ActiveCap - Capital Partners, SCR, S.A.
João Ferreira Marques is a seasoned investment professional with over 27 years of experience in private capital. distressed assets, structured credit, real estate, and special situations. He has structured and executed more than €70 billion in transactions, including €5 billion in equity investments in Portugal, across leadership roles at ABN AMRO, RBS, Arrow Global and Whitestar.
João is a founding partner at ActiveCap, where he focuses on distressed credit, non-performing loans (NPLs), opportunistic real estate, and special situations. He has partnered with leading global investors such as Bain Capital Credit, Apollo, Elliott, AB CarVal, Och-Ziff, and others, advising on investments in Europe bringing deep execution capability and strategic insight into complex asset plays.
João is a Senior Advisor at Bain Capital Credit, where he supports the firm’s credit strategies in Portugal, focusing on distressed opportunities, special situations, and real estate-backed investments.
In addition to his capital markets and structured credit background, João brings deep real estate investment expertise, including the acquisition, financing, and repositioning of distressed and value-add property assets. His integrated view of credit and real estate markets allows him to uncover and structure high-return opportunities with strong downside protection.
Earlier in his career, João worked at Fitch Ratings and DBRS, where he specialized in European securitizations and structured credit transactions, covering ABS, RMBS, and CDO/CLO markets. His foundation in credit risk, legal structuring, and deal-making with sophisticated capital partners informs his disciplined, opportunity-driven investment approach.
He holds an Advanced Management Program (AMP) from INSEAD, a Master’s in Business Economics & Finance from Manchester Business School, a Postgraduate in Financial Markets from ISCTE, and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and in Management & Accounting.
ActiveCap - Capital Partners, SCR, S.A.
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ActiveCap is a mid-market private equity firm based in Lisbon, Portugal, specialising in growth capital, private credit, and special situations investments. Established in 2018, ActiveCap focuses on supporting the expansion, transformation, and resilience of Portuguese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with strong fundamentals and ambitious growth plans. We offer dedicated investment vehicles for growth, research and development, credit, and special situations—including restructurings and operational improvements. This flexible approach allows us to tailor both equity and credit solutions to each company’s unique context, whether accelerating organic growth, supporting strategic acquisitions, enabling business turnarounds, or facilitating ownership transitions. We work in close partnership with management teams and shareholders to ensure alignment of interests and to deliver hands-on support, combining human and financial capital to drive sustainable value creation. With over 60 years of combined experience across private equity, credit, and investment banking, our executive team brings a strong track record of helping companies navigate challenges, capture new opportunities, and compete on a global stage. ActiveCap is committed to responsible investment and long-term impact, aiming to be the preferred partner for Portugal’s next generation of leading businesses.