Gustavo Werneck, CEO of Gerdau, recently assumed the presidency of the Latin American Steel Association (Alacero), in a ceremony held during the Alacero Summit 2021, in São Paulo, Brazil. Werneck, who will hold the position for the next two years, replaces Máximo Vedoya, CEO of Ternium, who has been at the helm of the entity from 2019 to 2021.
According to Werneck, the steel industry in Latin America has a relevant role in the generation of employment and wealth. “There are more than 1.2 million jobs in the region, between direct and indirect jobs, which reaffirm the steel sector as an important driver of economic and social development of the cities where it is present,” he says.
In this sense, the new president is aware of the challenges that lie ahead, among which is to position the steel sector to face the transformations that currently exist around the world. “I also believe that the ESG agenda should be a key factor in the planning and decision making of the steel value chain, with the aim of promoting sustainable growth by bringing issues such as decarbonisation, innovation and diversity and inclusion to the centre of the discussion,” concludes Werneck.
Founded in 1959, it is made up of more than 60 producing and related companies and more than 1.2 million workers, whose production is close to 60 million tons per year. Alacero is recognized as a Special Consultant Agency by the United Nations. Represents Latin American steel before international organizations such as Worldsteel, OECD, International Energy Agency (IEA), UN (UNCTAD) and IDB.
