Alum of the Year

2025 Alum of the Year - Rui Oliveira, Class of 2009

Mr. Rui Oliveira, Class of 2009, has been named the 2025 Alum of the Year. Oliveira, an accomplished global financial executive, serves as the CEO and Co-CIO of BFA Asset Management and is the Founder of Academia Santa Catarina. His remarkable career and dedication to philanthropy exemplify the values of Berkeley College alumni.

Oliveira earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Berkeley College’s New York City campus in 2009. Since then, he has built an illustrious career in financial markets, with nearly two decades of experience, from early days at Citi and Morgan Stanley, later being one of the founding members of the Angolan Stock Exchange, to today managing multi-million-dollar portfolios and executing transactions exceeding $8 billion. As the CEO and Co-CIO of BFA Asset Management, Oliveira oversees a $500 million portfolio focused on fixed income and alternative credit strategies. His work has been cited or recognized on global platforms such as Bloomberg, CNBC Africa, AFSIC, the African Private Capital Association (AVCA), and the University of Oxford's Said Business School blogs.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Oliveira is a dedicated advocate for education and African economic development. He serves as Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee for the Berkeley College Foundation Board and has been an active member of the Berkeley College Alumni Association for over eight years. His commitment to mentorship and financial literacy extends to his role as a mentor for The Founder Institute, and the Oxford Business Alumni Network. Other notable contributions include serving as an Independent Adviser to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the creation of the SADC Agriculture Development Fund; and, serving as a Board Member of the UK-Angola Chamber of Commerce.

Oliveira's academic achievements include a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy & Innovation from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Finance from Imperial College London. He continues to expand his knowledge in asset management and private markets through programs at EDHEC Business School and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.