José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello)
Also known as Grupo José de Mello, José de Mello Capital, SA, José de Mello Group
Lisbon holding of the Guimarães de Mello family (José de Mello Capital, SA). Owns Bondalti, WineStone and Lifthium, 65.85% of CUF and 16.73% of Brisa; commits to VC/PE funds.
USEFUL FOR Fund managers raising capital · Co-investors
Holding of the Guimarães de Mello family (heirs of José Manuel de Mello). Not to be confused with Mello RDC, the family office of António Ribeiro da Cunha (Jorge de Mello branch), or with the Nutrinveste/Sovena group.
Family & background
- FAMILY
- Guimarães de Mello
- WEALTH ORIGIN
- CUF industrial group (Alfredo da Silva); rebuilt from 1988 by his grandson José Manuel de Mello
- HEADQUARTERS
- Lisbon, Portugal
- FOUNDED
- 1988
Investment approach
- GEOGRAPHY
- Portugal
- ROUTES
- Companies (own capital) · Funds (as LP)
Overview
José de Mello Capital, SA is the holding of the Grupo José de Mello, which traces its origin to the CUF group founded by Alfredo da Silva and nationalised in 1975; José Manuel de Mello, his grandson, set up the José de Mello holding in 1988 to rebuild the group, which says it keeps a family base and control. The group describes itself as positioned on a set of stakes in companies: Bondalti (chemicals, energy and water treatment), CUF (private healthcare), Brisa (motorways, 16.73%, outside its consolidation perimeter) and WineStone (wine, created in 2023), plus the lithium-refining project Lifthium Energy. Its 2025 integrated report records larger commitments to the Portuguese funds Shilling and Faber, new commitments to Portobello and Kibo Ventures (Spain) and DN Capital (UK), and the creation of José de Mello Ventures, S.A. to hold these fund investments. Salvador de Mello has been executive chairman since early 2021 and Vasco de Mello chairs the board.
Investment thesis
Business strategy built on scale and value creation: managing mature businesses, identifying new high-potential opportunities and leading company or business restructurings, with diversified involvement in the Portuguese economy.
Holdings & investments (11)
INVESTMENT ARMS & VEHICLES
- José de Mello Ventures, S.A.Wholly owned vehicle set up in 2025 to hold the group's investments in venture capital and private equity funds
HOLDINGS & INVESTMENTS · MOST RECENT FIRST
- BondaltiNOTABLEIndustrial & Manufacturing · since 1997 · Wholly owned (100%)
- CUFNOTABLEMajority stake (65.85%)
- BrisaNOTABLEMobility & Logistics · since 2000 · Minority stake (16.73%)
- Portobello (fund commitment)since 2025 · Fund commitment
- Kibo Ventures (fund commitment)since 2025 · Fund commitment
- DN Capital (fund commitment)since 2025 · Fund commitment
- Food & Agriculture · since 2023 · Wholly owned (100%)
- EfacecIndustrial & Manufacturing · since 2000 · Exited
- Lifthium EnergyClimate & Energy · Wholly owned (100%)
- Shilling (fund commitment)Fund commitment
- Faber (fund commitment)Fund commitment
People
- Vasco Maria Guimarães José de MelloChairman of the Board of Directors · source
- Salvador Maria Guimarães José de MelloVice-Chairman; Chairman of the Executive Committee · source
- Pedro Maria Guimarães José de MelloVice-Chairman of the Board of Directors · source
- João Maria Guimarães José de MelloBoard Member; Executive Committee member · source
- Gonçalo Maria Guimarães José de MelloBoard Member · source
- João Pedro Stilwell Rocha e MeloBoard Member; Executive Committee member · source
- Luis Eduardo Brito Freixial de GoesBoard Member; Executive Committee member · source
- Rui Alexandre Pires DinizBoard Member; Executive Committee member · source
- António Horta OsórioBoard Member · source
- Inês CaldeiraBoard Member · source
- João Pedro Ribeiro de Azevedo CoutinhoBoard Member · source
- Luisa DelgadoBoard Member · source
- Raúl Catarino Galamba de OliveiraBoard Member · source
Frequently asked questions
José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) is a family holding based in Lisbon, Portugal, founded in 1988.
José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) invests on behalf of the Guimarães de Mello family (CUF industrial group (Alfredo da Silva); rebuilt from 1988 by his grandson José Manuel de Mello).
José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) invests its own capital into companies and in third-party funds as an LP.
José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) invests in Industrial & Manufacturing, HealthTech, Mobility & Logistics and Food & Agriculture.
Key people at José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) include Vasco Maria Guimarães José de Mello (Chairman of the Board of Directors), Salvador Maria Guimarães José de Mello (Vice-Chairman; Chairman of the Executive Committee), Pedro Maria Guimarães José de Mello (Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors) and João Maria Guimarães José de Mello (Board Member; Executive Committee member).
José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello)'s holdings and investments include Bondalti, CUF, Brisa, WineStone, Lifthium Energy, Shilling (fund commitment), Faber (fund commitment) and Portobello (fund commitment), among others.
The most recent publicly reported investment by José de Mello Capital (Grupo José de Mello) is Kibo Ventures (fund commitment) (Fund commitment), announced in Dec 2025.