Rede Ferroviária Nacional - REFER, E.P., was incorporated in accordance with Decree-Law nº104/97 of April 29, 1997. It was set up mainly to manage Portugal's rail transportation network, while developing other closely related activities, in line with upgrade and efficiency concepts, so as to ensure a regular and continuous public service.

REFER, EP also:

Constructs, installs and renovates rail transportation infrastructures, including, in particular, their respective study, planning and development;

REFER, EP, is the outcome of the adaptation of Portuguese railways to the demands of the Single Market, to ensure they increase their efficiency by means of:

• independently managed rail transportation companies
• separating rail transportation infrastructures from operating services
• rebuilding the financial structure of rail transportation companies

Chairman of the Board of Directors
Luís Filipe Melo e Sousa Pardal

Obtaining his Civil Engineering degree from Lisbon’s Higher Technical Institute in 1971, in that same year he began his career at the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, going to work as an engineer in the Planning Department. In 1973 he joined the Portuguese highways concessionaire, BRISA – Auto-Estradas de Portugal, S.A., where he held posts in the Technical (1973-76) and Operating (1976-82) Departments. Between 1985 and 1986 he went on to take charge of the putting in place of the Restructuring Plan for Macau’s Public Transportation System. Thereafter, for about a year, he acted as Advisor to the Public Works and Transportation Services in Macau.

In 1987, he was invited to join the staff of Ferbritas to manage the general coordination of the Integrated Project to Upgrade the Beira Alta Railway Line, and later to conduct the Management of Rail Enterprise Activities.

In November 1990 he was appointed as a Director to the Board of Ferbritas, S.A., a corporate office which he performed for some 12 years (1990-2002). During almost half that time (1997-2002), he also held office as Chairman of the Executive Committee