Experian, the global information services company, today announced two key appointments to its Latin America senior management team.
Francisco Valim, former president of Net Servicos de Comunicacao, Latin America's largest cable television company, has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Latin America. Valim will have responsibility for the operations of Experian's businesses throughout Latin America.
Elcio Anibal de Lucca, who until now was the president of Serasa, takes on a new strategic role as President of Corporate Affairs for Experian Latin America and was elected last Friday Vice Chairman of the Serasa Board of Directors.
Valim and Elcio Anibal de Lucca will both report to Rick Gallagher, president of Experian Latin America.
"I take great satisfaction in announcing the arrival of Francisco Valim to Experian, and am certain that his significant experience and market knowledge will allow us to continue to achieve our aggressive growth objectives in Latin America," said Gallagher. "As Vice Chairman, Elcio de Lucca will remain involved with Serasa and take on additional responsibility in assisting Experian to grow throughout the region. These appointments underline the commitment of Experian with regard to both Brazil and Latin America, and I am certain that this team, with the drive of thousands of its other associates, will support our clients at the highest level."
As COO of Experian Latin America, Valim will have direct responsibility for the region's businesses. He will also act as the interim president of Serasa, the largest credit bureau in Latin America and the fourth largest in the world. Valim will also serve as a member of the Management Board of Experian Latin America, led by Gallagher.
Francisco Valim has led the turnaround of Net Servicos since 2003, transforming it into the highest growth company in the Brazilian Telecom sector. Before that, he was CFO at Oi (Telemar) and vice president at Groupo RBS. He is a graduate and has a masters degree in Business Administration from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), a specialization in Financial Management by Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV) and completed his MBA in Multinational Enterprises Management and Financial Administration at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, USA.
As president of Corporate Affairs, Elcio Anibal de Lucca will assume strategic responsibilities as a member of the Experian Latin America Management Board. He will also be vice chairman of Serasa's Board of Directors and serve as key investor relations spokesperson with Serasa shareholders. His responsibilities will include the supervision of regional corporate citizenship activities and the management of government relations with special attention to the adoption of new legislation regarding the benefits of positive credit information.
"The enactment of this legislation will be an important step for the development of the consumer credit process in Brazil," Gallagher said. "Experian considers this issue so important that we are focusing one of our most senior leaders on the effort. Elcio is the most qualified executive in Brazil to lead this important initiative."
Elcio Anibal de Lucca was president of Serasa since 1991. During his tenure, the company grew to be the largest consumer credit bureau in the world outside the United States. Serasa has realized several important and exclusive accomplishments, including becoming the only Brazilian company to have received the Interamerican Quality Award twice (2002 and 2006) and The Quality National Award three times (1995, 2000, and 2005). Serasa is known in the Brazilian business sector as one of the best companies in the country to work for. A graduate in Administration by Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV) of Sao Paulo, de Lucca brings more than three decades of financial markets experience to his new post.
"I want to compliment Elcio Anibal de Lucca on the appointment to his new role," Gallagher stated. "As Serasa's president he became widely known as a leader in the credit reporting business. Now, as a part of Experian, I know I can count on his talents to contribute to the strategic future of the company. I am sure that his new role will add another brilliant page to his meaningful career. We are also very pleased to have Francisco Valim join the Experian team. We are fortunate to have him help lead our businesses in the region."