�ԹϺ�� Business School academics take to the stage in Lisbon

This August, �ԹϺ�� Business School academics joined comedians and industry leaders to explore the parallels of comedy and business at Lisbon’s Mock Festival.

7 September 2026

2 minute read

From pitching a million-pound business idea to connecting with customers, some of the skills that matter most in running a successful business are also at the heart of making people laugh: confidence, communication, creativity, timing, and understanding your audience.

The festival delivered the sessions on the Tribeca Storymakers Stage at for a series of conversations bringing academics, comedians and industry leaders together.

The programme opened with Set Up. Pay Off. How to Build a Career When Stakes are High, bringing together two Professors of Finance Professor Cláudia Custódio��Ի� , comedian José Diogo Quintela and Henrique Mota Lourenço, Booking Director at Kilt and Worten Mock Fest. The discussion explored the different paths people take when building a career, alongside the role of financial decisions and the skills needed to develop sustainable and meaningful professional careers.

“I was delighted to take part in Mock Fest and see academics, alumni and comedians come together. There’s more common ground than you might think – from reading the room and understanding your audience to thinking creatively and knowing when to adapt.”

Professor Cláudia Custódio

Professor of Finance

The second conversation, Pitch It to a Comedian, looked at what makes a business idea compelling. Comedians and writers Cláudio Almeida and Rui Cruz joined �ԹϺ�� Business School Associate and physician , to explore how humour, storytelling and improvisation can transform the way an idea is communicated.

The final session, Can’t Buy Me Laughter – Why Businesses Love Humour?, turned the focus towards brands, leadership and organisational culture. Comedian and Worten Mock Fest ambassador Luana do Bem joined �ԹϺ�� Business School alumnus Guida Marques Pinto, Business Director of Loyalty & Customer Value at Worten, and Andreia Vaz, Head of Brand & CX at Worten, Guilherme Ludovice and , to discuss how humour can help businesses create more authentic and memorable connections with customers and employees.

The three conversations reflected the School’s focus on bringing academic thinking into conversations with business and wider society, while exploring familiar business challenges from an unconventional perspective. From financial decision-making and career development to pitching ideas and building brands, the sessions highlighted the role that creativity, communication and an understanding of people can play across the business world.