Rio de Janeiro – In his first interview as the chairman of Vale, Murilo Ferreira guaranteed that the mining company’s strategic planning and the US$ 24 billion budget for 2011 will be maintained. He waved off any speculations about changes in the company’s investment plan for this year and abrupt modifications over the next few years. “A mining company does not undertake significant changes from one year to the next. You just fine-tune according to the industry,” he explained this Friday (20th) at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.
Alongside the chairman of the Vale Management Board and the chairman of Previ, the pension fund for Bank of Brazil employees, Ricardo Flores, Ferreira corroborated the guarantees that Vale is giving its investors. According to him, the company will remain on its successful path “and shareholders will continue to earn good dividends.”
Murilo Ferreira highlighted optimistic projections for the global ores market, citing the latest results of the Chinese market, which is the leading consumer of Vale’s products.
With regard to investment in the iron and steel industry, which have caused attrition in the company’s relations with the government in the past, Ferreira stated that a consensus must be reached. The new chairman explained that its iron and steel industrial park must be put to the service of developing the domestic market, and that this is a global trend.
The first address of the new Vale chairman was marked by the defence of an open dialogue with employees, communities that Vale operates in, and the Brazilian government. Ferreira made a point of underscoring that “the relationship with the government will be open, straightforward and constructive, aiming to meet the interests of both parties.” That willingness should reflect on negotiations concerning the new regulatory framework for mining, which covers payment of royalties to the states and municipalities in which Vale operates, among other issues.
Regarding Vale’s participation in the consortium that will build the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant, in the state of Pará, he claimed that the company needs energy in order to develop its projects. To the executive, the worst-case scenario for the company would be to face a power shortage. “We want to have energy available,” he claimed. The mining company chairman believes that with its 9% share of capital of the Belo Monte consortium, Vale will not need to worry about electric power any time soon.
Murilo Ferreira also added that he intends to make Vale into a company that people take pleasure in being a part of. To him, having Vale join the list of the world’s 10 best companies to work for “would not be a dream, it would be heaven.”
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum