The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce announced Walter Schalka as the Brazilian recipient of the 2023 Person of the Year Awards.
For the past 51 years, the Chamber has honored as “Person of the Year” two prominent leaders, one Brazilian and one American, who have been particularly instrumental in forging closer ties and enhancing the relationship between Brazil and the United States. The American honoree is to be announced soon.
Walter Schalka has served as CEO of Suzano since January 2013. He has played a strategic role in Suzano’s evolution, including the 2019 combination of Suzano Pulp and Paper and Fibria Celulose, and has led the company’s success by developing new products and innovating ways to meet customer needs.
Mr. Schalka began his career at Citibank and later joined the holding company of Grupo Maepar. In 1989, he assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer at Dixie Lalekla, later becoming General Manager and, in 1991, CEO (following the merger that created the Dixie Toga Group). In May 2005, he joined Grupo Votorantim as CEO of Votorantim Cimentos, where he was responsible for operations in Brazil and 14 other countries. In January 2013, he became CEO of Suzano.
Mr. Schalka holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA) and a graduate degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo (FGV-SP). He also completed executive programs at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) (Switzerland) and Harvard University (USA).
Mr. Schalka was nominated as Fastmarkets RISI’s “Latin American CEO of the Year – Pulp and Paper Industry” in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022. In 2018, he was elected as one of the “15 Best CEOs in Brazil” by Forbes.
According to the Chamber, the nomination of Mr. Schalka as 2023 Person of the Year was widely proposed by Chamber members and unanimously approved by its Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of a broad spectrum of leading Brazilian and U.S. firms that are active in both countries.
“The Board’s selection of Mr. Schalka recognizes the prominent and influential role he has played in growing Suzano into the world’s largest hardwood pulp producer and a leader in the Latin American market. His commitment to ESG – particularly in the areas of climate change, biodiversity, and social development – is admirable and has brought about measurable and lasting change, factors that coincide with the values promoted by the Chamber”, affirms the organization in a statement.
Mr. Schalka will be honored at the 2023 Person of the Year Awards Gala Dinner, to take place at The Glasshouse in New York, on Wednesday, May 10th.