Paula Marques was born in Lisbon, Portugal. After completing her degree in Environmental Engineering she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to do a masters degree in Architecture and Urban Planning in the US. She worked for the Portuguese government and as a consultant for the European Community. She had a rich and varied career at Shell International, holding senior management positions in business development, strategy and portfolio management, and innovation. During her time at Shell she also completed a post graduate degree in Business Management at the London Business School. She has been a ground breaking advocate and mentor for the adoption of sustainable business practices, and for the advancement of women in business and public organizations. She is a distinguished speaker for several professional organizations and a jury member for the European Union Energy Program. In October 2009 she joined DeepBlue Energy as a senior partner.