Director of the Art Library and Archives, João Vieira began his collaboration with the Foundation as an archives’ consultant in 2001. Between November 2014 and May 2017, he held the position of assistant director of the Gulbenkian Archives.

He graduated in History from the FCSH at Nova University of Lisbon (1982-86) and completed a post-graduate program in Information Science – Archives at the Faculty of Letters, University of Lisbon (1987-89).

He began his professional activities as an archivist at the Commission for the Reform and Reinstallation of the National Archives – Torre do Tombo in 1987, before joining the Portuguese Institute of Archives and the General Directorate of the Treasury. As from 1994, he took over responsibility for the management of archival, library, architectural heritage research and inventories issues under the auspices of the General Directorate of National Buildings and Monuments. Between 2007 and 2014, he served as director of SIPA – the Portuguese Architectural Heritage Information System (at Forte de Sacavém ).

He was a consultant on archival matters and projects for a diverse range of public and private entities including: Office of the State Secretary of the Treasury (1993-94); Office of the Ministry of Education (1996-97); Historical Institute of Education (1999-2002); Portuguese Society of Education Sciences /Faculty of Psychological and Education Sciences (1997-2001). He served as an expert to CReSAP – the Commission for Public Administrative Recruitment and Selection (2013-2014). Since 2009, he has been a member of the Scientific Board of the Architect Marques da Silva Institute Foundation at the University of Oporto.
Between 2004 and 2012, he was guest lecturer on the post-graduate and master’s degree programs in Information Science at the Nova University of Lisbon and the University of Évora.
Since 2008, he has collaborated with the International Council on Archives and, following his election, held the functions of Secretary and Chair of the Section on Architectural Records for the four-year periods of 2004-2008 and 2008-2012, respectively. He currently serves as a member of the Editorial Board of COMMA, the International Journal on Archives.

As a speaker, moderator and/or organiser, he has participated in many technical and scientific meetings at the national and international levels, especially on Information Science, architectural and urban heritage and the associated arts. He coordinated and participated in scientific research projects, exhibitions and publications in the aforementioned fields and is the author of multiple studies published on these themes.