Flávio Rocha

Brazilian politician
Flávio Rocha
CEO and Chairman of Lojas Riachuelo
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 2005
Preceded byNevaldo Rocha
Federal Deputy from Rio Grande do Norte
In office
1 February 1987 – 1 February 1995
Personal details
Born
Flávio Gurgel Rocha

(1958-02-14) 14 February 1958 (age 66)
Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Political partyRepublicanos (2019–present)
Other political
affiliations
  • PFL (1985–1987)
  • PL (1987–1989)
  • PRN (1989–1992)
  • PL (1992–2006)
  • PR (2006–2018)[1]
  • PRB (2018–2019)[2]
Spouse(s)
Anna Cláudia Klein
​
(m. 1990)​

ChildrenFelipe (b. 1987)
Flávio (b. 1991)
Fernando (b. 1992)
Fabricio (b. 1996)
Parents
  • Nevaldo Rocha (father)
  • Eliete Gurgel Rocha (mother)
Alma materGetúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV)
OccupationCEO and Chairman of Riachuelo
ProfessionBusinessman

Flávio Gurgel Rocha (born 14 February 1958)[3] is a Brazilian former federal deputy and businessman, current CEO and Chairman of Lojas Riachuelo,[4] one of the largest retailers in the country.[5]

Biography

Born on 14 February 1958, Flávio Rocha is the current CEO of apparel retailer Lojas Riachuelo and of its financial services subsidiary, Midway Financeira. His family also owns Confecções Guararapes, the group’s industrial company, as well as Transportadora Casa Verde, the Group's logistics subsidiary.[6] Riachuelo is one of 15 biggest employers of the country, with over 40,000 employees (2017).[7]

In 1986, was elected federal deputy for Rio Grande do Norte for the National Reconstruction Party (PRN), being reelected in 1990 for the Liberal Party (PL). In 1994, he attempted to run for The Presidency with the PL, but later formed a coalition to support the winning party, the PSDB, led by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.[8]

Rocha and his wife are members of the neo-Pentecostal church Comunidade Evangélica Sara Nossa Terra.[9]

Political profile

Rocha defends the free market as a natural vehicle to fight corruption,[10] and is one of the main defenders of economic liberalism in Brazil. He defends a smaller and more efficient Government.[11]

In 2016, he received the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the magazine Isto É Dinheiro in the Retail category. A former federal deputy between 1987 and 1995, Rocha was one of the first businessmen to support the impeachment of former president Dilma Rousseff and the candidacy of João Doria to become mayor of São Paulo.[5][12]

In January 2018, Rocha launched the manifest "Brasil 200", which defends a liberal economic agenda and conservatism in social values. The name is a reference to the 200 years of independence of Brazil.[4][13][14]

References

  1. ^ Matais, Andreza (24 March 2018). "'Sem partido', Flávio Rocha está filiado ao PR" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  2. ^ Boghossian, Bruno; Carneiro, Mariana (27 March 2018). "Dono da Riachuelo se filia ao PRB para disputar Presidência" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Raio-X" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. 11 June 1994. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b Carneiro, Mariana (17 January 2018). "Dono da Riachuelo lança manifesto em NY; assista ao vídeo" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b Salomão, Alexa; Scheller, Fernando (5 September 2015). "Com impeachment, a agonia seria curta" (in Portuguese). Estado de S. Paulo. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Grupo Guararapes" (in Portuguese). Riachuelo. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Melhores e Maiores - As 500 maiores empresas do Brasil" (in Portuguese). Exame. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  8. ^ Vicent Bernardo, José (11 June 2017). "Flávio Rocha lidera campanha por maior protagonismo do empresariado no Brasil". Forbes (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  9. ^ Rodrigues, Ludmila (26 April 2018). ""Seguimos os princípios da família e da Bíblia", diz mulher de Flávio Rocha, dono da Riachuelo" ["We follow the principles of the family and the Bible," says wife of Flávio Rocha, owner of Riachuelo] (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  10. ^ Nunes, Branca (26 September 2017). "Flávio Rocha: 'O livre mercado é o predador natural da corrupção'" (in Portuguese). Veja. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  11. ^ Fucs, José (17 November 2016). "'O mito do Estado Robin Hood acabou', diz o empresário Flávio Rocha" (in Portuguese). Estado de S. Paulo. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Presidente da Riachuelo vê Placar da Previdência 'com profundo pesar'" (in Portuguese). Isto É. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Flávio Rocha explica movimento "Brasil 200" e pede presidente liberal na economia e conservador nos costumes" (in Portuguese). InfoMoney. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  14. ^ Falcão, Mariana (20 January 2018). "Flávio Rocha: Por um liberal na economia e conservador nos costumes" (in Portuguese). Valor Econômico. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
Business positions
Preceded by
Nevaldo Rocha
 CEO and Chairman of Lojas Riachuelo
2005–present 		Incumbent