Suzano Papel e Celulose announces new CEO

Apr 13, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Suzano Papel e Celulose, one of Latin America's largest integrated producers of pulp and paper, announces on Thursday, April 13, its new CEO. Antonio Maciel Neto, currently president of Ford South America Operations and a Ford Motor Company vice-president, will succeed Murilo Passos as CEO of Suzano Papel e Celulose. Mr. Passos has been preparing his succession since 2004. With the restructuring of the company's organizational model into Business Units since the beginning of this year, and with the launch of the Mucuri pulp plant expansion project, his mission has been completed successfully, and the conditions for him to take over new strategic functions in the Suzano group are in place. David Feffer, chairman of the board of Suzano Papel e Celulose, said: "The process of choosing the successor to Murilo Passos as CEO of Suzano Papel e Celulose is an important step in the organization's development, and is the direct result of the company's professionalization process - in which Mr. Passos played a vitally important role, taking part in the management and development of the group's pulp and paper operations since 1993. He built a solid base for the sustainable growth of our busines,s and prepared the company for the development of new leaders, focused on the market and on transparency. This has been a period of significant increase in the value of our shares, which are now at their highest-ever market price." Mr. Antonio Maciel Neto, an executive of recognized experience and expertise, will join Suzano Papel e Celulose in May. His mission will be to continue the company's growth process, which will position it, as from the end of next year, among the largest players in the world. He will make a decisive contribution to shaping and implementing the strategy of focus on clients and the market, and give added impetus to leadership development. Anchored on its programs of high executive performance and operational, social and environmental excellence, Suzano Papel e Celulose will continue to increasingly create value for its shareholders in a sustainable manner. In the functions that he held in recent years at Ford, Antonio Maciel Neto was responsible for five plants and more than 500 dealerships around South America. His responsibilities also included strategic planning for the region, and developing plans to increase the market share and profitability of Ford South America Operations. Previously, he held other important positions, such as deputy state secretary of the Brazilian industry and trade ministry, CEO of Cecrisa, and president of the Itamarati Group. He also worked for Petrobras for 10 years. Suzano Papel e Celulose is one of the largest vertically integrated producers of eucalyptus pulp and paper in Latin America, with pulp production capacity of 1.1 million tones per year and paper production capacity of 820 000 tonnes per year. It offers a broad range of pulp and paper products for the domestic and international markets, with leadership positions in key Brazilian markets.