Erich Brodheim (2004) | CEO Grupo Brodheim 

Erich Brodheim, an alumnus of class of 2004, is a third-generation business leader and the current CEO of Grupo Brodheim, a long-established Portuguese group operating in fashion retail, optics, and brand distribution. Drawing on a diverse academic and professional journey that spans hospitality, international roles in HR, and leadership positions across multinational environments, Erich ultimately returned to Portugal to join the family business and lead its digital transformation. In this interview, he reflects on his years and education at St. Julian’s, the importance of adaptability, self-awareness, and feedback, and how a global mindset combined with strong interpersonal skills has shaped both his personal and professional trajectory—culminating in his current role steering the Group Brodheim into its next chapter.

Interview

What was it like to attend St. Julian's back in the day? 

That’s a great question. I didn’t prepare anything for it, so I’ll just answer honestly and go with what comes to mind. I remember being quite a cheeky boy back then—and in many ways, I still am. That’s something I’ve never really lost, and I think St. Julian’s played a big part in that. Of course, there were rules and expectations, as there should be, but at the same time, the school encouraged you to hold on to your personality and sense of self, and to find your own way within that structure.

Overall, it was an amazing experience. I was there from the age of three all the way to eighteen, so it really shaped my entire upbringing. I didn’t know any other reality. The friendships I made there have stayed with me, and today I have friends from St. Julian’s all over the world. Studying abroad later on only reinforced that global connection.

I’d say it was life-changing, although it’s also the only experience I’ve known. Still, it gave me a strong sense of who I am and connections that have lasted a lifetime.

Would you say that your best friends are still from the times at St. Julian's? 

Absolutely. I’ve known my best friends for 36 years. One of them, Guga—Gonçalo Jorge Ribeiro — we go all the way back to before kindergarten. Before St. Julian’s we were at a Portuguese creche in Carcavelos and then together at St. Julian’s. Hence, we’ve known each other for more than three decades of friendship.

It’s the kind of bond that really lasts across decades—and even generations, I think—because now our children are friends as well. Somehow, we managed to time it perfectly, as they’re all around the same age. There are a few differences with the September and January birthdays, so not all of them ended up in the same school year, but they’re very close.

It’s quite amazing to see it come full circle like that. For us, we’ve stopped at three children—so now we’ll see if the others follow suit!

Is there a memory that you hold dear from St. Julian's?

Yes, that’s something you really carry with you from school—whether it’s when you come back to the grounds or simply talk about St. Julian’s. As you ask me that question, the answer comes to me immediately, and I actually get goosebumps: it’s the song, “It’s a Long Way… It’s a Long Road to Freedom.” It really stays with you.

And yes, I still know the lyrics—I could probably sing it right now if you asked me to. But what’s interesting is that, when you’re younger, you sing it for years without really thinking about the meaning. You do it because everyone else does. It’s only later in life that you start to reflect on the words, and that’s when it truly resonates. You realise it speaks about life itself, about growth and the journey we’re all on.

That’s something I’ve definitely taken with me—a lasting imprint from my time there.

How did the experience at St. Julian's, particularly the IB, because you were here from 3 years old up to 18, how did attending the IB prepare you somehow for life, for college? 

I wouldn’t say I was ever a top student. By the time I went to university, I had a solid, respectable IB result—but what really stood out to me was how well prepared I felt. In my first year, a lot of the material wasn’t new. I’d say around 80% of it covered topics I had already seen, worked through, or been exposed to before, and only about 20% felt completely new.

That made a big difference. Academically, it created a kind of “soft landing” into university life, which was incredibly valuable. It meant I could approach my studies with confidence, without feeling overwhelmed. And that, in turn, gave me the space to focus on the more challenging side of the transition—being abroad, living independently, and adjusting on a personal level. You’re away from your parents, building a new life, making new friends, and finding your place. So while the academic shift felt manageable, the personal journey was where the real adjustment happened.

Which University did you attend? I went to Switzerland, to Les Roches, to study  hospitality. 

And that's a three-year course plus additional years? Plus additional one year. So I did four years.

It would be interesting to understand how was your career path was done and how the decision making process took place, given the several changes you made along the way? 

Let me try to keep this brief, but it’s been quite a journey.

When I was 14, I wanted to be an astronaut. By 16, I was set on becoming a programmer, so I chose Computer Science at higher level in the IB, at St. Julian’s School. I remember learning Pascal—it was challenging, but it gave me a really strong foundation. Then, by 18, I had completely changed direction again and wanted to become a chef. So my interests were always quite eclectic.

At that point, I received some very valuable advice from my father. He told me: you’re always going to have different passions, so choose something broad—something that keeps your options open and gives you a solid academic base, no matter what you decide later. I’m very grateful I listened, because I ended up studying Hotel Management at Les Roches, in Switzerland.

By the time I graduated at 22, I had set my sights on investment banking—but with my degree, I quickly realised it wasn’t going to be straightforward. I wasn’t even getting responses to my applications. Around that time, I went to Harvard for a summer course in 2008. When I came back to Portugal, I had an interview with an HR consultancy firm, mainly to understand the job market. At the end of the conversation, they asked me if I had ever considered becoming a headhunter. I had no idea what that really meant—but I thought, why not? And that was the start of my professional life: one interview, one opportunity.

I began at a firm called Jason Associates, which was later acquired by Mercer. Looking back, while St. Julian’s shaped a big part of who I am, that first professional experience really defined my mindset at work. It introduced me to a simple but powerful idea: happy people perform better, for longer, and with more consistency. It may sound like a cliché, but when you dig deeper, it raises an important question—what actually makes each of us happy? And that’s where self-awareness becomes essential. The better you understand yourself, the better decisions you make.

That mindset stayed with me throughout my career. I realised early on that what motivated me was an international, multicultural environment, and I pursued that for the next 15 years. After three years in my first role, I moved to Madrid to join BBVA, working as an HR Business Partner for the investment banking division—which, in a way, brought me closer to the world I had initially aspired to. After two and a half years, I returned to Portugal and joined L’Oréal, where I spent five years and, importantly, met my wife, Inês.

In 2015, we decided to go abroad again. We agreed that whoever found a job first would lead the move—and she did. She joined Beiersdorf in Germany, working with Nivea, and I followed about eight months later after learning German and securing a role at Johnson & Johnson. We spent four wonderful years in Hamburg—travelling, enjoying life, and making the most of that period of freedom. We got married in 2017 and had a couple more years together before starting a family.

At the same time, there was always the presence of the family business, founded by my grandfather in 1946 and led by my father for over four decades. Growing up, I was always aware of it, but I was also taught two important things: first, that it was a professionally run company—not a typical family-run structure—and second, that I should build my own path and only consider joining if it genuinely made sense for me.

In 2019, as we were preparing for the birth of our first child, everything seemed to align. Personally, we wanted to be closer to family—especially as our child would already have many cousins in Portugal. Professionally, an opportunity came up in the family business to lead the group’s digital transformation. It felt like the perfect fit: it combined my long-standing interest in technology with my experience in people and change management. After all, technology itself is the easy part—it’s the adoption and the people side that truly make the difference.

So I applied for the role, went through the full interview process, presented my vision, and was selected. We left Hamburg in February 2019, and I joined the company the following month. Looking back, it felt like a natural next step—bringing together everything I had learned along the way.

How was the next step taken by you? How was the election? How did it take place?

Yes, that’s right—I’ve been CEO of Grupo Brodheim for almost a year now, since the 1st of May 2025. But honestly, the transition felt very natural. I first joined the company to lead the digital transformation project, then moved onto the board at the beginning of 2020. Shortly after that, COVID hit, and that period became a real “on-the-job MBA.”

What made that time particularly valuable was the composition of the board. There was a great balance between experience and fresh perspective—having someone in their 60’s alongside someone in their 30’s created a very positive and constructive ideas. It’s also important to highlight our third board member as well, who also brought decades of experience. That combination—experience on one side, energy and a more modern approach on the other—made for very strong decision-making. Despite the challenges of COVID, we managed to navigate that period in a positive and resilient way.

Over time, I naturally took on increasing responsibility within the company. In a family business, though, it’s important to distinguish between different roles, or “hats.” As a third-generation family member, I will likely always be a shareholder—that’s the one constant. But being part of the board or holding an executive role, like CEO, depends entirely on performance and the value I bring. Those roles have to be earned and maintained. At the moment, I wear all three hats, but only one is guaranteed for life—the others depend on continuing to contribute meaningfully.

And yes, my brother is also part of the business. He’s an alumnus himself—class of 2001. He leads our optical division and is a very well-known figure in the industry. He’s always had a strong presence and natural charisma—even back in his school days—and today he’s widely recognised as one of the most knowledgeable experts in the optical market in Portugal. It’s quite remarkable to see that journey, from his early years to becoming such a reference in the field.

Did you have any favorite teachers at the time when you were at school?

I think Mr. Rao might have been one, although I didn’t have many close connections at the time. There was, however, a geography teacher—Mr. Mockett—who was absolutely fantastic. Yes, Mockett. I believe he’s since passed away. And of course, Mr. Rogers—he was an icon. I remember him as being incredibly funny and smart.

Then there was Mr. Dunn. At the time, that relationship felt a bit more challenging, but looking back now, I see it very differently. I have a seven-year-old son who is essentially a copy of me, and when I look at him, I recognise so much of my younger self. It really puts things into perspective—I realise how much patience my teachers must have had. I was probably that “angel-faced” child with a very strong character. So honestly, I take this opportunity to thank all of them for their patience.

There are a few others who really stand out—Mr. Rogers, Ms. Vicky Hopkins, who taught maths, and of course Mrs. Pereira, who taught economics. She made a lasting impression. I still remember one of her sayings: “You can take a horse to the well, but you can’t make it drink.” It stayed with me. And I also remember her saying that education would become a major industry in Portugal. At the time, that wasn’t so obvious—but looking at it today, she was absolutely right. Back then, there were maybe four or five international schools; now there are many more, and it’s become a significant and growing sector, especially with increased international mobility and demand.

And yes, I do keep in touch with my St. Julian’s friends. In fact, we meet regularly—once a month—for lunch at one of our restaurants. It’s a great way to stay connected after all these years.

And do you think that St. Julian's in some way fosters curiosity in children when they attend the school?

That’s a great question. I would actually go a bit beyond curiosity. Of course, curiosity is important, but when I look back, one of the most valuable things St. Julian’s gave us was the development of soft skills. And today, you really see how critical those are in the workplace. Unless you’re in a highly specialised field—like medicine or scientific research—most roles rely far more on soft skills than purely technical ones.

In that sense, I would say St. Julian’s was exceptional. I’m not sure there was—or even is—a better environment for developing that side of you. From a very young age, you’re encouraged to present, to speak up, and to put yourself out there. You’re exposed to new languages, new cultures, which naturally broadens your thinking. You take part in activities like drama, and programmes like CAS—Creativity, Action, Service—which push you beyond the classroom and into real-world experiences, including volunteering.

All of this constantly challenges you to step outside your comfort zone. You don’t really have a choice—you grow by doing. And at the same time, you’re surrounded by people from completely different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and perspectives. Learning to navigate that diversity, to understand and connect with others, is something incredibly valuable. So while curiosity is certainly part of it, I think what the school really fosters is adaptability, confidence, and strong interpersonal skills.
 

Do you think that your initial life experience at St. Julian's somehow eased the way that you interact with people from other cultures? 

Absolutely. You see that sense of adaptability clearly, for example, when in Hamburg. And it’s not just about the language—it’s the way we interact with people with a culture different to ours, the approach to the professional life and other.

I think part of that comes down to a person’s natural disposition or “DNA,” but then the environment you’re in either reinforces it or holds it back. In that sense, St. Julian’s really encourages you to put yourself out there. It pushes you to be independent and confident, rather than relying on others to guide you at every step. You quickly realise that you won’t have someone “looking after you” forever, so you learn to take responsibility, adapt, and find your own way.

What advice would you give to current students that are doing the IB and when they leave school? What key ideas should they have present to aid them on their professional path?

I think there are really two parts to that. First, and perhaps most importantly—especially in the world we live in today, where there’s so much pressure and anxiety around “what am I going to do?” or “what will people think?”—is to recognise that life doesn’t unfold in a perfectly linear way.

One of the most insightful perspectives on this comes from Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement speech, which I think everyone should watch, and more than once. One of the key ideas he shares is that you can only connect the dots looking backwards. So rather than trying to map out your entire life in advance, it’s better to follow your instincts, stay well advised, but accept that things will not go exactly as planned. Embrace that uncertainty.

Follow what you enjoy, what you’re drawn to, what gives you energy and purpose. If you do that, you’re much more likely to be fulfilled and successful. There is a strong link between happiness and performance—when people are happier, they tend to perform better, produce better results, and, in many cases, lead more balanced lives.

The second part is self-awareness—understanding yourself. A simple but effective way to approach this is to actively seek feedback. I often use a straightforward example: you might think of yourself in a certain way, but if you ask 100 people and 99 describe you differently, then that external perception matters more than your self-image. In other words, you are, to a large extent, how others perceive you—especially when there is a clear majority perspective.

So the key is to never lose opportunities for feedback, and to genuinely value constructive criticism. If you have a manager or a mentor who only tells you that everything is fine, that’s actually not helpful. The best guidance comes from someone who acknowledges what you do well, but also clearly points out where you can improve.

A practical exercise I often recommend is this: describe yourself in three words. Then ask others—your parents, friends, or partner—to describe you in three words. Comparing those perspectives helps reveal the gap between how you see yourself and how others see you. From there, you can decide whether to adjust your behaviour or to align others’ perceptions with the way you want to be seen.

And one final piece of advice, especially for students in the IB: don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Look at people who are 10 years ahead of you and learn from their experiences. Understand what worked for them, what didn’t, and apply those lessons to your own path. You don’t need to be different just for the sake of being different. There is value in learning from those who have already gone through similar journeys.

At 18, it’s natural to question authority and even your parents’ perspective—but with time, that changes. By your late 20s or 30s, you often come to appreciate their guidance much more. We all go through similar phases.

And beyond all of this, I would also mention a simple but powerful reference like Baz Luhrmann’s “Wear Sunscreen,” which is full of life lessons. If you take inspiration from ideas like that, along with Steve Jobs’ perspective, you’re already setting yourself up with a strong foundation for navigating life.