CFI.co Meets the CEO and President of Hidrovias do Brasil: Bruno Pessoa Serapião

Bruno Serapião has been chief executive officer and president of Hidrovias do Brasil S/A (HBSA) since 2010. That year, Mr Serapião accepted the position of director of infrastructure at Pátria Investimentos – the alternative investment manager that owns the Brazilian inland navigation company.

Mr Serapião has built a successful career and obtained a degree in Aerospace Mechanical Engineering from the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) in São José dos Campos, São Paulo State. He also received a master degree in Operations Research by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and an MBA from the INSEAD business school in France.

Before assuming the top position at Hidrovias do Brasil, Mr Serapião worked at General Electric (GE) Transportation for Latin America as director of Marketing & Services and director of Business Development from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that, Mr Serapião held positions at América Latina Logística (ALL) as director of commodities (mining and agriculture) in Argentina (2006-2007), agricultural commodities manager for the states of São Paulo and Paraná in Brazil (2005), and production planning manager (2003-2004). He also served as senior consultant at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Switzerland (2001-2002) and as a civil aviation department engineer at the Departamento de Aviação Civil (1996-2001) – Brazil national aeronautic authority.

Accomplishments at Hidrovias do Brasil

• Created the company platform that has been implemented and is now fully operational in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil (Belém do Pará and São Paulo) with 100+ fulltime employees.
• Lead a senior executive team, reporting to the board of directors, responsible for business development, finance, engineering, and operations.
• Guides joint ventures and subsidiaries through board of director seats in all seven affiliated legal entities.
• Developed, negotiated, closed, and implemented the largest international inland navigation contract ever signed – $400m investment and $2.5bn total contract value – for a 3.2m tonnes/year iron ore logistics operation.
• Acquired an inland navigation pulp logistics operator in Uruguay.
• Developed two ports project in Northern Brazil through port regulatory changes, interacting with government agencies, the national congress, and senior government officials.
• Led a $120m private placement with Temasek Holdings and the Alberta Investment Management Company (AIMCO) to support corporate growth based on a business plan projecting $320m in annual revenue, with 50% EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes,and amortisation) margins.
• Structured a $238m project financing facility on a 13-year term with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the International Finance Corporation (IFC, part of the World Bank Group), and a number of international banks to support the implementation of the contract with mining company Vale.
• Structured a global sourcing team that enabled strategic alliances with naval architects and workboat and barge shipyards in Canada, Turkey, and China.
• Delivered company development with $20m for two years – 25% below original budget.
  Implemented the SAP Platform allowing for the implementation of a strong compliance structure from the pre-operational stage.