#WeLeadComms: Teresa Dos Santos Serra

Today’s #WeLeadComms spotlight falls on Portuguese communication leader Teresa Dos Santos Serra.

With experience that stretches across narrative building, strategic communications and public relations, Teresa has built a career around helping organizations speak with clarity and integrity. In her role as PR & Communications Director at House of Beauty Brands, and as co-founder of Ethical Comms Portugal, she works where ethics, sustainability and the beauty sector meet, advising companies toward more responsible and credible ways of engaging with their audiences while managing risk.

During the last ten years, she has watched the Public Relations function shift from a publicity function to a pillar within the business strategy. Media coverage is no longer the only measure of success. Today, communications influence stakeholder perception, and a company’s intentions, values and long-term direction. Leaders are expected to speak openly about the issues shaping their organizations, not just about product performance.

Her work is about helping organizations step confidently into this new environment. Many still hesitate to address topics like sustainability and environmental impact for fear of criticism. Most ESG consultancies handle metrics; almost none handle reputational risk, messaging and media defense together. Yet silence often creates a bigger gap between a brand and audience expectations. She encourages companies to communicate honestly about their progress, challenges and ambitions, believing that transparency is a prerequisite for trust. Simply communicate the journey … it builds trusts early on.

Ethical communication for her, it is not a trend or a marketing angle, but a long-term commitment to credibility and responsible leadership. She supports clients in areas such as ESG reputation management, inclusive messaging, storytelling and elevating under-represented brands across Europe and the Middle East.

One area she is particularly passionate about is founder-driven communication as well as personal risk management. She sees a founder’s voice as a strategic asset that cannot be duplicated by competitors, but rather builds human connection that strengthens brand loyalty and shapes the future of how organizations communicate.

Teresa will attend the EU Startup seminar in Malta from 07 & 08 May 2026.  If you would like to connect, please reach out to her on LinkedIn. https://www.eu-startups.com/summit/