The Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP) is negotiating the rental of the Palácio do Manteigueiro, a former building of the Ministry of Economy, to establish its headquarters there. The president of CIP, Armindo Monteiro, confirmed that it is a rental and not a transfer, as had been admitted by the Economy minister, and added that he is waiting for the rent determination process, without having information on the current status.
The process officially started over a year ago, after CIP formalized its interest through a letter sent to the office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, dated August 5, 2025. The negotiations generated some controversy: at the CIP's 50th anniversary dinner, in November 2026, the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, announced that the Government would make the building available to CIP, and the confederation confirmed it was close to signing contracts for an extended term. However, the Ministry of Infrastructure halted the process by stating, on December 4, that it had no knowledge of any legal opinion, appraisal or contract proposal submitted by CIP.
The Palácio do Manteigueiro, located on Rua da Horta Seca, in Chiado, is a property dating from 1787, designed by architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa. The name comes from its first owner, Domingos Mendes Dias, a merchant from Montalegre who made his fortune through wholesale butter trade. The property had several owners over the centuries, having served as residence to the first democratically elected President of the Republic, Manuel de Arriaga, in 1911. In 1975, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, led by João Cravinho, was the first public body to install itself in the palace, and in 1990 the property was acquired by IAPMEI.
The property was once referenced in the Revive program, but was never actually put on the market, according to the president of Turismo de Portugal, Carlos Abade. CIP intends to install not only its headquarters in the building, but also an academy in the field of professional training. The current headquarters of the entity is located near Rua da Junqueira, also in Lisbon.
