By Staff Writer, Global AgInvesting Media
Ernst & Young Assessoria Empresarial Ltda. (EY Brazil) has officially announced an agreement to acquire MB Agro.
Based in São Paulo, MB Agro is a premier strategic consulting and market intelligence boutique renowned for its deep expertise in the Brazilian agribusiness landscape. The acquisition marks a pivotal expansion of EY’s capabilities, merging its global multidisciplinary reach with specialized local insights.
Strengthening the Value Chain
The integration of MB Agro into EY Brazil is designed to enhance the firm’s ability to provide high-level diagnostics and strategic execution. MB Agro has built a formidable reputation by serving a diverse clientele, including financial institutions, major agricultural producers, cooperatives, and international investors.
Their work focuses on providing the critical economic scenarios and sector analyses necessary for navigating complex decisions related to credit risk, investment strategies, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Top-Tier Talent Integration
A cornerstone of this acquisition is the addition of two of Brazil’s most respected agribusiness figures to the EY leadership team. Alexandre Mendonça de Barros, a prominent economist known for his macroeconomic analysis and market projections, and José Carlos Hausknecht, an agricultural engineer with a specialty in animal science and pasture analysis, will both join EY Brazil as partners.
Luiz Sérgio Vieira, CEO of EY Brazil, emphasized that the technical depth brought by these leaders and their team is a “significant addition” to EY’s portfolio.
“The technical depth that [the MB Agro] team bring represents a significant addition to our portfolio. This integration enhances our ability to provide diagnostics that support critical market decisions, now embedded within a global, multidisciplinary platform,” Vieira said in a press release.
The goal is to transform complex, volatile data regarding climate, geopolitics, and costs into actionable strategic drivers for clients across the entire agribusiness value chain.
Expanding the Center of Excellence
The acquisition complements EY Brazil’s existing infrastructure, specifically its Agribusiness Center of Excellence located in Ribeirão Preto. This facility serves as a hub for innovation, connecting traditional agribusiness companies with startups, universities, and research centers.
By incorporating MB Agro’s subscription-based products—such as specialized intelligence reports—EY Brazil ensures that its clients will continue to receive the rigorous technical analysis they rely on, now backed by EY’s global technology and AI-driven platforms.
Looking Ahead: Navigating Complexity
As global demand and geopolitical shifts continue to impact the agricultural market, the need for data-driven, grounded analysis has never been higher.
Alexandre Mendonça de Barros, partner, noted that the history of MB Agro, which traces back to the 1970s, is now entering a new chapter where scale meets precision.
“Our history began in the 1970s with macroeconomic, sector and scenario analysis. Since 2005, we have focused on agribusiness, and now we are taking a new step forward. At a time when understanding the interaction between climate, costs, demand and geopolitics is essential for sound decision-making, EY Brazil offers the scale and capability to transform complex data into strategic drivers for the entire value chain,” he said.
While the completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the move signals EY’s commitment to being a “national reference” in the sector.
For the broader market, this integration promises a more comprehensive suite of services that addresses the most complex demands of modern agriculture, from sustainability and ESG reporting to risk management and technological transformation.
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