Carlos Pires was born in 1973 in Beirut.
He graduated in International Relations from the Higher School of Social and Political Science at Lisbon Technical University in 1995 and in 1997 he concluded his master’s degree in European Studies from the London School of Economics.
He is a career diplomat. Of the matters he followed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we note those relating to Security and Defence, particularly focusing on the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), where he assisted the coordinator of the Portuguese Presidency in the organization from February 2021 to February 2003.
He served at DelNATO and the Portuguese Embassies in S. Tomé, Cairo, and Paris, having held several posts.
He was Head of the Portuguese External Intelligence Service (SIED) from December 2019 until July 2023.
He has been on several Government cabinets and was assistant to the Cabinet of the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs (September 2010 to June 2011), assistant to the Cabinet of the Prime Minister (June 2011 to February 2013), Chief of Cabinet to the Deputy Secretary of State and for European Affairs (February to July 2013), and Chief of Cabinet to the Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs (July 2013 to August 2014).