Guilherme Leal
Guilherme Peirão Leal | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1950 Santos, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, environmental and social innovator, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Natura Cosméticos (Natura &Co), co-chair of Natura's Board of Directors, founder of Arapyaú Institute |
Guilherme Peirão Leal (born 22 February 1950 in Santos) is a prominent Brazilian entrepreneur, environmental and social innovator, and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Natura Cosméticos (presently known as Natura &Co), which ranks among the world’s leading beauty conglomerates. Leal currently serves as co-chair of its Board of Directors, holds an 11% ownership stake, and participates on the board of Instituto Natura, an organization dedicated to enhancing Brazil’s public education system.
Leal has directed investments toward impactful enterprises and launched various social initiatives such as the Abrinq Foundation for Children’s Rights, the Ethos Institute for Business and Social Responsibility, and the Akatu Institute for Conscious Consumption. In 2017, he co-established Dengo, a chocolate company that sources premium cocoa from small-scale family farmers in southern Bahia. Furthermore, he is part of the B Team, a collective of global leaders advocating for sustainable business models.
His political engagement includes a brief stint as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Marina Silva in the 2010 Green Party (PV) ticket, which garnered over 20 million votes.
Biography
Born in 1950 in Santos, SP, Guilherme Leal is the youngest among four siblings. He earned a degree in Business Management from the University of São Paulo.
Leal’s professional journey began within financial institutions and at Ferrovia Paulista S.A. (Fepasa). After departing Fepasa in 1979, he joined Natura as a partner when it was a modest cosmetics retailer located on São Paulo’s Rua Oscar Freire.
Alongside Luiz Seabra and Pedro Passos, Leal played a critical role in evolving Natura into a global leader in cosmetics and an exemplar of sustainability. He spearheaded efforts to invest in environmental conservation and sustainable development by harnessing Brazil’s rich biodiversity for product innovation while promoting Amazon preservation awareness.
In the early 2000s, Natura broadened its reach to Brazil’s northern regions with Ekos—an innovative cosmetics line utilizing native ingredients. Since achieving carbon neutrality in 2007, Natura launched an Amazon investment initiative in 2011. The company is acclaimed for ethically sourcing raw materials and supporting forest-dwelling communities. Leal advocates that companies must be agents of societal change and sustainable progress, linking enduring value creation to positive social impact.
Currently, Leal balances his time between philanthropy, investments, and business activities such as Dengo and Natura, where he has held the co-chairmanship since 1998. His contributions to sustainability are highlighted in the publication Conversas com Líderes Sustentáveis (“Conversations with Sustainable Leaders”).
Forbes recognized him in 2006 with a net worth of USD 1.4 billion; by 2010, he appeared among 18 Brazilians on their list with assets valued at USD 2.1 billion.
Philanthropy
Leal is the founder and former leader of the Ethos Institute, which advances corporate social responsibility. He also played a foundational role and served on the board of the Abrinq Foundation dedicated to protecting children’s rights. His involvement extends to WWF-Brazil and the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (Funbio). In 2007, he co-founded the Our São Paulo Movement aimed at creating a more equitable and sustainable urban environment. Leal stresses that contemporary philanthropy should focus on addressing fundamental causes rather than merely alleviating symptoms.
Arapyaú Institute
Leal established the Arapyaú Institute in 2008 as a non-profit organization committed to advancing sustainable development across economic, environmental, political, and social dimensions. The institute allocates financial and strategic support to entities dedicated to promoting sustainability initiatives.
The institute played a key role in founding collaborative platforms such as the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture, which advocates for responsible land management practices, and Amazon Concertation, a coalition that brings together leaders from the public sector, private enterprises, indigenous communities, civil society, and media to devise sustainable strategies for the Amazon region. Additionally, Arapyaú backs Mapbiomas, an initiative that produces annual mappings of land use transformations throughout Brazil.
Revitalizing Cocoa Production in Southern Bahia
Through its Territorial Development program in southern Bahia, Arapyaú seeks to transform the Cocoa Coast into a benchmark for sustainable economic growth by enhancing cocoa value chains and fostering inclusive entrepreneurship, while empowering local leadership in education and regional advancement.
Leal’s involvement commenced in 2006 with the acquisition of land in this area. Motivated by its promise, he launched Arapyaú’s activities in Serra Grande in 2008 to rejuvenate the declining cocoa industry—responsible for nearly 70% of Brazil’s cocoa production—utilizing the agroforestry cabruca method that combines cocoa farming with native Atlantic Forest tree conservation. Fortifying this production chain is essential for the region’s economic development.
In 2015, Arapyaú co-established the Cocoa Innovation Center (CIC) within Southern Bahia’s Science and Technology Park (PCTSul), a critical institution for positioning Brazil as a premium cocoa producer on the global stage. The institute also assists small-scale farmers in obtaining credit through Agribusiness Receivables Certificates (CRA), merging philanthropic support with market investments.
Leal further invested in Dengo, a chocolate company founded in 2016 focused on farmer education along the Cocoa Coast, offering premium payments for cocoa and improving producers’ quality of life. Dengo’s objective is to increase incomes twofold for at least 3,000 cocoa-farming families by 2030.
Political Engagement
Leal believes that “political involvement is essential to transform the nation.” In 2019, during a B System event held in Mendoza, Argentina, he highlighted that creating a more equitable society demands shared accountability among businesses, civil society, and governments.
In 2010, Leal briefly ventured into politics by affiliating with the Green Party and was selected as vice-presidential pre-candidate alongside Marina Silva. He was the principal financial backer of their campaign, contributing R$11.85 million—exceeding donations from major corporations like Andrade Gutierrez and Banco Itaú. Their ticket garnered over 20 million votes.
Following the 2012 elections, Leal withdrew from active political participation, resigned from the Green Party, and helped establish the Political Action Network for Sustainability (RAPS), aiming to foster political leadership centered on sustainability principles.
By the time of the 2022 elections, RAPS-affiliated candidates accumulated more than 38 million votes and succeeded in electing 55 representatives across various governmental tiers, including governors and senators.
Commitment to democracy
Although Leal has declared he will not seek public office again, he continues to engage actively in political advocacy, focusing on promoting democratic values as well as social and environmental initiatives.
In 2018, he endorsed the “For democracy, for Brazil” manifesto, which opposed Jair Bolsonaro’s presidential bid. This document united a diverse group including artists, legal professionals, activists, and entrepreneurs who challenged Bolsonaro’s perceived threats to democratic principles.
In August 2022, Leal added his signature to the “Letter to Brazilians in Defense of the Democratic Rule of Law,” a response to ongoing criticisms of Brazil’s electoral process by President Bolsonaro.
External links
- Guilherme Leal featured in Forbes magazine.