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Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles

Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles

F. Salles
0.57% | + $57.45M
$10.12 B ₹ 92,078 Cr
Real Time Net Worth #330 Ranking as of 21 Feb 2026 By Forbes

More on Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles

Gender

Male

Age

80Y

Country

Brazil

Born On

January, 1946

Deceased

No

Relationship Status

Married

Children

1

Education

Unknown

Designation Info :

Self-Made

No

Entrepreneur Type

Inherited

Primary Organization

Companhia E. Johnston De Participações

Titles

Shareholder

Sources of Wealth

Itaú Unibanco, CBMM

Industry

Finance, Banking, Mining, Film

About Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles


F ernando Roberto Moreira Salles is a Brazilian billionaire and a member of one of the country's oldest and most powerful banking dynasties. He and his three brothers—Pedro, Walther Jr., and João—are the heirs to the fortune created by their late father, Walter Moreira Salles, who founded Unibanco. Through a massive merger in 2008, Unibanco joined with Itaú to create Itaú Unibanco, the largest private sector bank in Latin America.

The Moreira Salles brothers are the controlling shareholders of the banking giant through their family's holding company, Companhia E. Johnston de Participações. While his brother Pedro is the co-chairman of the bank, Fernando is not involved in the day-to-day management of the family's financial assets. He is a noted filmmaker and documentarian, having directed a number of acclaimed films. He is also, along with his brothers, a controlling shareholder of CBMM, the world's largest producer of niobium, a critical metal used to strengthen steel.

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Quick Reads


  • An heir to one of Brazil's most prominent banking and mining fortunes.
  • His family is a controlling shareholder of Itaú Unibanco, Latin America's largest bank.
  • Also a controlling shareholder of CBMM, the world's top producer of the metal niobium.
  • Unlike his brothers, he is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker.
  • His brother, Pedro Moreira Salles, is the co-chairman of the bank.

Early Life and Background


Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles is a Brazilian billionaire heir and investor. His wealth is rooted in his family's vast financial and industrial empire, which includes a controlling stake in Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A. (NYSE: ITUB), one of the largest private banks in Latin America. His family's fortune began with his grandfather, João Moreira Salles, who founded Unibanco in 1924 as a financial center linked to the family's coffee business.

Fernando is one of four siblings who control the family's interest in Grupo Moreira Salles. His father, Walter Moreira Salles, was a prominent diplomat, former Brazilian Ambassador to the United States, and Finance Minister. Fernando's career is defined by his high-level stewardship of the inherited assets, which span banking, mining, and petrochemicals, and his focus on preserving the family's long-term financial and civic legacy.

Career Journey of Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles


Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles's career is characterized by his role as a major family shareholder and director in the governance of the Moreira Salles Group. His wealth was secured by the immense success of Unibanco, which merged with Banco Itaú in 2008 to form Itaú Unibanco, creating the largest financial conglomerate in Brazil. This strategic consolidation ensured the family's dominance in the essential financial services sector.

The family's structural business philosophy was to diversify into mining and petrochemical industries in reaction to the collapse of the coffee industry in the 1930s. His brother, Pedro Moreira Salles (Chairman of the Board of Itaú Unibanco), is the primary executive face. Fernando's role is to ensure the stable, long-term management of his portion of the fortune, adhering to the family's emphasis on establishing strong relationships and promoting meritocracy.

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Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles's Timeline


1924:

Unibanco is founded by his grandfather, João Moreira Salles (Founding).

2008:

Unibanco merges with Banco Itaú to form Itaú Unibanco, the largest private bank in Latin America (Financial Consolidation).

Ongoing:

Continues as a major family shareholder and director, guiding the long-term financial strategy (Executive Oversight).

Major Business Ventures and Investments


Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles's wealth is concentrated in his family's controlling stake in the publicly traded financial giant, Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A. (NYSE: ITUB), and his private industrial holdings.

  • Itaú Unibanco (Major Family Shareholder): The core asset, one of the largest private banks in Latin America, formed by the 2008 merger of Banco Itaú and Unibanco.
  • Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM): The family holds a significant stake in this major niobium producer, reflecting their diversification into essential industrial materials.
  • Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term asset preservation and maintaining control over essential financial and industrial commodities.

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Philanthropy and Social Impact


Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles's social impact is massive and structural, tied to Itaú Unibanco's role as a massive financial institution providing essential banking and credit services. The Moreira Salles family are major philanthropists, focusing on culture, education, and the environment through the Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS), which preserves a vast collection of Brazilian cultural assets.

His structural contribution is tied to the stability of the Brazilian financial system and the family's long-standing legacy of civic leadership and cultural patronage.

Fashion, Style, and Lifestyle


Fernando Roberto Moreira Salles maintains the professional, composed style of a Brazilian financier and heir. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic is one of stability and profound financial authority, reflecting his family's legacy of high-level diplomacy and banking.

Residing in São Paulo, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to the stewardship of his family's financial and industrial empire, rooted in the core sectors of the Brazilian economy.

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Quotes and Philosophy


No publicly available quotes.

Fun Facts & Trivia


  • His family controls Itaú Unibanco, one of the largest private banks in Latin America.
  • The family's fortune began with a coffee business in 1924.
  • His father was a former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. and Finance Minister.
  • The family holds a significant stake in the niobium producer CBMM (mining).
  • The banking giant was formed by the Unibanco and Itaú merger in 2008.
  • The family's foundation, IMS, preserves a vast collection of Brazilian cultural assets.
  • His brother, Pedro Moreira Salles, is the Chairman of Itaú Unibanco.

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Sources & References


This profile is compiled from verified biographical and financial records:

  • Wealth Data: Real-time tracking and historical data from Forbes Billionaires and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
  • Biographical Records: Educational and career history sourced from Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and official university alumni directories.
  • Regulatory Filings: Shareholder and executive disclosures from stock exchange databases, including HKEX, SSE, SZSE, and SEC EDGAR.
  • Corporate History: Primary data from annual company reports, founding charters, and verified press announcements.

All information is cross-referenced with public sources for accuracy; some narrative sections are AI-assisted summaries.

If you find any inaccuracies, please report them to admin@redcarpetlife.in

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