Pedro Whitaker de Souza Dias assumes role as managing partner of Mattos Filho

Mattos Filho is pleased to announce that Pedro Whitaker de Souza Dias will take up his role as the firm’s new managing partner effective Wednesday, April 3. Following a ten-month leadership transition period with former managing partner and firm founder Roberto Quiroga, Dias will now lead the firm’s management for the next three years. His goal is to continue the legacy of the founding partners, strengthen business development, and ensure the firm’s stability and long-term success.

“True leadership involves sharing knowledge and cultivating new leaders. Mattos Filho’s history goes much further than the individual role of each partner, and continues to be shaped by many hands through collaborative efforts. I am very pleased and feel very sure about passing on the baton to Pedro, who has been part of the firm for over 25 years and is fully aligned with our culture,” stated Roberto Quiroga, who will remain a partner at the firm focused on tax, banking, and pro bono matters.

Pedro Dias was elected by the firm’s partnership last year and boasts a successful career spanning more than 26 years at the firm, including 16 years as a partner in the Corporate/M&A practice. He has gained renown for his adept negotiation skills in complex cases for both Brazilian and international clients.

Dias has played a particularly significant institutional role at the firm since 2016, serving on the executive committee alongside ten other partners and leading the financial and strategic planning committees at Mattos Filho.

“I am immensely grateful to Quiroga for the invaluable lessons I have gained during the past ten months, which were essential for my preparation and transition to managing partner. I take up this role feeling assured that the partnership is strong and aligned with the firm’s objectives. The high-performance, collaborative efforts of our teams set us apart, and I cannot wait to actively contribute to our next endeavors,” declared Dias.

Holding a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from São Paulo’s Pontifical Catholic University (PUC-SP), Dias has received notable recognitions from institutions such as Chambers Global, Chambers Brazil, Latin Lawyer 250, and The Legal 500, for his work in the world of corporate law and M&A.

Forming new leaders: a commitment to our long-term vision

This marks only the second time in Mattos Filho’s 32-year history that a non-founding partner will lead the firm. José Eduardo Queiroz previously served as managing partner for over five years before his unexpected passing in 2020.

Developing new leaders is an integral part of Mattos Filho’s values and long-term vision. Partners are actively prepared to oversee management-related matters at the firm, including via committee efforts and strategic planning programs. The firm’s robust governance model has gone from strength to strength over the past 15 years, ensuring smooth transitions in leadership and transparency regarding the firm’s strategic direction, reflecting the maturity of Mattos Filho as an institution.