About

Two events over the past decade have seen Goldman Sachs play an important symbolic role in Brazil’s economic fortunes. In 2006, the firm launched its US-domiciled “BRIC” fund, targeting growth equity investments in Brazil, Russia, India and China (the acronym itself was coined by former-Goldman Sachs chairman Jim O’Neill). Last year, after seeing increasingly poor returns, the fund was closed and, following a sharp fall in equity deals in the Latin America region, the last of the firm’s remaining Brazil-based partners departed. In spite of the pressures the local market has been under, Ricardo Mourao, Goldman Sachs’ General Counsel for Brazil, has stood out as a key adviser to the business, helping it to protect its investments and offering critical advice on how to mitigate legal risks in its banking, securities and M&A practices. Last year, Mourao was one of over 400 key members of staff globally to be made managing director at Goldman Sachs – a prestigious award in investment banking circles, especially for a lawyer – in the firm’s largest ever round of promotions. Mourao started his career in-house at Goldman Sachs five years ago and had previously been a partner at specialist tax firm Velloza, Girotto e Lindenbojm Advogados.