
Joao Barreto, Director of Innovation at Bateel International
João Barreto is a business transformation and innovation leader with over a decade of experience driving change across industries and regions. Known for his creative vision and strategic acumen, he has led large-scale initiatives that embed innovation and intrapreneurship into business strategy.
At Bateel, João leads the company’s innovation and transformation agenda, blending heritage and technology to shape the future of one of the region’s most iconic luxury brands. His current focus is on harnessing artificial intelligence to accelerate innovation, elevate customer experiences, and unlock new sources of growth.
Before joining Bateel, João held several leadership roles at Nestlé, where he spearheaded transformational programs such as the Nestlé Hatcher open innovation platform and developed new governance models that enhanced collaboration and agility across markets.
João holds an MBA from Henley Business School (UK) and is a passionate advocate for lifelong learning, believing that the next frontier of innovation lies at the intersection of human creativity and intelligent technology.