Marta Sofia Dos Santos
Marta Sofia Dos Santos is a leader in the cultural and tourism sector with extensive experience in the management and innovation of heritage sites.
Since 2014, she has been director of the Chillon Castle Foundation in Switzerland, one of the country’s most visited heritage sites.
In her role, Marta oversees all aspects of the castle’s operations, including its scientific and cultural programming, managing a team of 60-80 staff members and a budget of CHF 6.7 million.
Marta’s tenure at Chillon has been marked by major achievements, including the restoration of key areas, the construction of new visitor facilities, and the enhancement of the castle’s gardens and museography.
Under her leadership, Chillon Castle welcomed more than three million visitors between 2015 and 2023, while simultaneously undergoing extensive renovations.
Her work has won the castle several awards, such as first prize in the Rayonnement category at the Mérites del’Économie Riviera Lavaux in 2018 and the Swiss Wine Tourism Award in 2017.
Prior to becoming director, Marta served as deputy director of the Chillon Castle Foundation from 2002 to 2014, where she was responsible for finance, human resources, and development of the cultural mediation and museography departments.
She played a central role in defining the castle’s cultural and scientific projects, leading the creation of numerous exhibitions and educational programs.
Beyond her duties as director, Marta is active in various cultural and tourism governance bodies.
She is president of the Association of Museums of the Vaudoise Riviera, a member of the Montreux-Vevey tourism committee, and a contributor to think tanks for the development of historical sites in Switzerland.
Her commitment to cultural promotion extends to academia, where she leads workshops on museum financing and budgeting.
Marta holds a DAS in Marketing and Communication from UNIL/HEC, a federal diploma in Finance and Accounting, and a master’s degree in History, Art History and English from the University of Lausanne.
Fluent in French, Portuguese and English, with additional skills in German, Italian and Spanish, Marta brings a multicultural perspective to her work.
She is recognized for her inspiring leadership, strategic vision and commitment to promoting cultural diversity and sustainable development.
