Joao Adao is a highly accomplished keynote speaker specializing in digital transformation, known for his exceptional ability to inspire and guide organizations in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. Joao has 30 years of experience at multinational companies, including Procter & Gamble, Boston Consulting Group, Liberty Global, Avery Dennison, hibu, and Meta (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp).
In his most recent role as Managing Director for Meta in South America, Joao led an acceleration of revenue growth as a result of creating a winning culture and building a diverse team with strong alignment to common metrics. In his previous experience as President for hibu in Latin America, Joao led a digital transformation of the parent company of Yellow Pages in several countries in the region, as a result of strong cultural work on mindsets, turning a former monopoly into an agile digital competitor, reversing an accelerating drop in revenue and profitability. Currently based in Barcelona, Spain, Joao is a Senior Associate Partner at the global consultancy firm Axialent.
Joao Adao’s journey in the realm of digital transformation began with a solid educational foundation. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, complemented by an MBA and specialized studies in Organisational Development and innovation. His educational background provided him with a holistic understanding of business dynamics and the transformative potential of technology in various industries.
Joao has a strong international management background in a diverse range of industries, having worked in Europe and Latin America for multinationals and a major consulting firm. Joao is a proven expert and authority on managing large-scale digital transformation and the cultural change required to see these projects succeed.
Joao Adao is a former Managing Director at Meta (Facebook and Instagram) between 2016 and 2022 where he lead their operations in Latin America. Within Facebook, he played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s digital transformation initiatives. His contributions focused on leveraging emerging technologies, improving user experiences, and driving strategic innovation. During this time working with the two global leading social networks Facebook and Instagram, Joao built an expertise in visual storytelling and social media marketing. During this period Joao also served as a Board Member for the IAB (The Interactive Advertising Bureau). Prior to this he was President and CEO of hibu in Latin America, driving the ongoing digitization of the traditional Yellow Pages that hibu had acquired.
Prior to joining hibu, Joao led Avery Dennison’s South American business as VP & General Manager, based in Argentina. He joined Avery Dennison in 2003 as VP Marketing in the Netherlands, prior to moving to Argentina in 2007 to lead their operations in Latin America. Earlier, he worked in marketing and product management roles at Liberty Media in the Netherlands. Joao also spent three years with The Boston Consulting Group in Portugal. He started his career with Procter & Gamble in Argentina, working in product supply and brand management.
