How the woman at the helm of Palmeiras sparks love and hate on the internet

In recent weeks, the image of a meeting of the presidents of the biggest football clubs has been circulating on Twitter. The reason? The photo showed the president of Palmeiras, Leila Pereira, huddled among the other football managers.

Leila Pereira is the fifth richest woman in Brazil, with an estimated fortune of R$7,2 billion, according to the ranking released by Forbes magazine. In addition to being president of Palmeiras, Crefisa and FAM, Leila manages 11 other companies in the group founded by her husband.

Who is Leila Pereira?

Leia Pereira was born in 1965, in the city of Cabo Frio (RJ). She is the daughter of a doctor and her father wanted her to become a 'housewife' and stay in the city. However, it was not Leila's will.

In 1996, she moved to São Paulo and went to work at a law firm. In 1999, she married José Roberto and began working in her husband's business as a lawyer. Leila gained weight in business and conquered her space as a professional.

 The couple has been sponsoring Palmeiras since 2015. Currently, sponsorship amounts to R$80 million per year and the value can reach R$120 million, because it can be expanded according to pre-established goals and winning titles.

President of Palmeiras

In 2022, Leila Pereira became the first woman to assume the role of president of Palmeiras and the first female president to be an international champion in South America.

For fans, she is “Aunt Leila”. There were many times that the president of Palmeiras went viral on social media due to her relaxed actions and also the situations of machismo that she suffers in charge of the club.

The only woman in a universe that is still very masculine, Leila stands out and is admired for her form and representation. When she took over the club, she appointed, among the four possible, two female vice-presidents, an unprecedented event at Palmeiras.

Loved by many and hated by others, Leila responds to sexism in a professional tone and has stated several times that much of the criticism she receives would not happen if she were a man.

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