In their attempts to attract foreign direct investment, Portuguese officials once talked about textiles, shoes and automotive parts. Nowadays, they speak of big projects in alternative energy and information technology. Yet Craig Sharp, a 33-year-old Briton, has chosen an entirely different sector – surfing holidays – and he could be just the kind of energetic entrepreneur needed by countries such as Portugal to help revitalise their struggling economies on Europe’s periphery.
Mr Sharp made his $1m of investments almost by accident. Brought up on the Isle of Wight, he spent several years surfing in Australia before returning to Europe to work for the family clothing business, which moved production to Hungary and then Morocco.
