Minister de Souza is the Minister of Planning. Nelson was Secretary of State for Development and Cohesion until February 18, 2019.
Nelson has a deep knowledge of the Portuguese business fabric, as well as of the national and European support programs for companies and the economy. He was manager of COMPETE/QREN Program and PRIME, member of the board of IAPMEI (National Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation) and Program Manager at PEDIP (Specific Programme for the Development of Portuguese Industry). He held the position of General Director at the Portuguese Industrial Association until the end of 2013, where he had previously joined the Executive Commission, between 2002 and 2005. Before joining the XXI Constitutional Government, he was Municipal Director of Finance at the Lisbon City Hall, since February 2014, where he was also advisor to the Mayor.
Nelson graduated in Finance from Instituto Superior de Economia.