Born in Lisbon on 23rd September 1952, he is a Trustee of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (since 16th November 2015).

Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins has presided over the Arts Board of the National Centre of Culture; is a Corresponding Member of the Lisbon Academy of Science; a full time member of the Naval Academy; an Academic of Merit of the Portuguese Academy of History; Guest Tenured Professor at the Lusíada University of Lisbon and ISCSP – the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences of the Technical University of Lisbon.

He held the positions of the National Centre of Culture (2002 – 2016), President of the Portuguese Court of Audit (2005-2015), and Council of Corruption Prevention (2008-2015), EUROSAI – European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (2011-2014) and the Contact Committee of the Presidents of Supreme European Union Audit Institutions (2011-2012); General Auditor of the Assembly of the Western European Union (2008-2011); Minister to the Presidency (2000-2002), of Finance (2001-2002) and Education (1999-2000); State Secretary for Education Administration (1995-1999); Member of Parliament (1980-1985, 1991-1995, re-elected in 1995, 1999, 2002-2005); Vice-President of the National UNESCO Commission (1988-1994).

He was President of SEDES – the Association for Economic and Social Development (1985-1995); and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe that drafted the Faro Convention on the value of Cultural Heritage in contemporary society (Faro, 27th October 2005).

He has been awarded the Grand-Cross of the Military Order of Christ and Grand Officer in the Order of Infante D. Henrique; Commander of the Order of Isabel, the Catholic (Spain); Grand-Cross in the Order of Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazil); Officer in the Order of the Legion of Honour (France); Medal of Gratitude from the European Solidarity Centre (Poland); Cross of the Grand Officer in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland; Municipal Medal of Merit – Gold Standard (Municipal Council of Loulé); Minister Victor Nunes Leal Collar of Merit (Court of Audit, Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).