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History

1959 1965 1971 1978 1980 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1993 1995 1997 1998 2000 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
1959
On 18 August Sonae– Sociedade Nacional de Estratificados was founded
1965
Sonae hires Belmiro de Azevedo
1971
Sonae diversifies by acquiring NOVOPAN (particle board manufacturing unit and additional investments aimed at coated particle board production
1978
Workers go on strike against attempt to nationalise Sonae.
1980-89
Diversification: establishment of companies in Construction (Contacto), restaurant and hotel management (Ibersol
1983
Sonae and Promodès go into a joint venture to renew the distribution and retail business
1983
Sonae Investimentos, SGPS, SA is founded as a holding company and Sonae enters the capital market with a stock market capitalisation value of 500,000 (thousands of Portuguese Escudos or approximately €2.5 M)
1984
Acquisition and modernisation of Agloma (largest particle board manufacturer in the county
1984
Sonae UK, Ltd is created
1985
Opening of the 1st hypermarket in Portugal, the Continente in Matosinhos. This was the moment Sonae Distribuição began its activity, the result of the joint venture between Sonae and Promodès.
1986
Opening of the Porto Sheraton Hotel (now Porto Palácio Hotel
1987
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) were launched for seven of the Group companies. The market’s reaction was positive: for five of the seven IPOs, demand exceeded supply
1989
Acquisition of Spanboard (Ireland), a building materials manufacturer company
1989
Sonae Imobiliária (Real Estate) begins its activity and the first two shopping centres open their doors – Portimão and Albufeira
1989
Rádio Nova begins broadcasting, in the Group’s first incursion into journalism.
1990
Launch of Público: the first nationwide daily newspaper
1990-99
Investment in specialised retail by launching several brands: Modalfa, Maxmat, Max Office, Sport Zone, Worten…
1993
Sonae Indústria acquires management control of Tafisa (one of the biggest groups in the wood-based panels sector in Spain
1995
Sonae is the 1st Portuguese company to be represented in the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development
1995
Opening of Solinca Health Clubs
1997
Opening of the Colombo Shopping Centre, the biggest in the Iberian Peninsula
1997
Acquisition of Torralta (Tróia
1998
Launch of Optimus
1998
Sonae Indústria acquires 85% of Glunz AG
2000
Sonaecom listed on the Lisbon Stock Exchange (IPO
2005
Sonae Imobiliária renamed Sonae Sierra
2005
Spin off of Sonae Indústria
2006
Sonaecom launched a takeover bid for PT and PT Multimedia
2007
Changes in the management structure: Belmiro de Azevedo becomes Chairman of Sonae and Paulo Azevedo becomes Executive Chairman
2007
Acquisition of Carrefour Portugal
2007
Spin off of Sonae Capital
2009
Celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary and book launch: Sonae 50 Years Ahead
2009
Introduction of Sonae’s new corporate strategy and reorganisation of business areas
2010
Implementation of new corporate identity
2013
Merger between Zon and Optimus gives rise to the NOS brand
2015
Acquisition of Losan.
2015
Sonae subscribes "Paris Pledge for Action".
2015
Belmiro de Azevedo announces his decision not to run as candidate to be a member of Sonae's Board of Directors.
2015
Election of Paulo de Azevedo as Sonae's Chairman and Co-CEO and Ângelo Paupério as Sonae's Co-CEO.
2015
Sonae FS launches Universo Card.
2016
Sonae MC acquires a 51% participation in Go Natural
2016
Sonae MC opens its 1st supermarket specialized in healthy food: Go Natural
2016
Sonae SR acquires 50% of Salsa capital
2017
Sonae MC launches Dr. Well’s, its first clinic specialised in dental and aesthetic medicine
2017
Sonae agrees with JD Group and JP Sprinter an MoU for the combination of the existing businesses in Iberia
2017
Endorsement of the Letter of Principles of BCSD Portugal
2018
Sonae strengthens position at Sonae Sierra with the acquisition of a further 20% of its stake
2018
Sonae enters an agreement with CTT to create a joint venture to exploit a business opportunity in the e-commerce market
2018
Sonae enteres an agreement with Corpfin C to acquire its 60% stake in Tomenider SL, owner of 100% of Arenal Perfumerias
2019
Sonae has a new Management Team: Cláudia Azevedo (Board Member & CEO), João Dolores (Board Member & CFO) e João Günther Amaral (Deputy to the Executive Committee & CDO).
2019
Sonae hosts its First Capital Markets Days at its headquarters on 10 and 11 October 2019. The purpose was to provide investors and analysts the opportunity to meet management team and to give more visibility on its businesses and strategy going forward.
2020
Sonae joined the National Pact for Plastic
2020
Sonae is part of the Coronavirus Global Response, besides having ensured all essential services during the pandemic and placed its sourcing capabilities to acquire and distribute IPE to priority organisations
2020
Sonae announces carbon neutral operations by 2040, a decade ahead of the target established by the European Union
2021
Strategic partnership with CVC for the sale of a minority stake of 24.99% in Sonae MC for €528 million
2021
Tribute to the legacy of Belmiro de Azevedo and Sonae’s values, with the Belmiro de Azevedo Learning Centre and Auditorium and a statue of the entrepreneur