Portugal’s SPI reshuffles leadership team as it targets international growth

Pedro Lopes and Sofia Moura

Portuguese production company SPI, part of SP TV Group, has restructured its executive leadership team as it looks to strengthen its position in the international market.

Director of content Pedro Lopes has been appointed chief creative and strategy officer, overseeing the company’s creative vision and strategic direction and leading the development of original projects.

A screenwriter and showrunner, Lopes has won an International Emmy and was behind some of Portugal’s most successful television dramas, including Codex 632 for Globoplay and Glória, the first Portuguese original series for Netflix.

Alongside his new responsibilities at SPI, he will continue to serve as chief content officer at SP TV Group, overseeing development of across the group’s companies.

Sofia Moura, meanwhile, has been appointed chief operations and business officer, taking responsibility for the company’s operations, business development and international expansion strategy.

Moura joins SPI after leading SP Entertainment, another company within the SP TV Group, where she was general manager.

Prior to joining SP TV Group, she was commercial and new business director at the Portuguese Football Federation. Before that, she spent almost two decades at SIC/Impresa, where she held senior leadership roles focused on commercial strategy, marketing and branded entertainment.

Founded in 2017, produced Glória, the first Portuguese original Netflix series.

Working with broadcasters, streamers and international coproduction partners, SPI’s portfolio of international productions also includes Vanda, Motel Valkirias, Auga Seca and Cold Haven.

Portugal has a long history of telenovelas and independent film, which has recently combined with momentum from increasingly generous production incentives and broadcaster/streamer copros.