This week, our CEO speaker series hosted a conversation with Localiza’s founder and CEO Eugenio Mattar and Bruno Lasansky, who will take over as CEO later this year. Together, and in the context of our Collaborative Mindset module, they shared with the class regarding Localiza’s business history, success, and challenges.
We had a rich conversation on business innovation, growth, and culture as the foundation for Localiza’s success over the past 48 years, as well as during the current pandemic crisis. As one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world, Localiza’s focus is value creation by building the future of mobility and maintaining company culture in times of transition (both good and bad). This approach, amongst several other healthy corporate decisions, has enabled Localiza to minimize the negative impacts of COVID so far all while it strives to build employee engagement and actively finds new ways to contribute to the health of its community; ‘How do we want to be remembered’?
Among the numerous takeaways from this exchange, two corporate mottos stood out:
- Start Early.
- What you do is who you are.
About Eugenio Mattar;
Eugênio Mattar is chief executive officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of Localiza, Leading South American car rental company with 48 years of existence. Under his management are more than 11 thousand employees, a fleet of more than 320 thousand cars, operation of 610 car rental locations and 125 Seminovos’ stores. For two consecutive years (2018 and 2019), he was elected by Forbes as one of the best CEOs in Brazil. The company has been achieving exponential growth and leveraging even more its innovative DNA with intensive use of technology. It was elected the 20th most valuable Brazilian brand in 2019 with the best customer service index (NPS), according to the international consultancy Interbrand, in addition to being the Company with the highest Market Cap in the publicly traded car rental sector.
One of the founders of the Movimento Bem Maior, an organization that seeks to expand investment in philanthropy in Brazil, Eugênio argues that attitudes that transform and improve people’s lives matter for a more egalitarian society. He invests his own resources and takes the time to share his experience and help train entrepreneurs. He accumulates in his curriculum the role of president in Minas Gerais of the Directing Council of Junior Achievement, a global institution that takes entrepreneurship to public schools, and is one of the leaders of Estímulo 2020 in Brazil, a financial support program for small and medium entrepreneurs affected by coronavirus pandemic.
He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais and a postgraduate degree in Economic Engineering from the same institution. He also participated in the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD.
Having strong financial skills, he has always been responsible for the Company’s financial area. Eugênio Mattar implemented the fleet management division, Localiza Fleet, and was responsible for structuring the car sales business, Localiza Seminovos. Ahead of those companies, the executive accumulated experience in processes, marketing and human resources, which capacitated him to become the Company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2007, when he also assumed the Company’s largest division, Localiza Rent a Car. In 2013, complying with the succession process of the Localiza’s group, he assumed the CEO position.
About Bruno Lasansky
Mr. Bruno Lasansky holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires and obtained his MBA from the Wharton School in the USA. He has been in Localiza for 7 years. From 2014 to 2016, he led, as an external consultant, important initiatives for strategic definition, operational excellence and innovation of the company. From 2016, he became an integral part of the Company’s executive body, initially as Executive Director of the Car Rental Division and, since the beginning of 2019, as Chief Operating Officer (COO), a position he currently holds and becoming responsible for all Localiza’s business and operations divisions. Mr. Bruno Lasansky is also a member of the Deliberative Council of the Localiza Institute. Prior to Localiza, he was a partner at Bain & Company, working on operational improvement, strategy and M&A projects for national and international groups.
About Localiza;
Localiza is the biggest car rental company in South America. Listed on B3, Brazil stock exchange, with a high level of corporate governance, the Company brings in its history extraordinary outcomes of protagonism and innovation. Founded in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1973, Localiza has consolidated as a mobility business platform, composed by Localiza Rent a Car, Localiza Fleet and Localiza Seminovos. Localiza is one of the 25 most valuable brands in Brazil. The Company brings together a series of awards and recognitions in the market regarding relationship with customers and investors, and ESG practices. The synergy between efficiency area and its operational excellence allows the Company to offer the best mobility solutions for more than 9,5 million clients, through its 610 agencies, a fleet of almost 300 thousand cars and 11,2 thousand employees.
