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- Speaker Highlights:
- CEO and Founder of Proactiva
- Vice Chairman Emeritus of the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI)
- Natural Resources Theme Leader, World Economic Forum E15 Initiative
- Former Global Head of Corporate Affairs at Vale
- Former legal advisor to Brazil’s Foreign Trade Secretary (SECEX)
- Former member of Royal Dutch Shell’s Sustainability Committee (ERC)
- Former General Manager for international affairs at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP)
Rafael Benke
Rafael Benke is the CEO and founder of Proactiva. A recognized leader in sustainable development, international investments, and natural resources. In his role as CEO, Benke has shaped Proactiva’s practice on sustainability and ESG becoming a point of reference in Brazil and internationally. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman Emeritus of the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI) and formerly served as Global Head of Corporate Affairs at Vale. He was legal advisor to Brazil’s Foreign Trade Secretary (SECEX), an international lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, and the General Manager for international affairs at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP). He is a former member of Royal Dutch Shell’s Sustainability Committee (ERC) and natural resource’s theme leader of the World Economic Forum E15 Initiative. He was a visiting scholar at Georgetown University and fellow at the Institute of International Economic Law. He studied business education at IMD in Lausanne and at FGV/ISAE in Brazil. He holds a master’s degree in law of international economic relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo and a master’s/LLM degree in international economic law from the University of Warwick.