Edson Cortez holds a doctorate in Economic Anthropology from the Institute of Social Sciences in the University of Lisbon, where he wrote his thesis entitled: Velhos Amigos, Novos Adversários, as disputas, alianças e reconfigurações empresariais na elite política moçambicana (Old friends, new adversaries, disputes, alliances and business reconfigurations in the Mozambican political elite). He holds a master’s degree in African Studies and Development from ISCTE from the Lisbon University Institute.

From 2012 to 2018 he was a CIP researcher in the anti-corruption area, focusing on public procurement, conflicts of interest and trafficking in influence. Currently he is the Director of the Public Integrity Centre (CIP).