Sérgio Humberto Rocha de Ávila was born in Angra do Heroísmo.
He completed basic and secondary education in his hometown and graduated in Economics at the Faculty of Economics of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, where he was the President of the International Student's Association of Economic and Business Sciences. He has been an honorary member of this association since 1991.
He is Assistant Administrative Inspector of the Regional Administrative Inspection.
Sérgio Ávila was a Member of Parliament from October 1995 to November 1996 and was also a member of the Board of the Parliamentary Group of PS, where he was in charge of the areas of Economy and Finances and relations with Autonomous Regions.
He held the position of coordinator of the Studies Office of the Socialist Party at the National Assembly.
He served as Regional Director for Social Security from November 1996 to December 1997 in the VII Regional Government.
He was the Mayor of Angra do Heroísmo City Hall from December 1997 to November 2004. He chaired the Terceira Island Council from 1999 to 2004.
He also held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the former Port Authorities of Angra do Heroísmo between 1999 and 2004.
Sérgio Ávila became President of the Agency for Development and Innovation of Angra do Heroísmo on July 30, 2002.
He has held the position of Vice-President of the IX and X Governments of the Azores since 2004.
In November 2012, Sérgio Ávila was re-elected Vice-President of the XI Government of the Azores.