Rui Coelho was born in Porto and graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto. He began his career with professional experience in companies such as Petrogal and ACH Brito, before joining the Air Liquide Group in 1999 at the Estarreja plant.

Over the years, he has held various leadership positions within the Group, in different countries such as France, Poland, Brazil, the USA, Singapore and China. He is currently CEO of one of the largest Air Liquide Group operations in the world, responsible for the entire business in China, coordinating around 5,000 employees and overseeing more than 120 factories.

Rui Coelho has been a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council since December 2023.