Miguel Marques: The discreet Lisbon money manager tending Ronaldo's $1.4 bn

By Henrique Almeida

 

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most visible sports stars on the planet and the most followed person on Instagram, unlike his wealth manager. 

Miguel Marques, 52, is a discreet but pivotal figure in tending to Ronaldo’s immense fortune. Operating from a Lisbon office above the Louis Vuitton flagship store on the swanky Avenida da Liberdade, the Portuguese private banker helps the footballer deploy and protect his estimated $1.4 billion net worth. 

 

Marques is listed as chief executive officer and chairman of Lisbon-based LMcapital Wealth Management on the firm’s website. His previous experience includes working at the Portuguese subsidiary of Anglo Irish Bank Suisse, later acquired by Switzerland’s Hyposwiss.

 

The wealth manager was also listed as a director in Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 hotel in Manchester, the Northern UK city where the young Ronaldo rose to global stardom playing for Manchester United.

 

Marques declined to comment on his client’s finances when contacted by Bloomberg, citing privacy reasons. 

 

Wealth managers for sports stars have tended to have a stable of athletes, with major banks and boutiques offering a wide range of services. But as some athletes’ wealth reaches stratospheric heights, the need for their own family office has begun to increase. Michael Jordan, also a billionaire, has Jump Management, while Roger Federer’s Team8 helps manage his investments. 

 

Ronaldo’s business relationships are built on trust and loyalty, according to those familiar with his dealings. The player prefers to consult a close group of advisers and friends for investment decisions, particularly those who have demonstrated discretion. Individuals he believes have been indiscreet are quickly excluded from his inner circle. 

Those investments often reflect a deep connection to his home country. He turned to Marques to help set up meetings with investors when considering taking a stake in City of Padel, a Lisbon-based racket club.

 

A few years ago, Ronaldo also quietly purchased a large plot of land in Quinta da Marinha, an exclusive golf and residential resort. The roughly 9,000-square-meter plot, one of the most coveted in the area, is being transformed into what’s expected to be one of the most private and secure homes on Portugal’s coastline.

 

The deal was arranged through intermediaries. According to Miguel Champalimaud, who owned the land and the resort, Ronaldo’s name was kept secret until the end of negotiations. 

 

“I only found out on the day that the deal was done,” he said. “The middlemen hid Ronaldo’s name until the end.”

 

One of those jealously guarding his client’s identity was Marques, the quiet wealth manager entrusted with steering Ronaldo’s fortune.