New president of Finep wants to consolidate and expand the performance of the development fund

 

Political scientist Luis Manuel Rebelo Fernandes took office on March 23 as the new president of Finep, in a ceremony at the headquarters of the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan). Fernandes, who had already held the presidency of the funder between 2007 and 2011, succeeds Professor Glauco Arbix in the position. “It is with great joy that I return to Finep, an institution that plays a central and irreplaceable role in promoting innovation and national scientific and technological development”, he said. The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Aldo Rebelo, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, in addition to former MCTI ministers Roberto Amaral and Marco Antonio Raupp and the president of Firjan, Eduardo Eugenio, were present at the event. Gouvea Vieira. About 750 people attended the inauguration. 

Among the challenges highlighted by Luis Fernandes are consolidating and expanding the level of credit operations achieved with PSI Inovação, guaranteeing alternative and regular funding sources; conclude the process of recognition of Finep as a financial institution by the Central Bank – in the Development Agency modality –; and recompose the investment capacity of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT). “It is essential that we preserve Finep's broad profile of action, of operating programs and instruments throughout the knowledge generation chain and throughout the innovation chain, with a focus on strategic, structuring and impactful actions for the development of Brazil”, stressed. "There is no institution in the country or in the world that operates instruments and mechanisms so comprehensive in the promotion of scientific and technological research and in the promotion of innovation, ranging from investments in infrastructure and ICT research projects to the granting of credit for R&D in companies, including for the economic subsidy and the support to nascent innovative companies".

According to Luis Fernandes, the capacity of the FNDCT was atrophied by the loss of revenue from CT Petro, by the reintroduction of restrictive execution limits and by the competition with regular budgetary programs of the direct administration. According to Aldo Rebelo, the ministry is working on re-discussing the sources of funds for Science and Technology, which depends on the regulation of the pre-salt Social Fund: "We hope that part of the fund's remaining 50% is destined for innovation". He also proposed the creation of a board composed of all former presidents of the finance company. "The objective will be the exchange of experiences and ideas to help Finep to tread the best paths in the future. I also suggest that the name of this council be José Pelúcio Ferreira, the first president in the company's history".