Billboard Brasil has announced the winners of the first national edition of the Power Players, the prestigious list that for over a decade has highlighted the professionals driving the global music industry forward. A total of 50 individuals from various sectors of the industry are being honored at a ceremony on Thursday (Aug. 13) at Hotel Unique in São Paulo.
At 70 years old, Luiz Oscar Niemeyer receives the top recognition on the first Brazilian edition of Power Players after four decades of work in music entertainment. He served as general coordinator of the first Rock in Rio in 1985 and has led historic projects such as Paul McCartney’s show at Maracanã Stadium, which drew 184,000 people and earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. He currently leads Bonus Track, the company behind the Todo Mundo no Rio platform, alongside Luiz Guilherme Niemeyer.
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The honorees were selected through an independent editorial curation by Billboard Brasil, taking into account each professional’s relevance, recent work and impact on the music production chain. The selection also reflects the market’s diversity, representing different sectors, including record labels and distributors, streaming and digital platforms, radio and media, show and festival production, artist management, copyright, and the new creator economy.
Among the winners are Anselmo Troncoso, an audiovisual producer responsible for over 500 DVDs and hundreds of music videos, as well as four Guinness World Records; Ana Bueno, vp of marketing at Universal Music Brasil; Arleyde Caldi, founder of Grupo Caldi, which handles communications for artists such as Luan Santana, Ana Castela and João Gomes; Bete Dezembro, founder of Fábrica de Eventos, responsible for bringing major national and international tours to Manaus; Bruno Batista, vp of A&R at Filtr Music (Sony Music Entertainment Brasil); Bruno Rego, one of the leading show producers in Northeast Brazil, behind events such as São João de Petrolina and Expocrato; Carlos Aristides, co-founder of Vybbe, a company that represents artists including Nattan, Mari Fernandez and Zé Vaqueiro; and Carolina Alzuguir, head of music at Spotify Brazil, responsible for the platform’s partnerships with artists, labels and publishers.
The list also features Danillo Ambrosano, head of Apple Music Brazil; Dody Sirena, co-founder of Grupo DC Set, which brought artists such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Coldplay to Brazil; Douglas Moda, founder of We4 Music and producer of works by artists including Iza, Luísa Sonza and Matuê; Dudu Borges, Latin Grammy winner and producer for artists such as Luan Santana, Gusttavo Lima and Marília Mendonça; Eliane Dias, CEO and co-founder of Boogie Naipe, responsible for the careers of Racionais MC’s, Mano Brown and Duquesa; Fabio Duarte, co-founder of Agência Califórnia and the group that includes FitDance and Community Creators Academy; Felippe Llerena, president of the Brazilian Association of Independent Music (ABMI) and a pioneer in digital distribution in Latin America; and Felipe Vassão, a producer and composer with a career who was part of the team behind Jota.Pê’s album that won three Latin Grammys in 2024.
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Also among the honorees are Flavia Cesar, director of licensing and synchronization at Warner Chappell Music Brasil; Gustavo Gonzalez, director of Abramus Digital, who works on copyright collection and distribution; Gustavo Sirotsky, managing partner at Maia Entretenimento and one of the names behind Planeta Atlântida; Isabel Amorim, executive superintendent at Ecad; Guilherme Marconi, co-founder of Coala Festival and vp of business at Grupo DVT; Monique Gardenberg, creator of the Free Jazz Festival, TIM Festival and C6 Fest; Juliana Constantini, content and music production manager at Globo; Alexandre Kassin, a producer who has worked with Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa and Los Hermanos; and Konrad Dantas, founder of KondZilla, responsible for the largest music channel in Latin America and showrunner of the series Sintonia.
The Power Players Brasil 2026 also recognizes Leca Guimarães, senior promoter and head of special projects and festivals at Live Nation, whose career includes nearly a decade leading Lollapalooza at C3 Presents; Luiz Restiffe, co-founder of Agência InHaus and creator of projects such as Farraial and Nômade Festival; Marcelo Ferraz, co-founder of Head Media, a Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, and producer for artists like Anitta and Jão; Marcelo Britto, co-founder of Salvador Produções and one of the names who helped propel Léo Santana’s career; Marcelo Castello Branco, CEO of UBC and chairman of the CISAC board of directors; Marcos Mioto, one of the main show and rodeo contractors in the country; Monica Brandão, country manager of Altafonte Brasil; and Paula Lavigne, a producer who has been responsible for Caetano Veloso’s career for decades and is behind the “Caetano e Bethânia” tour.
The selection also includes Eduardo Pepato, a Latin Grammy winner responsible for the musical direction of major sertanejo projects, from Marília Mendonça to Simone Mendes; Eduardo Cristofaro, founder of PromoAção and one of the people responsible for consolidating themed music cruises in Brazil; Rafael Lazarini, founder of Rio2C and SP2B and board member of Rock in Rio; Rodolfo Medina, CEO of Rock World, responsible for Rock in Rio, The Town and Lollapalooza Brasil; Sylvia Medeiros, senior vp of The Orchard Brazil; Simon Fuller, manager of Marisa Monte, Los Hermanos and BaianaSystem; Marco Antônio Tobal Junior, managing partner of Grupo São Paulo Eventos, which manages venues such as Villa Country, Espaço Unimed and Audio; and Thiago Abreu, director of creative services at Warner Music Brasil.
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Completing the list are Zé Ricardo, artistic vp at Rock World, responsible for the artistic conception and bookings for festivals such as Rock in Rio and The Town; Izabel Marigo, director of A&R and new business at ONErpm; Cristina Leuzinger, marketing director at Som Livre and specialist on the connection between music, live entertainment and brands; Marcella Micelli, founder of HQ Music, an agency specialized in music marketing; Kamilla Fialho, founder of K2L, known for discovering and managing Anitta and launching names such as Kevin O Chris and MC Rebecca; Tatiana Costa, director of entertainment and news content at Globo, with a three-decade career at the group; Raquel Virgínia, artist and founder of Nhaí, an agency focused on diversity projects; Marcela Moreira, country director of Believe Brasil; and Fabiane Pereira, journalist, radio personality and host of the Papo de Música podcast who has won the APCA Award and two WME Awards.
The arrival of Power Players in Brazil comes at a moment of prominence for the domestic market. According to a report by the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), the country ranked as the eighth biggest music market globally, while Latin America leads global growth, with a 17.1% increase in revenue in 2025.
“We are very happy to launch the first edition of Power Players in Brazil, a market that plays a central role in the global music industry. Brazil is currently one of the leading countries in music consumption and is increasingly consolidating itself as a cultural and creative powerhouse,” said Camila Zana, CMO of Billboard Brasil, in a statement.
“This edition was born as a way to value and recognize the talents who work daily to strengthen the industry and help Brazil become an increasingly important reference on the world music scene,” adds Fátima Pissarra, CEO of Billboard Brasil.
Created by Billboard over a decade ago, the Power Players lists have established themselves as an international benchmark for recognizing executives, producers, songwriters, managers, label professionals, agents and other names that drive industry growth. In the most recent global edition of the list, nine Brazilians were recognized, highlighting the relevance of the country’s professionals on the international stage.
The first Brazilian edition of Power Players was developed as a partnership between Billboard Brasil and the São Paulo Beyond Business (SP2B) festival, which is holding its inaugural event between Aug. 9-16 at the city’s Ibirapuera Park. Boasting the theme “The New Logic of Entrepreneurship,” SP2B is expected to draw about 500,000 people. The festival includes 30 stages, 1,000 hours of content and approximately 2,000 speakers.