The dispute between Opportunity and Previ, Banco do Brasil?s pension fund, has just become more intense. Now Previ is challenging the appointment of Humberto José Rocha Braz as the new chairman of Brasil Telecom Participações. For the time being the challenge is internal only, based on the company?s bylaws, but it could soon go before a court of law. Mr Braz was nominated on August 29 at the end of a board meeting. Previ says his name wasn?t submitted for approval sufficiently in advance and he lacks the vast experience in telecoms required to head an incumbent local exchange carrier. Brasil Telecom Participações S.A. (BTP) is the holding company for Brasil Telecom S.A. (BrT), the ILEC covering nine states in an area that corresponds to 33% of the country. Previ also claims Mr Braz can?t be chairman of BTP because he?s already the ILEC?s director for institutional relations.
According to documents to which TELETIME News has had access, Opportunity?s response is that Mr Braz doesn?t need experience in telecoms because BTP isn?t the operating company. Moreover, it points out, he can?t be accused of accumulating jobs because he?s a director of BrT and not of BTP.
Mr Braz?s new duties at BTP, if his appointment is ratified, will be the same as those of Carla Cico at BrT.
Conflicts
