Luis Plácido dos Santos works as Director of the Education and Science department.

He previously served as Head of Gulbenkian Scholarships from 2021 to 2025. Since joining the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2014, he has held various project management positions in the Human Development and Sustainable Development Programs, as well as a role in the Secretariat of the Board of Trustees’ Evaluation Taskforce.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra and a master’s degree in management from the Nova School of Business and Economics. He also completed postgraduate studies in Philanthropy, Grantmaking and Social Investment at Bayes Business School – City, University of London, where he also obtained a specialization in Charity Investment. Additionally, he has completed specializations in Fundraising at Harvard University, Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation at the University of Bologna, and Peace Operations and Humanitarian Action at the Human Rights Center of the University of Coimbra.

Before transitioning to the philanthropic sector, Luis worked in the private sector across diverse areas, such as information systems, consumer goods, and energy.