With a degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo in 1983, she began her career at major companies such as Citibank, Krupp Polysius, and Arthur Andersen Systems Consulting. However, she realized that her passion for innovation and entrepreneurship would be better expressed through independent work. She explored her love for art by working in galleries and cultural projects, including coordinating the setup of the São Paulo Biennial in 1989.

After completing a postgraduate program at the London College of Communication, she focused on graphic design, working with clients such as Embraer, Hewlett Packard, Gillette, Deutsche Bank, and Visa, among others. With the rise of online technology, she transitioned from print design to web and application design. After founding startups in this field, she moved on to a partnership with Barn Investimentos, investing in eco-friendly agri-tech businesses. During this period, she also took on the management of her family’s farm, cultivating sugarcane and soybeans.

From January 2021 to July 2024, she served as Special Advisor to the Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In parallel, she completed a postgraduate program focused on board member training at St. Paul Business School in São Paulo.

In 2024, she began serving as an advisory board member at Instituto YouUp in Brazil, as well as at Beyond Art Group, based in Buenos Aires.

Stella Villares has been a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council since January 2024.