rebelo de Sousa, Senior Partner, Leonor Pissarra, Partner responsible for the Life Sciences & Healthcare practice, and Miguel Koch Rua, Partner in Corporate & Finance at the Porto office, highlighting the firm’s cross-practice engagement in this strategic area.

Among the distinguished attendees were Adalberto Campos Fernandes, former Minister of Health of Portugal, as well as Gonçalo Reis, Vice-President of Lisbon City Council, with responsibilities in finance, mobility and municipal management, whose presence reinforced the institutional and public policy dimension of the gathering.

The presence of Her Excellency the Ambassador of Australia to Portugal, Dr Helen Cheney, lent particular diplomatic significance to the initiative, underlining the strategic importance of bilateral relations and the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of healthcare and innovation. The dinner also brought together a wide range of institutional, scientific and business representatives, including professionals active in biotechnology, clinical research and international investment.

One of the highlights of the evening was the intervention of Professor Steve Wilton, internationally recognised for his pioneering work in the development of antisense oligonucleotide therapies for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, contributing to the scientific framing of the discussion and the identification of potential areas for collaboration.

In an atmosphere of openness and engagement, the dinner enabled the consolidation of relationships between stakeholders from both markets and paved the way for future joint initiatives.

The joint organisation of the event by SRS Legal, the Perron Institute and Black Swan Biotech reinforces the firm’s positioning as an active facilitator of international connections and strategic projects with impact in the healthcare sector.

“We believe that building bridges between international ecosystems is essential to accelerate innovation in critical areas such as Life Sciences. SRS Legal has been establishing itself as a strategic partner in this process, supporting the development of strong connections between Portugal and Commonwealth markets, and contributing to projects with global impact,” said Pedro Rebelo de Sousa, Senior Partner at SRS Legal.