Brazil appoints Pedro Parente as CEO of Petrobras

Brazil’s interim government has appointed Pedro Parente to replace Aldemir Bendine as the CEO of Petrobras, which has been at the centre of a corruption scandal.

Parente was the country’s former energy minister and was working as chairman of BM&FBovespa, a Sao Paulo-based financial firm.

He has been named as CEO by acting President Michel Temer.

Bendine was appointed by the suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

The corruption scandal, in which Petrobras was the epicentre, has rocked the government and economy since 2014.

In less than 16 months, Petrobras has seen three CEOs.

Parente was quoted by Riotimesonline.com as saying: "The government’s relationship with Petrobras is one of a controlling shareholder.

"Its first concern is with the success of the company. We (interim President, Michel Temer and Parente) have a strictly professional stance on this, geared towards the interests of the company and its shareholders."

Parente added that the position was accepted only after being assured by the government that there would be political appointments to the company’s executive roles.

"It was one of the points that helped me decide to take on this mission," he added.

During the Rousseff administration, congressional representatives were accused of taking bribes from firms for oil deals.