Early Life
Rodolfo Villela Marino was born in 1975 in São Paulo, Brazil. He is a grandson of Eudoro Libânio Villela, who co-founded Banco Itaú in 1945, a pivotal moment that shaped his family's future. Marino's mother, Maria de Lourdes Egydio Villela, transferred her shares of Itausa to him and his brother. He obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) in 1998. He furthered his education with Master's degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Rise to Success
Marino's career has been deeply intertwined with the family business. He holds the position of Vice President of Itaúsa, the holding company that controls major financial and industrial companies. He has also served on the board of directors for several companies controlled by Itausa, including Dexco, Alpargatas, and Aegea Saneamento. His career includes roles in Itautec, and Elekeiroz, where he served as president. Forbes listed Rodolfo as a billionaire in 2019, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion at that time.
Key Business Strategies
Marino's contributions have been significant in shaping the governance structure of Itaúsa. He contributed to the creation of a governance structure for Itaúsa, with independent advisors and new presidents for each company. This strategy allowed a more active management style, and facilitated the mergers of Itaú with Unibanco, and Duratex with Satipel.
Philanthropy
Rodolfo Villela Marino and his family are involved in various philanthropic endeavors, with a particular focus on education and social development in Brazil. Marino is involved with the Instituto Cultural Itaú and the Instituto para Estudos do Desenvolvimento Industrial (IEDI). The family has created an endowment fund, PDR (Purpose Driven Resources) that brings together philanthropic and impact investments.