The dialogue that drives leadership
Faced with a global scenario redefined by technological disruption and the urgency for new strategies, the ‘Leadership Summit Portugal 2025’ called on the community of leaders to address an imperative: confront reality and establish ‘new rules’ for the game of leadership. Under the central theme ‘The Game of Leaders – New Rules for Politics, Earth, AI and Humans’, the event, held at Casino Estoril on 25 September, became the stage for an urgent dialogue on the role of ethics, humanity and decision-making in a world increasingly impacted by geopolitical tensions and the rise of Artificial Intelligence.
Devoteam, as a leading consultant in digital transformation, was present at this essential debate, represented by Pedro Campos, Executive Director and Head of Management Consulting, reinforcing its commitment to aligning technological advancement with a vision centered on humanity and value.
The future of work: Reskilling human potential
The Leadership Summit served as a catalyst for redefining human capital in the age of AI, a central theme of the panel discussion ‘New Rules for the Future of Work’.
The debate, moderated by Rita Rugeroni Saldanha, Content Director at Líder Magazine, brought together Pedro Campos, Executive Director and Head of Management Consulting at Devoteam Portugal, and Filipe Seixas, Business Development Director at ISQe, to analyse, from the perspective of ‘two sides of the same coin – technology and people’, the transformation of the global labour market, profoundly impacted by the adoption of AI, signs of stagnation (low hiring and dismissal rates), talent shortages and the need for a long-term strategic vision.
The conversation, based on the World Economic Forum’s ‘Chief People Officers Outlook’ report, was structured around three crucial dilemmas that leaders currently face:
Short Term vs. Long Term
Given the immediate caution of organisations and the urgency of long-term transformation, Pedro Campos emphasised that this balance is largely dictated by the sector itself.
For the Banking and Insurance sector, disruption from Fintech and Insure Tech makes the adoption of AI an ‘imperative for survival’. However, in other areas, the pressure is being felt more gradually. The Executive Director and Head of Management Consulting emphasised that the market must be able to evolve in its use of AI, citing the example of how it adapted to digital working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘It is very important for people to view Artificial Intelligence as a tool to improve their lives and work processes. It is not an end in itself, but rather a means to unleash human potential.’
Filipe Seixas complemented this view, focusing on the need for ‘organisational awareness’. For the Business Development Director, the focus should be on power skills and constant adaptability, so that AI can be a true power enhancer of existing talent.
Threat vs. Opportunity
Responding to concerns about job losses and skills stagnation, Pedro Campos demystified AI as a threat. Citing the World Economic Forum report, he pointed out that the employment balance shows a largely positive outcome: by 2030, the creation of around 170 million new jobs and roles will outweigh the 92 million at risk.
‘We are not witnessing the destruction of jobs, we are witnessing the reskilling of jobs.’
Filipe Seixas reinforced this point, giving the example of the industrial revolution and drawing a parallel between Man and Machine, stressing that adaptation is key, requiring teams to be able to differentiate themselves and incorporate AI into their daily lives.
The Leader of the Future
To lead successfully in this context of transformation, which requires synergy between people and technology, Pedro Campos highlighted three critical skills that leaders must develop and foster:
- Strategic Digital Literacy: It is not enough to know how to use AI; you need to understand how this tool can enhance or jeopardise your organisation’s business.
- Openness to Experimentation: Leaders should give employees the space and freedom to explore and adapt to technology.
- Human Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: In an era of transformation, clear communication and the human dimension are critical, requiring that the development of the function be accompanied by technological development.
Filipe Seixas emphasised that leadership involves learning to collaborate with the ‘AI agents’ who are part of the team. It is essential that leaders cultivate ‘GRIT’ – the capacity for continuous resilience – and adopt a Growth Mindset. This attitude presupposes openness to challenges, actively focusing on finding solutions and empowering and developing team members.
In conclusion, Pedro Campos made a crucial warning: Human Resources managers have a ‘critical role in redesigning people’s roles’, a step that is often overlooked but essential for organisations and employees to fully benefit from the potential of Artificial Intelligence.
From decision to transformation
The ‘Leadership Summit Portugal 2025’ made an unequivocal appeal to leaders: Include, Belong, Face and Decide. This is the ‘final decisive push’ of humanity and reason that the corporate world needs to shape the future.
Devoteam’s active participation solidifies its role in the national leadership ecosystem. The strategic dialogue fostered at the event, focused on human retraining and AI as a power enhancer, is intrinsically linked to its mission: to translate the complexity of the digital world into solutions that create sustainable value for its partners and society.