About HVR Business Consulting
HVR Business Consulting is a certified accounting and tax advisory firm based in Parque das Nações, Lisbon, founded in 2014 by Hugo Velez Ribeiro, Certified Accountant with the Portuguese Order of Certified Accountants (OCC nº 64356). We serve 200+ companies in Portugal — Portuguese SMEs, Startup Portugal-certified tech companies, real estate operators, healthcare practices, hospitality businesses, and foreign-owned companies and expat founders using IFICI (the NHR replacement). Our 7-person team works in English, Portuguese and Spanish, making us a practical choice for international clients setting up or operating in Portugal.
Our story
HVR Business Consulting was founded in 2014 by Hugo Ribeiro after 15+ years in SROC (Sociedade de Revisores Oficiais de Contas — Portuguese audit) and accounting for large Portuguese groups. The founding insight: bring audit-firm rigor to SMEs that typically receive transactional accounting service without strategic visibility or proactive tax planning.
Over 11 years, HVR has grown organically from a solo practice to a 7-person team serving 200+ active clients. We don't accept clients purely for volume — we prioritise long-term relationships where we can support the company through critical phases (launch, expansion, succession, internationalisation, exit).
Since 2020, demand from international founders, remote workers and Golden Visa investors moving to Portugal has grown significantly. HVR is one of the few certified accounting firms in Lisbon with deep expertise in IFICI / former NHR, cross-border tax planning, and English-speaking support across the full client lifecycle.
What we do
Four core service lines:
- Certified accounting — monthly bookkeeping, VAT (IVA), corporate tax (IRC), IES, Modelo 22, withholding tax, SAF-T monthly submission, and full annex packages. Both organised and simplified accounting regimes. More on accounting →
- Tax & business consulting — IRC optimisation, SIFIDE II (32.5% R&D tax credit), RFAI, DLRR, ICE, company formation, restructurings, due diligence, holding structures, transfer pricing. More on consulting →
- External CFO (fractional CFO) — financial management, cash flow projections, KPI dashboards, board-ready reporting, controls and budgeting for growth-stage SMEs and venture-backed startups. More on CFO services →
- Payroll & HR — wage processing, DMR (monthly wage statement), Social Security filings, holiday/Christmas allowances, plus startup-specific payroll: stock option taxation (EBF art. 43-A), RSU vesting events, IFICI integration for international hires.
Who we serve
Our client mix reflects our practical specialisation:
- Portuguese SMEs (60%) — 5- to 50-employee Portuguese-owned businesses across services, light industry, retail and construction.
- Startups & tech companies (15%) — Startup Portugal-certified companies, with needs around SIFIDE II R&D credits, stock options (EBF art. 43-A), fundraising prep and cap table structuring.
- Real estate (10%) — developers, brokerages, property holding companies, AL (short-term rental) operators. We're specialists in construction VAT, IMT, AIMI and capital gains.
- Hospitality & tourism (5%) — hotels, restaurants, and high-volume AL portfolios.
- Healthcare professionals (5%) — clinics and liberal practitioners (Category B) with specific VAT exemption regimes (art. 9).
- Foreign-owned companies & expats (5% — growing) — Portuguese entities with foreign shareholders, IFICI / former NHR support, Golden Visa accounting, international holding structures, fiscal representation coordination, double-taxation treaty application.
Why expats and foreign founders choose HVR
- Native English communication — emails, calls, meetings, document reviews all in English. No translation friction.
- IFICI specialists — we've helped 30+ clients activate the IFICI regime (20% flat tax for 10 years). Full guidance on Annex L, eligible professions list, residency timing.
- US/UK/DE tax bridging — we coordinate with international counsel (your home-country accountant) so Portuguese filings align with US 1040, UK SA, German EStG, etc.
- Cross-border structures — Portuguese subsidiary of US C-Corp, UK Ltd, German GmbH, with proper transfer pricing.
- Currency-flexible reporting — internal management accounts in USD/GBP for parent-company consolidation alongside Portuguese SNC reporting in EUR.
Our team
Led by Hugo Velez Ribeiro, Certified Accountant OCC nº 64356, the HVR team includes 7 professionals — Certified Accountants (junior and senior), administrative staff, a dedicated payroll processor, and a senior tax advisor. Continuous training is mandatory: all staff attend annual OCC training and we sponsor attendance at sectoral conferences (Fórum Fiscal, EY/PwC Tax Update events, ANJE Startup gatherings).
Credentials
- Hugo Velez Ribeiro — Certified Accountant, OCC Professional Card nº 64356, registered with the Portuguese Order of Certified Accountants (www.occ.pt).
- Academic background — Bachelor's in Management (ISCTE), postgraduate certificate in Taxation.
- Prior experience — 15+ years in SROC audit firms (KPMG, BDO, Portuguese practices).
- Recognition — Made of Lisboa member, listed in directories including Lisbob, Wone Global, and ranked Top 5% Portuguese SMEs (Scoring 2025 — 4th place among SME firms in Lisbon).
Where we are
Headquarters: Avenida da Boa Esperança, Loja 4A, 1990-043 Parque das Nações, Lisbon. 5 minutes' walk from Oriente station (Metro, CP train, Carris bus), free parking at Centro Vasco da Gama. In-person meetings without charge for clients in Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra, Almada, Loures and Mafra. For clients outside Greater Lisbon: video meetings (Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom).
Contact: +351 965 463 618 · info@hvr.pt · Office hours: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00 (Lisbon time, UTC+0/+1).
How to get started
We offer a free 30-minute diagnostic call for prospective clients. No commitment. We assess:
- Current tax and accounting status
- Immediate and medium-term risks
- Legal tax-optimisation opportunities (applicable benefits)
- Whether HVR services fit your situation (we'll tell you if they don't)
After the diagnostic, you receive a concrete proposal with scope, timeline and fixed monthly fee. No hidden charges. No lock-in — cancel anytime with 30 days' notice.