Constantino Júnior, founder and president of the Board of Directors of Gol, died this Saturday morning (24) at the age of 57. The executive had been fighting cancer for years and was admitted to a hospital in the city of São Paulo.
The businessman was Gol’s first CEO and led the company from 2001 to 2012. Before assuming the executive leadership of the company, he was Director of Comporte Participações entre, a group that controls several land passenger transport companies in Brazil, from 1994 to 2000.
“25 years ago, Júnior and the Constantino family began the trajectory of the most Brazilian of airlines. With an entrepreneurial vision and solid values, a company was born recognized for its excellence, a reference in innovation and for its commitment to the development of Brazil”, said Gol in a statement.
Gol credits Júnior with introducing the concept of “low cost, low fare” in Brazilian aviation. The executive was at the head of the company during the acquisition of Varig and led the company’s expansion in the national market in its first years.
From 2004 to 2012, he served as member of the Board of Directors with the presidency. When he left the position of CEO, Júnior became president of the Board, a position he held until this Saturday. In addition to his work at GOL, Constantino was a member of the Board of Directors and one of the founders of Grupo ABRA, Gol’s holding company.
“On this day of enormous sadness, the Company sympathizes with family and friends, expressing its feelings and recognizing their legacy,” Gol said in a statement.
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“His leadership, his strategic vision and, above all, his simple, human, intelligent and approachable approach left deep marks on our culture. The principles established by its founder made the company grow and today be part of an international group. They are still alive at GOL and continue to transform aviation in Brazil”, stated the company.
