PEDRO VALE GONÇALVES
Strategic legal advisor to AI, technology and global businesses.
25 + years advising multinationals, scale-ups and regulators at the intersection of regulation, innovation and growth.
Clarity under pressure.
WHO I ADVISE
Strategic legal counsel for leaders who make high-consequence decisions in technology, AI and regulated markets.
Startups & Scale-ups
Founders and leadership teams in AI, deep tech and digital platforms that need legal strategy aligned with product, funding rounds and international growth.
Investors, funds & Boards
VC and PE funds, family offices and Board members who need clear legal risk assessments, transaction support and governance structures that protect capital and reputation.
Multinationals & established companies
Corporations under regulatory and digital pressure – from life sciences to financial services – that require governance, compliance and cross-border coordination at Board and executive level.
Regulation & public policy
Organisations navigating the AI Act and digital regulation – research consortia, industry associations, standard-setting bodies – and institutions that work with the European Commission and the Center for Responsible AI.
STRATEGIC ADVISORY DOMAINS
Three complementary pillars that connect corporate strategy, technology and regulation.
AI, technology & data governance
From AI governance frameworks to data and IP strategy. Designing policies, risk matrices and oversight models that allow innovation while staying ahead of regulation.
Cross-border growth & transactions
M&A, joint ventures, commercial alliances and restructurings involving technology, data and regulated products. Structuring deals, allocating risk and aligning incentives across jurisdictions.
Regulation, public policy & institutions
Engagement with regulators and EU institutions, contributions to AI and digital policy, and representation in specialised fora – connecting legal analysis with the political and institutional context.
WHY CLIENTS RELY ON THIS COUNSEL
25+ years at the intersection of multinational business, technology scale-ups and complex regulation.
- Former Legal Affairs Director & Board Member at Pfizer Portugal.
- Data Protection Officer & Compliance Officer at GSK (Portugal, Spain, Israel).
- VP Legal & DPO at Unbabel, an AI-driven translation scale-up serving global enterprises.
- General Counsel at ii/Zoop, digital payments and financial services.
- Co-founder of the Center for Responsible AI.
- FCT-funded researcher in the Bridge AI project with the European Commission.
Executives, founders and investors work with me because I understand decision-making from inside the Board room, the scale-up floor and the regulatory arena. The advice they receive is grounded in real governance, operational and political constraints – not just in abstract doctrine.
CAREER IN THREE DIMENSIONS
A legal career built across corporations, technology scale-ups and regulatory strategy.
Corporate & multinationals
Years in leading life sciences and healthcare companies, advising Boards and executive teams on governance, compliance and high-stakes regulatory matters.
Technology & AI scale-ups
Hands-on experience in fast-growth AI and digital businesses, aligning product, data and IP strategy with fundraising, commercial expansion and risk management.
Regulation & public policy
Work with EU institutions, research projects and specialised centres focused on responsible AI and digital regulation, connecting legal analysis with policy and institutional dynamics.
From Board rooms to research labs, the same objective: clarity under pressure.
Public voice in AI, technology and regulation
I maintain an active presence in the public debate on AI, intellectual property and digital regulation – writing, speaking and contributing to reference works.
Articles
Regular columns and op-eds on AI governance, IP and digital risk in the press and specialised publications.
Books & reference works
Contributions to reference works in venture capital, arbitration and copyright, including the Portuguese edition of the journal Propriétés Intellectuelles.
Conferences
Keynotes and panels in forums such as WIPO, European Commission initiatives, universities and sector-specific events.
Media & commentary
Interventions and expert commentary for platforms like Legal 500 and other international outlets focused on technology, regulation and governance.
How I structure mandates
Working with a strategic legal advisor should be predictable, transparent and efficient.
First conversation
A focused, confidential call to clarify the issue, the stakeholders involved and the time horizon. We define whether the mandate is advisory, transactional or regulatory in nature.
Scope & engagement
A clear proposal with scope, deliverables and fee model – hourly, retainer or project-based. Always with agreed response times and preferred working languages (EN / PT, and others as relevant).
Execution & follow-up
Concise written outputs, pragmatic recommendations and, where needed, direct interaction with Boards, investors, regulators or project teams. Follow-up calls to adjust as circumstances evolve.
Clarity under pressure.
If you are facing a strategic decision in AI, technology or regulation, one conversation can change the quality of the options on the table.