XIX Century

During the Golden Age, some believed that the family had one of the largest private fortunes in the world, as well as the most secure credit lines available in the financial sector, which still remains today. Although shared among hundreds of descendants, the management of the wealth was restricted to a few carefully selected members, following a dynastic model and always maintaining a high level of discretion, creating business models on an off-market basis.

Everything Started in 1536, by the (Souza) Pimenta de Castro & Pereira Coutinho families:

Standard Gold, the best-known consortium, was founded in 1536 by the Pereira Coutinho family (at the time Governor of the State of Bahia, Brazil) and the Marquis of Minas and Governor of Brazil (Souza family, current Pimenta de Castro). They initiated the main pillars, with the help of several agreements established between Portugal and England, starting in 1642, which allowed Europe, particularly England, to concentrate gold reserves. This contributed to making the English banking system the main financial center and enabled the financing of the English Industrial Revolution. During this period, Portuguese gold reserves were being accumulated and traded to Europe from Brazil and key African territories.

In 1875, known as Coutinho Rockefeller Consortium, it started a partnership between some families connected to the banking system and of Portuguese ancestry, such as Brochado, and John Rockefeller (a family of merchants and later industrialists of great importance in the future petrochemical industry), forming the alliance known as “The Golden Triangle”.

In the Financial Sector

Coutinho Rockefeller Consortium started its influence in Europe as one of the most important financial institutions in Portugal. Founded Lisboa & Açores Bank in 1875, it brought together a group of Lisbon and Azorean financiers, including the Viscount of Carregoso, the Lima Mayer family, the Bensaúde family, the Viscount of Olivais, the Pinto Leite family, and the Pereira Coutinho family, among others.

The Brochado and Pereira Coutinho families maintained a strategic alliance with the Rockefeller family, granting them a competitive advantage over other Iberian bankers and establishing a strong connection with Portuguese investments and emigrants residing in the American continent. The Bensaúde family was an important link between the bank and the Azores, reinforcing its influence. Due to the strength of its shareholder structure, the bank became a powerful institution that even provided credit to the Portuguese state, actively supporting national economic development.

Over the years, the institution expanded, integrating Banco Madeira, and later incorporating the participation of Ferreira da Silva family CUF - Alfredo Ferreira da Silva (current Mello family) in Banco Totta - Aliança, which led to the creation of Banco Totta & Açores. Eventually, the Botín family, shareholders of Banco Santander, acquired the stake previously held by the Champalimaud family, leading to the commercial adoption of the name Banco Santander Totta.

After two world wars, Coutinho Rockefeller Holdings continues to be a financial platform in Europe and all over the world, with interests in various sectors of activity. The Brochado and Pereira Coutinho families maintained connections with strategic business figures across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, including Gulbenkian in the oil sector, whose foundation remains based in Lisbon, Portugal.

Starting in 1973, CR Holdings invested in the Retail sector as founder of “Bebe-Lar” and “ModaJovem”. Custódia Brochado Coutinho was the manager of these two brands/stores in the heart of Lisbon (Campo Grande). Besides the stores, CRH had a private factory in Marco de Canavezes (northern Portugal), managed by Madalena Brochado Coutinho where all the clothes were made. Sold in 1980 to Meirinho family.

Following the Portuguese revolution (1974) where the group lost some of its assets, a partnership with the American “Power” Family, and “Antonia Fernandez”, a well known interior designer at the time, was started in 1975, where many American products were exclusively imported by the group. Ended in 1985.

110 Years after the founding of Lisboa & Açores Bank (Current Santander Bank) in 1875, Coutinho Rockefeller Holdings, was part of the 200 investors that, in June 1985, founded the “BCP - Portuguese Comercial Bank” (Current Millennium BCP Bank). The Brochado family was also involved, in 1985, on the foundation of another bank, the BPI Bank, through Artur Brochado Santos Silva, who founded and presided the bank till 2015.

In the 1980s, David Rockefeller was the last direct member of the Rockefeller branch to maintain a connection with Portugal. He was also the last direct member since the founding of the consortium started by John Rockefeller in 1875.

Since 1965, Coutinho Rockefeller Holdings began investing in public health through the Assistente Group, founded in 1939, and later in 1987 through the opening of the National Public Health Company - CND, founded by António Coutinho, former CEO of the CR Holdings, between 2003 and 2023.

On July 1986, CRH, in the person of Antonio Coutinho, was a founding member of ANJE - National Association of Young Entrepreneurs, a private association with public ends, remaining active in supporting young entrepreneurs.

CRH invested in the Chemical Industry in 1990 through the foundation of “AgroQuimica Portuguesa” with the Portuguese family “Ribeiro da Cunha”. AgroQuimica was managed by Ana Paula Coutinho & Américo Ribeiro da Cunha. In 1998 the Ribeiro da Cunha acquired the CRH shares.

The first project in the early 2000’s was the opening, in November 2000, of a Private Gallery “QuadraTela” in Espinho, Portugal.

Since 1987 and until 2023, in the person of António Coutinho, CRH has been part of AEP - Portugal Business Association, an institution founded in 1849 by decree of Queen Mary the II of Portugal.

In 1992 the marriage between Antonio Coutinho and Maria de Valladares Serrão, daughter of Prof. Dr. Daniel Serrão PhD, renowned scientist, doctor and advisor to Pope John Paul II, promoted the group in the area of human health at European level after PhD Daniel Serrão joined the CRH board. To this day, CRH maintains part of the capital of the company created to maintain and manage the legacy of Professor Dr. Daniel Serrão, who passed away in January 2017.

Between 1998 and 2006 CRH was part of Metro Kids Company, a Portuguese-made clothing brand founded in 1989 and sold worldwide, with stores in many countries such as Portugal, Spain, Morocco, China, Saudi Arabia, the USA, and India.

Around 1998, Assistente Group pioneered the implementation of HACCP in Europe, thus providing quality assurance in food, protecting the public health of millions of people!

In 2008, CRH opened the Health Institute Center - CND, a group of clinics dedicated to human health through various technological innovations, being a co-founder, the PhD Daniel Serrão who supported the development of the project.

Before the Covid-19 era and with the partnership of UCP - Catholic University’s Biology Faculty, in 2019, CRH started the International Microbiology Company - CND, focused on the Investigation and decontamination of Virus, Bacteria and Fungus as a prevention to proliferation of infectious diseases, with a main focus on reducing infections due to multi-resistant bacteria in public and private hospitals.

As a partnership between Coutinho & Rockefeller Holdings and the Khan Family, the clothing Brand “Million Dollar Millionaire” was opened in 2019 in London.

In 2021, Coutinho & Rockefeller Holdings members were in a private meeting with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the group's initiative to develop the country through diversified investments and loans. Source.

Till nowadays, CRH has maintained a prominent position in the financial area, particularly in M&A and Project Finance.