The CEO of Samarco, Rodrigo Vilela, received, last Wednesday (Apr-29), the title of Honorary Citizen of Ouro Preto. This award recognizes individuals who performed activities which contributed significantly to the development and well-being of the municipality, being one of the highest honors given by the Municipal Legislative Power. The event took place at the Arts and Convention Center of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (Ufop).

During the ceremony, Rodrigo highlighted the historical and cultural relevance of the city of Ouro Preto, the honor of receiving the award and the responsibility that comes with it:

“It is with great humility and responsibility that I recognize my challenges, and of course, make a commitment to our employees and contractors, to society, to our neighbors - especially in the district of Antônio Pereira - and to all of you. It is my duty, even more so now after receiving this honor, to protect this heritage and further promote the values ​​that Ouro Preto represents”.

Samarco’s CEO recalled that his relationship with the municipality of Ouro Preto began approximately 30 years ago, when he was still a Metallurgical Engineering student at the local university. “I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues who have supported me throughout my journey. Thanks to my family, my professors and tutors, without your support and inspiration this recognition would not be possible. My gratitude also extends to the citizens of Ouro Preto, whose hospitality and generosity made me feel part of this community from the first day of my academic life”, he concluded.

The company

Currently, Samarco employs around 13 thousand people (own employees and contractors) and maintains more than 1.5 thousand suppliers in the areas in which it operates. For the next two years, the expectation is to generate up to 3 thousand new jobs, including 600 direct vacancies, preparing the company to reach 60% of production capacity.