Interview with Eduardo de Melo Pinto

All new, all over again

As he marks 40 years of work at Odebrecht, Eduardo de Melo Pinto is experiencing yet another challenge in his career as the officer Responsible for Action Programs at Foz do Brasil

written by: Karolina Gutiez
photo by: Holanda Cavalcanti

On the verge of his 40th anniversary of working at Odebrecht, civil engineer Eduardo de Melo Pinto, 61, has lived through every major stage in the Group’s history: construction projects in the Brazilian Northeast, major contracts awarded in the Southeast of the country, the beginning of the Group’s international expansion, and the consolidation of its presence in some countries, as well as the diversification of its Engineering & Construction businesses. Born in the northeastern state of Pernambuco, Eduardo has several projects in his résumé, such as the expansion of the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) steel mill in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, the Carajás Railway in Maranhão, and mining projects carried out in Angola during the civil war, all of which reflect the challenges Odebrecht has taken on to maintain its pace of growth. Back in Brazil for a bit over a year after nearly a decade in Angola and four years in Venezuela, he is now tackling a new challenge at the recently created Foz do Brasil.

Odebrecht Informa – What brought you back to Brazil? What are your main focuses of interest nowadays?
Eduardo de Melo – The prospect of developing something in a new business prompted me to return. As the person responsible for Foz do Brasil’s operations in the São Paulo ABC and Metropolitan regions, I am responsible for providing sewage treatment in Mauá, São Paulo, and engineering the production and supply of reused water for the ABC Petrochemical Complex, a recent contract, in partnership with Sabesp (Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo, the São Paulo State water and sewer company).

OI – What is that project all about?
Eduardo – Aquapolo, as it is called, includes treating secondary wastewater from the ABC Sewage Treatment Plant and installing a pumping plant and pipeline. Over BRL 120 million will be invested in this project. In this case, the effluent is treated at a level above that required for disposal into rivers. It will be the largest water reuse project in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the six largest in the world.

OI – What sort of environmental impact will Aquapolo have?
Eduardo – The use of potable water by industries is unthinkable as long as that natural resource is not available to the entire population. More than just starting a project, we are creating a market that is expanding very quickly, with the prospect of supplying clients outside the industrial complex. Our goal is to help put an end to waste and eventually purify the wastewater enough to make it fit for human consumption. It is a matter of time, and it won’t be long.

OI – More than 60% of the Group’s members arrived less than five years ago and are under 35. After four decades of work, what message would you like to share with people who are just beginning their careers at Odebrecht?
Eduardo – When I joined the company as a trainee, Construtora Norberto Odebrecht was a small construction company that operated regionally (in the North and Northeast of Brazil). The principles, concepts and standards of the Odebrecht Entrepreneurial Technology (TEO) were already being applied, although they hadn’t been compiled in a book yet. We received Mr. Norberto Odebrecht’s teachings in the form of CIs (internal memos). But planned delegation has been practiced since that time. While still a student, I was responsible for preparing bids, which terrified me because of the huge responsibilities that were being entrusted to me. Later on, I realized that this concept is essential, because the other side of taking on that huge responsibility is total dedication to your business, acting as if the company was yours. The application of TEO is rewarding, and everyone should make a conscious choice to do so. Young people should make the most of their learning opportunities without losing sight of one important virtue: humility.