Mafalda de Avelar, 36 years old, graduated in Economics from Nova University, Lisbon, Portugal and with a Masters in International Relations from John Hopkins University (School of Advanced International Studies - SAIS) which was done in Bolonha, Italy and Washington DC, USA.

During her academic and professional career, she has been an Erasmus student at the Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium, and Masters student in external trade at the University of São Paulo, Brazil (not concluded). She has also participated in the GásAfrica Programme of Católica University, Lisbon in Guiné Bissau, in the ICEP contact programme in Brazil, has given lessons and one to one classes in some neighbourhoods in Lisbon, done a traineeship at Young and Rubicam, Denmark and been assistant to Microeconomics Professor Eric Fisher, SAIS, Bolonha.

A journalist since 1999, she has worked for the Folha de São Paulo, the Gazeta Mercantil and on InvestNews. She has been an independent correspondent, namely to “ O Independente”, from São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Bolonha and Washington DC. She has also worked in the marketing department of the Público newspaper and the rectory of Nova University, Lisbon.

Author of this blog 'livros e manias' (books and manias/trends) and of 'livrosavoltadomundo.blogs.sapo.pt' (books around the world), contributor on the programme 'Succeso.pt' (success.pt) on SIC News and co-author of the book of the same name.

A freelance journalist for many years in Portugal and abroad, she collaborated with a national film production company, Stopline Films selecting scripts and international contracts.

Author of the column "Ideias em Estante" ('ideas on a shelf') which was published for four years in the newspaper Expresso and which is now in the Diário Económico' on Fridays.

After the column moved to the Diário Económico it became available in 2 new formats. Interviews with authors broadcast on Web and economic tv and also on television on the evening news of Economic TV, on Fridays at 7.45 pm.

The column also includes the first ranking for economics and management books which bears comparison with other international rankings and is done in strict collaboration with the following bookshops: Almedina, Babel, Barata, Betrand, Book.it and Fnac.

Writer of features for Diário Económico.