Pedro Moreira Salles

Early Life

Pedro Moreira Salles was born on October 20, 1959, in Washington, D.C.. He is the son of Walter Moreira Salles, who founded Unibanco. Growing up, Salles spent some years in France. He started his academic journey at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RJ) but transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics and history. He furthered his studies with a Master's program in International Relations at Yale University and completed the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard University.

Rise to Success

Salles joined Unibanco in 1989 and rose through the ranks. He became the chairman of Unibanco in 1997. In April 2004, he became the CEO. In 2008, Salles played a key role in the merger between Unibanco and Itaú, creating Itaú Unibanco Holding, the largest private-sector bank in Latin America.

Key Business Strategies

Under Salles's leadership, Itaú Unibanco expanded its presence and diversified its services. He is also co-president of Cambuhy, a private equity firm he founded in 2011. Salles's also owns stakes in CBMM (Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração), the world's leading supplier of niobium.

Philanthropy

Salles is known for his commitment to education and philanthropy. He has been involved in several initiatives to improve access to quality education in Brazil and supports stem-cell research with his wife.