From our office in Lisbon to Uruguay’s grasslands and rugby fields

From our office in Lisbon to Uruguay’s grasslands and rugby fields.

Congratulations to our business development manager, Manuel Cardoso Pinto, who joined The Land Group eleven months ago. Last weekend, he made his debut for Peñarol Rugby, Uruguay’s professional franchise in the Super Rugby Americas, and even scored a try.

But how did Manuel find himself playing for the team representing Uruguay in this prestigious tournament? Is he a business developer or a professional rugby player? And how does he balance both?

It all started with his trip to Uruguay last December, when he visited The Land Group’s farms across the country. Captivated by the country, he reached out to Peñarol Rugby just a week later. One month after that, he was on a plane, ready to take on a new challenge: spending four months working closer to The Land Group’s Uruguayan operations while training at the highest level to prepare for Rugby World Cup 2027 - Portugal’s third appearance on the global stage.

Our co-founder Joaquin Labella, CFA is a lifelong Peñarol fan, and Francisco Roque de Pinho rides giant waves in Nazaré, so they could not really deny Manuel’s ambitious pursuit, could they?

We wish Manuel every success over the next four months, both on the pitch and in his work with The Land Group!

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