Petrobras confirms leadership changes

Brazilian oil giant Petrobras now has new leadership. The company late Friday said that its Board approved the election of Aldemir Bendine as CEO of Petrobras replacing Maria das Graças Silva Foster, who resigned last week. 

Five other executives also resigned, in a move described as an attempt to repair the company’s bad image caused by a widespread corruption scandal.

Petrobras has said that Maria das Graças Silva Foster is also leaving the company’s Board of Directors, which elected Aldemir Bendine as its new Director.

The election of Aldemir Bendine as the new CEO of Petroleo Brasileiro, as the company is formally known, is in line with the media reports which mushroomed a day before the official announcement.

New Leadership

Aldemir Bendine was CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Banco do Brasil. He has a bachelor degree in Business Administration from PUC-Rio, and a MBA degree in Finance and General Training for Senior Executives.

The Board of Directors also elected, with majority vote, Ivan de Souza Monteiro, as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investor Relations Officer, in replacement to Almir Guilherme Barbassa.

Ivan Monteiro was the Senior Vice President of Financial Management and Investor Relations of Banco do Brasil since June 2009, where he had already served as Commercial Officer, Senior Vice President of Finance, Capital Markets and Investor Relations, and also as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BB AG. He has a bachelor degree in Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications from INATEL-MG and MBA degree in Finance and Management.

The following executives have also been elected with majority vote to take over the position as interim Executive Directors:

– The current Executive Manager of Corporate Exploration and Production, Solange da Silva Guedes, as Exploration and Production Officer, replacing José Miranda Formigli Filho. Solange Guedes is PhD in petroleum engineering, with 30 years of experience at Petrobras where she has held several managerial positions, all related to Exploration and Production.

– The current Executive Manager of Downstream Logistics, Jorge Celestino Ramos, as Downstream Officer to replace José Carlos Cosenza. Jorge Celestino has a bachelor degree in chemical engineering from Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) and in oil processing engineering from CENPRO as well as a specialization in ethanol production technology from COPPE / UFRJ and a MBA in Business Administration and Marketing. He has been working for 32 years at Petrobras where he has held several managerial positions in the Downstream area and at Petrobras Distribuidora.

– The current Executive Manager of Corporate Gas and Power, Hugo Repsold Júnior, as Gas and Power Officer replacing José Alcides Santoro Martins. Hugo Repsold has a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) and in economics from Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) as well as a Master degree in Energy Planning through Energy Planning Program of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Coppe / PPE / UFRJ). He has been working for 30 years with the Company, where he has held several managerial positions in the areas of Exploration and Production, Strategy and Business Performance and Gas and Energy.

– The current Executive Manager of Engineering for Subsea Developments, Roberto Moro, as Engineering, Technology and Procurement Officer replacing José Antônio de Figueiredo. Roberto Moro has a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from University Gama Filho, specializing in Project Management. He has been working for 33 years at Petrobras where he has held several managerial positions in Engineering.

“Petrobras expresses gratitude to the CEO and Director Graça Foster and Officers Almir Barbassa, José Formigli, José Cosenza, José Alcides Santoro and José Antônio de Figueiredo for the technical expertise, professionalism and dedication in the exercise of their duties,” the company said,