The 18th annual gala dinner and ‘Personality of the Year’ awards took place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Tuesday 10th May.
This popular black-tie event traditionally recognises the achievements of two business leaders – one Brazilian, one British – who have been instrumental in forging closer commercial ties between Brazil and the UK.
The recipients of the 2016 Personality of the Year awards were Alexandre Grendene Bartelle of footwear producer Grendene, and John Fallon of publishing and education company Pearson.
Alexandre Grendene Bartelle: founder and Chairman of the board of directors of Grendene S.A.
Grendene is one of the world’s largest footwear producers, with 24,000 employees and a production capacity of 250 million pairs per year. The company has 13 factories and exports 25% of its total production to more than 100 countries. One of Grendene’s successful footwear labels, Melissa, recently chose London’s Covent Garden as the location for its largest store outside Brazil (read more about Alexandre Grendene Bartelle).
John Joseph Fallon: CEO of Pearson
John was responsible for Pearson’s education businesses outside North America from 2008, and became the company’s chief executive in 2013.
Pearson is a world leader in education and has a presence in more than 80 countries. In Brazil, which the company considers a top priority market, it has become a leader in English-language and vocational courses through brands such as Wizard, Yázigi, Skill, Wall Street English, Quatrum, Microlins and SOS (read more about John Joseph Fallon).
CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PURCHASE PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR'S GALA