Grupo Equatorial has taken over leadership of Copasa following an extraordinary general meeting. Augusto Dantas Borges has been elected as the new chief executive officer to lead the restructuring of the Minas Gerais-based company.
The infrastructure and basic sanitation sector in Brazil is undergoing a major reconfiguration with the leadership change at Copasa (Companhia de Saneamento de Minas Gerais). The shift comes after an Extraordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting that greenlit the corporate transition.
With this move, Gerais Saneamento, a company owned by Grupo Equatorial, formally takes over the administrative management of the Minas Gerais concessionaire. The investor will now appoint the majority of seats on the Board of Directors.
The consolidation of the private group in strategic leadership marks a new chapter for water supply services, sustainability, and operational efficiency in Minas Gerais, while maintaining public sector institutional safeguards.
New board composition and state guarantees
The new Copasa Board of Directors will have nine members. The board will be chaired by Tinn Freire Amado, with Leonardo da Silva Lucas Tavares de Lima serving as vice-chair.
The restructuring preserved public sector protection mechanisms through the special class share, known as a Golden Share. This measure ensures that the State of Minas Gerais retains the prerogative to appoint primary members to the company’s boards.
Additionally, Gerais Saneamento notified the Minas Gerais government of the early termination of the Shareholders’ Agreement. However, regulatory obligations and the share lock-up period remain in effect.
Changes to the executive board
Immediately following the definition of the new board, the concessionaire’s statutory executive board was sworn in to lead the company’s operational activities.
Executive Augusto Dantas Borges takes over as CEO after building a career of over 18 years at Grupo Equatorial, leading major operations in the energy and sanitation sectors.
The new CEO brings extensive experience in managing major national concessions, such as the group’s divisions in Maranhão and Pará, as well as CSA and CEA in Amapá.
The executive team also includes Herbert Arnaud Dantas for Operations, Marília Carvalho de Melo for Socioenvironmental Affairs, Adriano Rudek de Moura for Financial Management, and Cleyson Jacomini de Sousa for the Commercial sector.
Outlook and next steps
The official arrival of Grupo Equatorial at the helm of Copasa strengthens the presence of private enterprise in the development of national basic sanitation.
Market expectations are that the new administration will accelerate investments in network modernization, the universalization of services, and socioenvironmental governance throughout the state of Minas Gerais.
