The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce announced Luiza Helena Trajano as the Brazilian recipient of the Person of the Year Awards 2020.
For 50 years, the Chamber has honored two prominent leaders, one Brazilian and one American, as “Person of the Year” who have been particularly decisive in strengthening closer ties and enhancing the relationship between Brazil and the United States. The American honoree will be announced soon.
Who is Luiza Helena Trajano
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Luiza Helena Trajano is the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Magazine Luiza. A law graduate from the University of Franca, she is responsible for introducing the installment purchase option and online transactions in Brazil, and for the leap in innovation and growth that positioned Magazine Luiza among the largest retailers in Brazil.
Ms. Trajano serves as a counselor in 12 different entities, including UNICEF and the Advisory Group of the United Nations Population Fund in Brazil. In 2018, she was co-chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America.
Since 2013, Ms. Trajano has led the Women’s Group of Brazil, which today has tens of thousands of participants in Brazil and abroad, with a strong presence in New York. The group meets every month to discuss and propose actions related to education, entrepreneurship, social projects, innovation, diversity, and gender equality in the workplace.
Ms. Trajano’s nomination was widely proposed by Chamber members and unanimously approved by our Board of Directors. The Board is composed of a broad spectrum of leading Brazilian and American companies active in both countries.
Ms. Trajano’s selection by the Board recognizes her courage, perseverance, and dedication to transforming a family retail business into one of the largest establishments in the sector, utilizing technologies alongside the largest international corporations and fostering the advancement of e-commerce in Brazil. Her entrepreneurial spirit, social projects, dedication to education, and commitment to diversity have led to the highest ethical and moral standards in the business environment and generated significant social impact, factors that align with the values promoted by the Chamber.
Luiza Helena Trajano will be honored at the Gala Dinner of the Person of the Year Awards 2020, which will take place at the Marriott Marquis in New York on Thursday, May 14. More than 1,000 leaders from the international business, financial, and diplomatic communities gather annually in New York at this traditional gala to pay tribute to the honorees.