Luísa Freitas dos Santos, an alumna of the Faculty of Biotechnology at Universidade Católica Portuguesa (ESB-UCP) in Porto, has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by King Charles III as part of the United Kingdom's New Year Honours List.
The honour recognises her outstanding services to pharmaceutical engineering and was presented personally by the King during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Currently serving as Global Vice President of Clinical Supply Chain at the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Luísa Freitas dos Santos has built a career spanning more than two decades in drug development, leading research and development teams across five different countries.
Her academic journey began at the School of Biotechnology of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, an institution she has previously acknowledged as instrumental in providing her with a strong engineering foundation, enabling her to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London.
Luísa Freitas dos Santos said she was deeply honoured to receive the distinction from King Charles III, describing it as a collective recognition of the work carried out over the past thirty years alongside talented and dedicated colleagues, both within and beyond the field of pharmaceutical engineering.
She also expressed her gratitude to everyone who has supported and encouraged her throughout her career, noting that, despite the significant progress made in the development of new medicines and vaccines, there is still much work to be done.
She added that the recognition has strengthened her determination to continue improving health outcomes and to inspire more people to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Reflecting on the ceremony at Windsor Castle, she described it as a special day shared with her family, whose support has been constant throughout her professional journey. She left the ceremony feeling inspired to continue using her work to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
This is not the first time Luísa Freitas dos Santos has received international recognition. The Portuguese engineer had previously been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the highest professional distinction awarded to an engineer in the United Kingdom.
The newly awarded CBE adds to a remarkable career that began in Porto and has led Luísa Freitas dos Santos to hold senior leadership positions within the British pharmaceutical industry, further enhancing the international reputation of the Faculty of Biotechnology and its alumni.