• EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW •
Looking beyond cost: Rethinking
In a wide-ranging conversation with Stainless Steel World Americas, Chief Executive Officer of Aperam South America Rodrigo Villela reflects on the trends he believes will define the industry in the years ahead. From Brazil’ s growing role in global stainless steel production to the increasing importance of circularity and low-carbon materials, the future will depend on materials that combine high performance with responsible production.
• By Madeline McNabb, Stainless Steel World Americas
As CEO of Aperam South America, Rodrigo Villela leads one of the most significant stainless steel operations in the Western Hemisphere. He oversees a business with more than 5,000 employees and a uniquely integrated production model that combines stainless steelmaking, electrical steel, and a bioenergy operation built around sustainably managed eucalyptus forests.
Villela brings a broad perspective to the role. An electrical engineer who later built his career in finance, he recently transitioned from Chief Financial Officer to CEO of Aperam South America. He describes the move as both a natural progression and a significant new challenge.“ Finance provides an important background,” he says, explaining that CFOs are involved in everything from strategic planning and cost reduction to market development.
His career has also taken him beyond Brazil. Villela worked in France and Luxembourg, reinforcing his conviction that close collaboration with customers and suppliers is essential to growing the stainless steel market. That international background, combined with decades in engineering, finance, and executive leadership, gives him a rare ability to connect technical performance with market realities.
Moving beyond the price tag According to Villela, one of the most persistent challenges facing the industry is helping customers look beyond initial cost.“ Look at the added value and the performance of the material, the innovation, and the CO 2 content of the material.” As an engineer, Villela has long believed that material selection should be based on total cost of ownership rather than purchase price alone. Corrosion resistance, lifecycle, and correct specification can dramatically affect operating costs and reliability.“ Sometimes the application leads to significant losses if the material is not totally right for the application,” he said.
This philosophy underpins his broader view of the industry: stainless steel is a high-performance material whose true value becomes clear over time.
Brazil’ s untapped potential Villela is highly optimistic about the future of stainless steel in South America, particularly in Brazil. He notes that Brazil currently consumes roughly two kilograms of stainless steel per capita, compared with approximately seven kilograms in the United States and eight to ten kilograms in some European countries.
34 Stainless Steel World Americas | June 2026 | ssw-americas. com