As ETL GLOBAL marks 10 years of empowering SMEs, attention now turns to the leaders strengthening the network’s presence beyond its original core markets. In this interview, we get to know Sérgio Ramos, Master Partner for ETL GLOBAL in Portugal, as he reflects on his path, his approach to building businesses, and the changes that are transforming the profession.
Early roots and formative influences
Sérgio Ramos grew up in Sintra, a town just outside Lisbon, where he lived until the age of 25. Both of his parents owned a small accounting firm, placing business at the centre of his family life from an early age. “I observed my parents’ entrepreneurial spirit, which instilled in me a passion for business management and leadership,” Sérgio explains. That early exposure was reinforced at home through his father’s work in finance, which provided a more concrete reference point. “Working in finance, he was always surrounded by numbers and his calculator, a constant image that stayed with me,” he admits.
Those influences naturally led Sérgio to study Economics and Management, later specialising in Auditing. Beyond acquiring the technical knowledge required for the profession, he saw his education as preparation for an entrepreneurial future, giving him a solid basis in business management and a clearer understanding of how to run his own firm. With that focus in place, he was ready to step into professional life and begin putting those ideas into practice.
From auditing to entrepreneurship
Sérgio began his professional career in auditing, a field that defined his early years and gave him a close understanding of companies’ financial structures, controls, and reporting requirements. He worked as a financial auditor in several firms, gradually building experience across different organisations and sectors.
In 2015, he founded Numeric Consulting Group in Portugal, establishing his own practice focused on accounting and audit services. What started as a local firm grew steadily, both in scale and ambition. As the business developed, Sérgio led Numeric’s expansion to Brazil, opening an office in São Paulo and taking the firm into a new regulatory and business environment. Reflecting on that experience, he notes, “Starting from scratch in a market with unique characteristics required deep knowledge of local tax and accounting regulations, a challenging process. Above all, I learned that doing business in Brazil is very different from doing business in Portugal or Europe.” That moment marked a shift in perspective, moving his work beyond a single market and into a more international way of thinking that would later shape his next professional step.
Today, Numeric Consulting Group employs around 65 professionals and operates offices in Lisbon, Porto, Cascais, and São Paulo, with a work centred on providing clear and usable financial information, supporting clients in their decision-making and coordinating accounting and tax matters across borders.
Joining ETL GLOBAL
As Sérgio’s work expanded beyond national borders, the limits of operating within a single structure became more apparent. His practice was increasingly international, and with that came the need for a more organised way to support clients across jurisdictions, with shared standards and reliable counterparts in other countries. It was in this context that he began looking for a broader framework, a search that eventually led him to ETL GLOBAL, whose model closely aligned with the principles he was already applying within his own firm.
In 2022, Numeric Consulting Group joined ETL GLOBAL as a member firm in Portugal. This step allowed Sérgio to work within an international network while keeping full control over how his firm operated locally. What mattered most at that stage was the balance between scale and freedom of action. “It is a strategic partner that enables growth while preserving independence,” he says, describing what ultimately made the relationship work in practice.
That collaboration was extended the following year. In 2023, Numeric Brasil also joined the ETL GLOBAL network, bringing both sides of the Portugal–Brazil structure under the same international umbrella. With both firms operating inside the network, coordination became more consistent and aligned across borders, reinforcing the value of a shared structure for clients with international activity.
In 2024, Sérgio was appointed Master Partner for ETL GLOBAL in Portugal, formalising his responsibility for the network’s development and consolidation in the country. His focus is now on structure, integration, and long-term positioning. “My role is to build a consolidated project in the country and contribute to ETL GLOBAL’s growth and strength,” he says, referring to the work of bringing together accounting firms, auditors, tax advisers, and lawyers within a common international setting.
Operating in a competitive market, differentiation remains a key challenge. For Sérgio, positioning cannot rely on technical expertise alone. “Our approach is not merely financial,” he explains. “It focuses on supporting the growth and development of the companies within ETL GLOBAL,” a principle that continues to guide how the Portuguese network is being built.
Sérgio Ramos at the 2025 ETL GLOBAL Spain Congress in Cáceres.
A profession in transition
From his role coordinating firms and partners within ETL GLOBAL in Portugal, Sérgio has a close view of how the profession is evolving on the ground. The changes are not abstract or distant, as they show up in how firms organise themselves, how they grow, and how they respond to pressure. “In Portugal, we are witnessing significant consolidation in our sector,” he notes. This movement is driven by a combination of forces that are transforming day-to-day practice and long-term planning. Rather than a single trigger, it reflects several pressures acting at the same time. Sérgio points to those underlying drivers directly. “Factors such as the introduction of AI, the digitalisation of processes and documentation, and recruitment challenges have accelerated mergers.” What follows is a sector in which structure and coordination matter more than they once did.
In that context, collaboration is no longer an added advantage, but a practical requirement. Having access to professionals who understand local rules and practices elsewhere allows work to move forward with consistency and confidence. “One of the greatest advantages of working in a multinational context is having highly qualified professionals in other countries who can support us in this area,” he adds.
Looking ahead
For Sérgio, this transformation is far from over. Firms will need to adjust not only their structures, but also how they think about growth and cooperation. “Market consolidation will continue, driven by the most significant transformation our profession has ever faced,” he observes.
Against this background, his focus remains on building something that can last. The objective is not expansion for its own sake, but the creation of a structure that genuinely supports firms and clients over time. “My goal is to build a project that provides ETL GLOBAL companies with access to services and tools that enhance efficiency over time.”
At the centre of that ambition is a clear conviction about what sustains professional organisations. Systems matter, but people remain decisive. “Our business is built by people and for people,” Sérgio says, pointing to collaboration and trust as the elements that will continue to guide the network’s future.
