João Leite de Bettencourt

João Leite de Bettencourt (21 August 1916, Nossa Senhora do Rosário - 12 March 1973, Nossa Senhora do Rosário) was a chemist, industrialist and politician from the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, important for his role in local government and modernization/expansion of the Fábrica de Cerâmica Lima.

Biography João Leite was born to João Moniz Pacheco de Bettencourt and his wife Maria dos Anjos Adão Leite in 1916, in the civil parish of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, municipality of Lagoa. His administration saw the expansion of the business, with 400 types of ceramics in various colours (in addition to the traditional white-and-blue), which they sold in their shops in Alminhas (Lagoa) and Rua dos Mercadores.

Owing to illness, Bettencourt would sell his stake on 9 March 1973, on the eve of his death: he died on 12 March 1973.