Joao Martinho

Joao Martinho has only been with Executive Relocations Africa for a few short months and he’s already hooked on the fast-paced environment of the relocations industry. “No two days are the same at the ERA office. I meet different people, from different countries, with different cultures and I love it,” says Joao excitedly.

No stranger to working with foreigners, Joao, who worked for an international hotel chain in Luanda before, has witnessed an increase in expat arrivals to the capital. “The Angolan economy has grown quite robustly over the past three years which has led to an influx of international visitors to the country,” says Joao.

“There are new buildings, roads and developments sprouting everywhere in Luanda and that makes me not only excited for the future of our country, but also the future of the relocation industry. International investors are contributing to the potential of Angola,” says Joao.

But although the country is showing signs of progress, Joao also admits that Luanda still suffers from many third-world ills. “Our tap water is not safe for human consumption, certain parts of the city still struggles with terrible electricity connections and we have a very poor public health system. And although Luanda is quite advanced in some regard, we still have cows stuck in traffic on our highways.”

The majority of expats he meets are very clued-up about Angola, says Joao. “We live in a small world now and information is accessible everywhere. Most of the expats I meet are very educated about Angola and the lifestyle in Luanda which makes my job much easier.

For aspiring relocation agents, Joao says it’s important to serve their clients, to have excellent communication skills and to always be responsible. He also says that aspiring relocation agents need to be flexible, as the job sometimes requires them to work after hours and on weekends.

When he’s not working, Joao says he likes to watch sports – he’s an avid football fan. He also loves to stay updated on current affairs by listening to the radio and reading the newspaper. Joao says his short- to medium term plans include getting married and starting a family.