António Mota, visionary leader of Mota-Engil, dies at 71

António Mota, the former leader of construction giant Mota-Engil, has died at the age of 71. His career began as an intern in his father’s company before he transformed it into a business worth nearly €1.5 billion under his guidance. Mota originally wanted to be a police officer, then later considered engineering. Instead, he joined Mota-Engil, the firm founded by his father, starting at the bottom as an intern. He often spoke about the pressure of being the boss’s son, insisting that such a position demanded twice the effort to prove oneself.

During his time in charge, the company expanded significantly, reaching a market value close to €1.5 billion. Two years ago, he stepped down from his role, passing control to his nephew, Carlos. Mota’s death marks the end of an era for Mota-Engil, a company he helped grow from a family business into a major industry player. His leadership and belief in hard work left a lasting impact on the firm’s direction and culture.