SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil’s incoming Finance Minister Fernando Haddad on Thursday announced a fresh batch of officials to lead the economic team of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government.
The incoming financial team has come under scrutiny ahead of the Jan. 1 inauguration of leftist Lula, who has emphasized the importance of social spending to improve the country’s economy and welfare as well as fiscal responsibility.
In a press conference, Haddad said Rogerio Ceron, his finance secretary when he himself served as Sao Paulo’s mayor, would lead Brazil’s Treasury.
Ceron recently headed Sao Paulo Parcerias, a city government-linked agency involved in projects related to concessions, privatization and public-private partnerships.
Haddad also confirmed Marcos Barbosa Pinto as the finance ministry’s new secretary for economic reforms, Guilherme Mello as economic policy secretariat, and Robinson Barreirinhas as secretary of the federal revenue service.
Haddad said the “quartet” he presented on Thursday would boost the finance ministry’s efficiency and find solutions to the country’s problems.
Earlier on Thursday, Lula also announced 15 picks for his future cabinet, including his vice president-elect, Geraldo Alckmin, who will double as industry and trade minister.
(Reporting by Eduardo Simões; Additional reporting by Peter Frontini; Editing by Richard Chang)