Draft:Lincoln Bennet Rodrigues

Lincoln Bennet Rodrigues (born August 23, 1981) is an Indian entrepreneur with naturalized Portuguese citizenship. He has a professional background as a mariner and is the founder and chairman of The Bennet and Bernard Group, which includes Bennet and Bernard Custom Homes Pvt. Ltd. and Bennet and Bernard Gastronomy and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. He transitioned from his marine career role, his last held role as Senior Dynamic Positioning Operator (SDPO) 2nd Officer. He has worked on various international missions, including rescue, humanitarian, defence, and nuclear threat containment missions. He moved to start a business in 2014 beginning with real estate and hospitality.

Early Life and Education
Lincoln Rodrigues was born in Margao, Goa. His schooling was at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Panjim and graduated with a degree in Nautical Science from Challenger TAFE Freo - Murdoch, Western Australia, and a diploma in Maritime Studies from the Warsash Maritime Academy, part of Southampton Solent University. In 2021 Lincoln completed Leadership Principles and Management from Harvard Business School through a distance education course.

Personal Life
Lincoln Rodrigues is the son of Luciano Joseph Rodrigues and Lourdes Clara Rodrigues. He has a brother, Lindsay Bernard Rodrigues, who is the co-founder and CEO of Bennet and Bernard, and a sister, Lucinda Rodrigues. He has been married to Fabiola Grace Mendes since 2019.

Career
Lincoln began his career at sea at the age of 18, following in his father’s footsteps. He started as a deck cadet and signed off his marine career as SDPO 2nd Officer. He worked with companies DOF Subsea, V-Ships, and Pacifica Ship Management Singapore Pte Ltd. The roles involved commercial cargo transportation, oil & gas exploration, repair & deployment of underwater installation and repair, nuclear containment and rescue missions. He worked on various vessels for ROV sat diving, seismic surveys, cable layers, drill ships, mobile offshore drilling, semi-sub heavy lifts and pipe laying.

After 15 years at sea, he moved to start his business line in the real estate sector, focusing on luxury custom homes and expanding into the Gastronomy & Hospitality industry. He is the founder and chairman of Bennet and Bernard Custom Homes Pvt. Ltd. and Bennet & Bernard Gastronomy Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

Business Ventures
Established in 2013, Bennet and Bernard Custom Homes Pvt. Ltd. focuses on luxury theme-based projects in Goa-India. The group has expansions in Cascais-Portugal operating under Absolut Legacy. The gastronomy and hospitality sector owns the restaurant brands Black Vanilla, Thirsty Bear , and Barrels & Bones. In 2019, the company diversified into the FMCG business with Artisan Deli Cold Cuts, Sanitaz+ hygiene wipes , Black Vanilla Gourmet , and Locke & Mason yoghurts.

Global Expansion
From 2018, Lincoln and his brother Lindsay, under the Bennet and Bernard banner, expanded the business globally by diversifying into various sectors, including Maritime, Real Estate, Aviation, Gastronomy & Hospitality, Agro-Farming, and FMCG lines. This expansion extended the company's presence across five countries, ranging from the Far East to Europe, East Europe, and West Coast Africa.

Awards and Recognition
Conferred Realty+ 40 under 40, in association with BW BusinessWorld

Philanthropy
Lincoln is the founder of Rooney Marlee Animal Welfare Trust. The foundation also conducts animal welfare activities through the Rooney Marlee Animal Welfare Trust, including pet-feeding drives, pet-neutering drives, and pet adoption camps. Other activities include children's education and skill-building for the underprivileged. Lincoln emphasizes sustainability in all business operations, focusing on environmentally friendly construction practices.