Grand Commander, H.E. Fra’ Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas-Boas

He was born on 27 November 1939 in Oporto (Portugal), where he graduated in Industrial Chemical Engineering.null

After carrying out military service, he started his career as engineer in the Portuguese Tobacco Company, where he was Director of Research and Development. He has been a full member of CORESTA (Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

In 1984 he became a member of the Order of Malta’s Portuguese Association. In 1996 he made the promise of Obedience. In 2008, after the death of his wife, Maria da Conceição, he became a Professed Knight taking a solemn vow in 2015.

He has held many positions in the Order, including that of the Grand Master’s Delegate in Brazil, Councillor, Chancellor and Vice President of the Portuguese Association and Vice Delegate of the National Associations.

For many years he has personally taken care of the material and spiritual needs of inmates in a prison in Portugal and participates in the Order’s pilgrimages to Fatima and Lourdes.

He has written books and articles on the Order of Malta.

He served on the Government Council from May 2014 to April 2019.
The Chapter General of 1st May 2019 elected him Grand Commander. After the death of the 80th Grand Master Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, he assumed the functions of Lieutenant ad interim until the election of the new Lieutenant of the Grand Master, Fra’ Marco Luzzago, on November 8.