Maria Sarmento is a researcher at iBMS - Centre for Research in Business Markets & Society, Minho University, and CEOS - Centre for Organisational and Social Studies, Polytechnic Institute of Porto. She holds a degree in Sociology from Porto University; a Master's in Business Administration (specialization in Marketing) from Minho University; a Ph.D. in Marketing and Strategy from Minho University; and a post-doc from Nova SBE, Lisbon, and Open University Business School, UK. She worked for 23 years at AEP - Portuguese Business Association as the Head of the Image and Communication Department and Marketing Director. In her academic career, she presented several papers at international conferences, such as EMAC - European Marketing Academy Conference, IMP - Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Conference, and Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress. She has published work in Industrial Marketing Management (2015, 2018, 2024) European Journal of Marketing (2019), Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing (2015), Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (2019), Education and Training (2016), Journal of Convention and Event Tourism (formerly Journal of Convention and Exhibition Management) (2015), Journal of Promotion Management (2016), Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology (2025, 2026), Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment (2025), Critical Social Policy (2025), Journal of Services Marketing (2026), Journal of Consumer Culture (2026) and Portuguese Journal of Marketing (2014). She works as a reviewer for several international journals, such as Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and Journal of Convention & Event Tourism.