President and CEO, Akatu Institute. Co-founder of the Ethos Institute for Business and Social Responsibility. Served as President and CEO of GE Appliances Brazil. Previous Secretary of Production Development at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.

Helio is a prominent force for social and economic equity and a catalyst for corporate social responsibility in Brazil. His extensive career includes 22 years of experience in various senior executive positions in national and international companies, most recently as President and CEO of GE Appliances Brazil. He served as Secretary of Production Development at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. He co-founded the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility, an association of companies interested in developing socially and environmentally responsible activities.     

Helio was the mastermind behind the creation of the Akatu Institute and is its current CEO and President. The Akatu Institute was recognized by the UN Global Compact as one of the 100 notable non-profit social actors with proven competency in partnering with companies.        

Helio has created several ground-breaking organizations in Brazil that foster individual consumer consciousness and corporate social responsibility. He is a member of the board and committees of several companies and social organizations, including the Sustainable Development Committee of Grupo Pão de Açúcar, the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Council, and the Dow Chemical Company’s Sustainability External Advisory Council. He is also a member of the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Council of two United Nations Environmental Programs – the 10YFP Consumer Information Programme for Sustainable Consumption and Production (CI-SCP) and the 10YFP Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education -, Board member of Fundação OSESP (São Paulo Symphony Orchestra), member of the Board of Curators of the Padre Anchieta Foundation, and was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils on Sustainable Consumption for five years. 

Dedicated to the nonprofit sector, Helio believes that each individual, as a citizen and consumer, plays a critical role in mobilizing support for initiatives with high social impact. His approach recognizes that social organizations and governments are critical partners in the diffusion of social innovation. 

He holds a degree in Production Engineering from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo and a Master’s and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Stanford.