Esteves Hall

The renovation of Esteves Hall was made possible by the support of André Santos Esteves, cofounder and CEO of Brazil-based BTG Pactual, and his wife, Lilian.

Esteves Hall, reopened in April 2015, is an executive education residential facility located on the northeast corner of the HBS campus. Esteves Hall’s living and group spaces accommodate participants in a comfortable, high-quality, technology-rich environment with collaborative work spaces and lounges. The transformative renovation was achieved through the use of sophisticated materials and color palettes, enhanced by lighting to create a timeless design that will deepen the learning experience for thousands of participants annually from around the globe.

About the Name

Esteves Hall is named for André Esteves and his wife, Lilian. Born into a working-class family in Rio de Janeiro, André earned a bachelor’s degree from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and went on to found BTG Pactual, the largest investment bank in Latin America. With roots in Brazil, BTG Pactual has had an impact not only throughout Latin America but also in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

In the global century in which we live, the need for well-trained business leaders who can make a difference in the world has never been greater. For several years, Esteves and his colleagues have worked with Harvard Business School faculty on an executive training program for members of BTG Pactual’s management team. He was inspired to pursue this undertaking because of his interest in education and in opportunities to improve management education in Brazil by sharing best practices learned at Harvard Business School. Esteves serves on the boards of the Federation of Brazilian Banks as well as those of Conservation International and Fundação Estudar, a private scholarship fund that supports Brazilian students at Harvard University. He is also a member of the HBS Latin America Advisory Board.

The gift to name Esteves Hall has further solidified Harvard Business School's connection with Brazil as well as with the rest of Latin America. HBS faculty, for example, work in Brazil and other Latin American nations to do research, run educational programs, and consult with companies. Codirectors are based in São Paulo and Buenos Aires to manage the School’s Latin America Research Center, which since 2000 has produced numerous research cases and other educational materials on management and economic issues in Brazil and other countries in the region.

“Education is an essential ingredient in the development of people, the growth and success of regions, and the rapid development of intellectual capital,” Esteves said. “Harvard Business School is the global leader in educating people who make a difference in the world. The men and women who graduate from its Executive Education programs have a long-lasting impact on the progress of their workers, their companies, and their countries, and have done so in particular in Brazil. I am delighted that Esteves Hall will play an important role in the education of new generations of business leaders for years to come, and that it will help raise the visibility of Brazil on the world stage.”