
Can a philosopher’s heart thrive in harmony with a commercial executive’s ambition? César Couto Ferreira proves it can. A former DJ and executive at MTV and Vice Media, and a Web Summit champion in Lisbon, César knows the seductive allure of glamour, fame, and paychecks. Yet, beyond the comfort of titles and recognition, lies the pull of purpose: crafting a vision, owning a legacy, and building something truly personal.
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Vince Chen
Hi everyone. Welcome to our show. Chief Change Officer, I'm Vince Chen, your ambitious human host. Our show is a modernist community for change. Progressives in organizational and human transformation from around the world. Today's guest is Cecil Coutou Ferreta from Portugal, a beautiful, beautiful country. I visited a few years ago to join the Web Summit in Lisbon as a guest and a speaker. The people are warm, the food is great, the sea and the sky is so blue. I surely want to go back. This episode is like a real live version of the popular HBO TV series Succession. I'm sure many of you have watched the show. It's not just about a secession war for the top job of CEO within a super wealthy and powerful family, but also about the war in old media versus new media and tech. A succession from old money to new money. Since the beginning of the century, Cecil has been involved in this transformation from analog to digital media. From a DJ and TV presenter to an MTV Networks executive. Working with Madonna and all the music stars, he seen the bright and dark sides of 21st century media and entertainment. Without further ado, let's get into the womb.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
When I was a kid, I was always keen for biology, for science. And I went to the biotech and I had the opportunity to do this scholarship and I went to France. I was an art performance athlete and I was 19. And this is obviously the passion of my life. But I had a family that was in media. All my family from my mom's side, basically they were working in media, in radio, philosophers, they were thinkers, basically very creative people. And my brain in a way was divided. I always wanted for the logical side of things. But my DNA, let's put it like this, my genetics and my environment was pushing me to arts and to be creative. There was a time that I finished my graduation and I thought, okay, I'm going to do biotech and I'm going to work with wine. I'm going to do everything I dream of. But my passion was radio. And this is really good because we're doing a podcast. So this for me is really nice. So radio just was craving for me. It was calling me and my dreams obviously was resonating. And I had this amazing opportunity to become a radio bj.
Vince Chen
Wow.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
Quite, quite early in my life and I was studying at the same time and doing radio at the same time. And I finished my grad and suddenly someone asked me, this is really funny because it was having this coffee conversation and someone was listening to me and said, are you that guy? And I said, yeah. And he said, do you want to work for my radio? Can be the radio manager. I was 23 years old and I became a radio manager. Then I accepted and I was quite successful. And then television came. I just became this TV host for a local TV channel. In the very brief moment of my life, in three, four years, my dream come true. I all decided I wanted to work for mtv. I was always watching MTV when I was a kid and I was always saying, I'm going to work one day, I'm going to work on mtv. But I never thought that was possible because this is a channel in us. I never felt that they were going to come to Europe. I never thought they were going to come to Portugal. And I never felt I was going to get out of Fortune. Talk about, I'm 49, this is almost like 20, 22 years ago. And it happened suddenly. I got into MTV. I signed a deal with them. They launched MTV Portugal. And in 2003 I just moved to London and everything was new to me. And this is the first step for me to discover the world by myself in this big company. And I was the youngest programming manager in Europe. And I suddenly I was working with my idol. I was surrounded by them. I have daily conversations with them. I was seen by Euros artists, people that I really love. After two weeks in London, I was sitting down in coffee places and bars and clubs and hanging around with people that I admire. And this is a transformation for me. This is the transformation that I embrace for nine years almost at mtv. And I started with MTV Portugal. Then I launched MTV based Africa as a mentor. I moved to MTV Italy, I launched mtv. Greece was the first license in Europe. First full HD channel for MTV Europe. And that was crazy. And outside REM last concert in Europe, 70,000 people to do the EMAs in Lisbon 2005. You know, 1 billion people streaming and watching it. See, we already go into the direction of streaming.
Vince Chen
I think we are looking at something much, much bigger than just a personal transformation. Your three minute career story is not only your own evolution, but also a pivotal shift in the entire media and entertainment industry. From the analog world to the digital and social media age.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
With MTV with Vibes, I'm happy with that. I know that I did a good job, I had an influence. And when you work with a global brand that has such a huge voice, you're going to do good if you want to do good. And I did good things. So I'm really happy for that. And it's really easy to work in a global brand. It's so easy because things come to you. You just have to say, I work for MTV and everything's good. Everybody opens your doors. Then comes the failure part of things. Digital is not performing well for us. And I think the future is in the digital world. And I knew Shane Smith from Vice and I know the guys, the founders from Vice at the time, and I saw what they're doing in a very narcissistic way. And I moved to Vice because it was the CNN of the streets, as the claim said it at the time. And WPP was on board, everyone was on board and they were doing an amazing job at the time. So I moved to Vice and from that on I just decided, okay, I'm going to embrace technology and I'm going to embrace innovation. I was already working in tech since 2009, but I couldn't tell anyone I had a sidekick. I have a friend of mine that was the founder also of this company and we were just doing projects on the sideline just for fun. It was a fun business at the time for me, but I was in love by tech. When you work with a multinational global love brand, your ip, your intelligence belongs to them. You sign a waiver, it's normal. You're just going to find that everything that you create belongs to them.
Vince Chen
One thing I truly appreciate, and I think you will echo this, is that working in big corporations, no matter the industry, can be an incredible training ground. The opportunities are masses with a powerful brand lending prestige to your resume. But at the end of the day, much of what you work on isn't really your own intellectual property. With that in mind, and considering you've moved on back then, I'm curious about your thought process behind this decision. The reason I'm asking is that many of us, as we develop our career paths, face moments that are either expected or completely out of the blue. Each decision, each transition, I believe, is a delicate balance between logic and psychology. You mentioned earlier that while you are trained in science with a very logical mind, you're also very into art, into creative work, into philosophy. So back then, how did you navigate this balance when making career decisions?
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
Now, that's a really good question. And this is what politics say when they want to think about that question. I'm going to think about that question. Definitely. Transformation never ends. We know that. Transformation never ends. What was the X factor? What was the moment that really made me change? I knew that I was a creative person. I always suffer from imposter syndrome. It's normal. I need to change. And the industry was a little bit sick at the time. And there's an episode in my life and a lot of people don't know about this, but obviously, when I moved to London, I was living in Camden Town. Camden Town is surrounded by artists. It's where everyone is from Ricky Gervais to Amy Winehouse. Everyone is there. And I was immersed by that. And I met them and when I saw. And I was one of the first people to introduce amy Winehouse to 10 people in London, in the networks before she recorded Frank, I was listening to her songs, I was hanging around. I knew a lot of her people. We were going to the same pub, you know, Camden. We were almost neighbors. I lived in the same street as Coldplay, and I was like, damn, this is wrong. This is definitely wrong. We're not doing the best we can for the people, and we're not helping really creative and intelligent people like Amy Winehouse. She was one of the most beautiful people I know. She was such a creative and talented singer. And I saw what the industry was doing to her because she was in the wrong place with the wrong people. A lot of people, obviously, if you go and read about Amy, you're going to see the documentaries, you're going to see their bio. You're going to find out she had suffered from anorexia when she was quite young. And that's the thing is we don't care about people. We just want to do the profitable way. And at the time was her dad, and I was in the beach when someone called me. I was still working for mtv, obviously. And someone calls me, same feeling that I sell. They call me saying, look, Amy just died. It felt like when I was Woke up at 5am with Michael Jackson saying, michael Jackson just died. What we're going to do, because this is what happens, you know, when we prepare ourselves for them. When you work in the networks, you prepare yourselves. You discuss the obituary in the beginning of the year. And this is really bad, but this is the truth. This is News Flash. So we prepare the obituary and think, okay, who's going to die this year? Who are the ones that are going to mentally go down the drain? And when Amy died for me, because I was close by and I knew her and everything, that was something that I said, no, it's not. Enough is enough. I don't want to be more. I don't want to be part of this. I want to change. That was quite decisive to say, look, we need to change things, and I just wanted to change things.
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Vince Chen
Your experience reminds me of the movie Jerry Maguire. Have you seen it yourself? You work in what's essentially a people first industry, yet oftentimes these very people are treated more like products. And when you truly care about individuals as real humans with lives, worries, emotions and inevitable endpoints, it changes everything. Once you delve into the business aspects, as well as the personal connections with these individuals you interact with daily, it creates a profound internal conflict. I think of it as a struggle between two mindsets or the usual saying, drama is the reality, reality is the drama.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
It's crazy because I always say to people, reality is much way, way stranger than fiction. The way that we people come to me and say, hey, how does it work with Viacom and all that section people think, oh, come on, this is like media moguls, Game of Thrones. It's amazing. You've been there and chill, man, it's not like that. It's not like that. Obviously there's a lot of things that are inspired in real life, but real life is going to be much more complicated. It's going to be real. It's not science, it's not fiction. Sorry. So when I think about these people and when I think about the person that inspired Jim McGuire, they are so kind and so humble, full of knowledge. This is what I learned from them. And they are artists of change. And they know that. Yeah. And they know that nothing lasts forever. They know that.
Vince Chen
Artists of change, yes. Change is an art more than a science. You work in a media industry is always about the glamour, travel to all those places, parties.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
Yeah, flashlight. All the time.
Vince Chen
Exactly.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
They pump your ego all the time. But if you want to be a pioneer, you're going to face the wall. I think we discuss things.
Vince Chen
Yeah. The wall is right there. You don't need to, it's just right there.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
Exactly. It's like when you're the first person in the world to do something, you're touching the wall. It's not like I'm not going to face the wall. I'm touching the wall and I'm trying to understand the texture of the wall and how I can grasp between the branches of the wall.
Vince Chen
You've told me before that you're all in for building a legacy. After experiencing the highs and lows of the media and entertainment industry, you've gone on to build ventures and venture ecosystem in Brazil and back home in Portugal. A key highlight, I believe, has been your involvement with the web summit in Lisbon. While petty cost growth might be the face and voice of the summit, you've played a crucial role at A national level, influencing the government to take a leap of faith in integrating tourism with technology. Share with us your involvement in bringing this major event to the forefront and looking at the bigger picture. What kind of legacy are you aiming to build that makes you proud?
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
I'm a designer for society. That's what I did. Why did it happen and how did it happen? And I need to go back a little bit because Portugal was such a small country, such a small country. And we were an event country as I see it. And from my own experience, in 98, Portugal did Expo and that changed Lisbon, changed the perception. We understood the rules, we understand how to create huge events. After that, 2004, we asked the Euro cup again. A lot of tourism coming by. A lot of people come to Portugal. People, they saw something, some Paradise. And then 2005, this is my moment. This is where I feel that I had something to do with this. Because we have the European Music Awards, European music course in Portugal. And this is lisbon. Come on. 2005. And we had everyone, we had Madonna, Coldplay, Robin Williams. We had Borat as the host of that EMAs. And we had. We were live for 1 billion people. And Madonna came to Portugal and she fell in love by Portugal and she start living Portugal. And suddenly Portugal just comes in the map. It was a process to go to the web summit. And I said before, we need to follow the Irish podo. The web summit was born in Dublin. Paddy. Paddy was the guy and was the guy. Now he's not the CEO, but he still owns the company. And Paddy, when he made a deal with the government, with the prime minister at the time, with everyone that was involved in innovation, but in the tourism of Portugal. And they were able to broad the web summit that at the time was considered the biggest tech event in the world. We work along with the government, we work along with the Secretary of Innovation, had meetings in Brazil with ministers. For me, that was when you're working with a country that has 220 million people and needs to be helped, it needs transformation. That is unbelievable. And connecting the dots here, the web Summit, when Portaleg they called me and said, look, we want to apply to be host city to the web summit. This was like last minute. And immediately I called and I overrun the VP of Portugal. I overrun it because I knew the global media partnerships of the web summit. And I call her and said, look, portal wants to run for the web summit. But suddenly there were 70,000 people coming to Lisbon. It's crazy. And then I'm going to mention Philip Stark, don't let me go without Philip Stark mentioning this. One of the biggest designer in the world, he lives in Portugal. There's a reason why we are the most secure country in the continent. I think we're the third right now in the world. I think we are behind Iceland, New Zealand. Our confidence is changing and we learn the empathy and the compassion to embrace other people. And Philip Stark was saying this. I don't even want to work in Portugal because I don't want to destroy my paradise. And this was such a loving, caring way of saying this. Obviously I'm not stupid because we are a very age country. We are surrounded by really old people, very knowledgeable, but we need younger generation. We're not able to have kids. And so basically for us migration, it's natural. We have the biggest. The biggest community of Brazilians is obviously in Portugal due to the language. The second biggest one, it's Ukraine, Ukrainian people. And it's not because of the war, it's because they already been here and they help the country to develop the same way. What happened with migration in US in the past, with all the brains from Germany to Jewish going to the US and bringing knowledge, bringing so much knowledge.
Vince Chen
Capital, human capital and financial capital, of course, but both you have to have both elements in order for economy to grow. To develop is actually. Is the golden rule. Actually is a timeless golden rule.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
And there's no fast solutions. We know that in every kind of business there's no fast solutions. I would love for us to be Sweden. I was in the ecosystem in Stockholm and they are unbelievable, but they do. There are 4.5 million people, if I'm not wrong, in Sweden. And their GDP is crazy. Their level of literacy on every level, it's unbelievable. So for me, we're not still in that process at all. It's a long way to go. But when I do mentorship and when I see people and I see the talent that we're developing and learning from others, because so much good people from other countries, from other continents are coming to Portugal and bringing so much experience, so much talent, so much knowledge that we're evolving. Yesterday I saw a young CEO. She was 27 years old. She started her startup when she was 24. I was amazed by her knowledge, I was amazed by her focus. She was laser focused, major laser focus. And she was not born in Lisbon, she was not born in Porto. I think I was in Albedo or something like that. But the level of knowledge that she owns, it's crazy. And she was 27 years old. I I wanted to be her. Honestly, I was listening to her and I was seeing what she was saying and I was like, damn, you're really good. And I'm really happy for that. That's when you ask me what is my driven it's all about legacy. I all I have this I gave an interview once and in the middle of because I don't prepare myself for anything of this, I just go with flow. It's my way of working because I.
Vince Chen
Like to be like this Last question of the day. As a former media executive, what advice would you give to people who are deeply immersed in social media?
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
People need to read books, people need to work, people need to and right now everything's quite fast. The fear of missing out and there's a lot of hype. I always say to people, don't believe the hype. Don't be blinded by the lights. This is all media and creative cliches. But it's true. Go with the curiosity mind. Just go with this mindset. If you're doing that, it's already amazing because you learn so much. You're going to learn so much. It's anything like a hot topic is going to tell you. Okay, let's try to understand crispy editions or let's go to understand a little.
Vince Chen
Bit about thank you so much for your wise words and of course your time.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta
Foreign.
Vince Chen
Thank you so much for joining us today. If you like what you heard, don't forget, subscribe to our show, Leave us top rated reviews, check out our website and follow me on social media. I'm Vince Chan, your ambitious human host. Until next time, take care.
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Opzelura Safety Information Representative
Opzelura can lower your ability to fight infections. Tell your doctor if you have or had an infection, tb, hepatitis B or C blood clots in your legs or lungs heart attack, stroke, cancer high cholesterol are a smoker or pregnant. Opzelura may cause serious lung infections, certain cancers, immune system problems, blood clots and low blood cell counts. Major cardiovascular events or death occurred in those 50 taking oral jak inhibitors. The most common side effects were acne and itching where applied.
Opzelura Representative
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Podcast Title: Chief Change Officer
Episode Title: Building People, Not Products: César Couto Ferreira’s Journey from Entertainment to Legacy
Release Date: December 26, 2024
Host: Vince Chan
Guest: Cecil Coutou Ferreta
In this compelling episode of Chief Change Officer, host Vince Chan welcomes Cecil Coutou Ferreta, a seasoned media executive from Portugal. Cecil shares his transformative journey from a passion for biology and science to becoming a pivotal figure in the media and technology sectors. His story not only highlights personal career transitions but also mirrors the broader shifts within the global media and entertainment industry.
Cecil begins by recounting his early fascination with biology and his academic pursuits in biotechnology. However, familial influences steered him towards the creative world of media.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [04:39]: "When I was a kid, I was always keen for biology, for science... but my passion was radio. And this is really good because we're doing a podcast. So this for me is really nice."
At 23, Cecil seized an unexpected opportunity to become a radio manager, marking his entry into the media landscape. His rapid ascent continued as he transitioned to television, eventually realizing his long-held dream of working with MTV.
Cecil's tenure at MTV was marked by significant milestones. Starting with MTV Portugal, he played a crucial role in launching MTV across various European markets, including Africa, Italy, and Greece. His leadership contributed to groundbreaking events like the European Music Awards in Lisbon in 2005, which attracted over a billion viewers globally.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [08:16]: "With MTV, I knew that I did a good job, I had an influence. And when you work with a global brand that has such a huge voice, you're going to do good if you want to do good."
Despite his successes, Cecil faced challenges, particularly with the digital transformation of media. Recognizing the industry's shift towards digital and social platforms, he moved to Vice to immerse himself in technology and innovation.
Vince Chan [10:18]: "You mentioned earlier that while you are trained in science with a very logical mind, you're also very into art, into creative work, into philosophy. So back then, how did you navigate this balance when making career decisions?"
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [11:41]: "Transformation never ends... I saw what the industry was doing to people like Amy Winehouse, and I decided, enough is enough. I want to change things."
A pivotal moment in Cecil's career was the tragic death of Amy Winehouse, which deeply affected him and catalyzed his decision to drive meaningful change within the industry. This event underscored the importance of valuing individuals over profit, shaping his approach to leadership and innovation.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [17:45]: "Reality is much way, way stranger than fiction... they are artists of change. And they know that nothing lasts forever. They know that."
Cecil played a significant role in bringing the Web Summit to Lisbon, a move that positioned Portugal as a key player in the global tech ecosystem. Collaborating with government officials and leveraging his media expertise, he helped integrate tourism with technology, fostering economic growth and innovation.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [20:18]: "We're not able to have kids. And so basically for us, migration is natural. We have the biggest community of Brazilians... bringing so much experience, so much talent, so much knowledge that we're evolving."
Focused on building a lasting legacy, Cecil emphasizes the importance of mentorship and nurturing young talent. He celebrates the achievements of emerging leaders and underscores the necessity of continuous learning and adaptation in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [24:40]: "There's no fast solutions. We know that in every kind of business there's no fast solutions... When I see people and I see the talent that we're developing, I'm really happy for that. That's when you ask me what is my drive—it's all about legacy."
Drawing from his extensive experience in media, Cecil advises individuals to approach social media with curiosity and discernment. He cautions against being swayed by trends and encourages a focus on genuine learning and personal growth.
Cecil Coutou Ferreta [26:41]: "People need to read books, people need to work... Don't believe the hype. Don't be blinded by the lights. Go with the curiosity mind."
Cecil Coutou Ferreta's journey from science to media and technology exemplifies the power of adaptability and the pursuit of passion. His contributions have not only shaped the media landscape but also fostered innovation and growth within Portugal's tech ecosystem. Through his story, listeners are inspired to embrace change, value human intelligence, and strive for meaningful impact in their own careers.
Notable Quotes:
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