The Society for Development of the Azores (SDEA) starts its activity on Friday. This body is assigned a wide range of powers in the creation and implementation of policies aimed at the reinforcement of competitiveness of companies as well as at the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Administration Board will be chaired by Arnaldo Fernandes de Oliveira Machado, aged 53, who holds a degree in Business Organisation and Management from the University of the Azores and a postgraduate degree from the Portuguese Catholic University.

A native of São Miguel, Arnaldo Machado served as Regional Director of various regional governments from 1991 to 2012 in the areas of Commerce, Industry, Economic Cohesion and Support to Investment and Competitiveness. He has held the positions of non-executive director of APIA - Agency for the Promotion of Investment in the Azores, president of the General Assembly of Ilhas de Valor and representative of the Azores at the Monitoring Committee of COMPETE - Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors.

The Administration Board of SDEA is also composed by two other members: Lara Fernandes Martinho, aged 34, a native of New Bedford and Marisa Alexandra de Freitas Toste, aged 34, a native of Angra do Heroísmo.

Lara Martinho graduated in Political Science and International Relations at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova de Lisboa and holds a postgraduate and a Master's degree in International Relations. She has served as Secretary-General of Angra do Heroísmo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She is a member of the Board of the Institute of International and European Affairs. Lara Martinho was elected by the Socialist Party to the Regional Parliament, where she is also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs.

Marisa Toste holds a degree in Biology and Geology and Master's degree in Insular Ecology and Evolution from the University of the Azores, where she also taught the subjects of Botany I and Botany II. She belongs to the permanent staff of secondary school teachers since 1996. She currently works in the area of training and qualification as Deputy Director of the Board of Capelas Vocational Training School.