'I almost became illiterate in terms of strategic vision,' says Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter

Despite his extensive experience in the business world and his years leading Gerdau - the largest Brazilian multinational in the steel production sector - Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter says that current times are more than challenging.

At 88 years old and with a track record that no one can fault—today, the steel company, founded in 1946 by his great-grandfather, Johannesburg Heinrich Kaspersky Gerdau, has 29 plants and approximately 30,000 employees in several countries, including the United States—the businessman, recognized as a great strategist, states that for the first time in his life, with the world turned upside down and Donald Trump at the helm, he has great difficulty imagining the future. "I'd almost say I've become strategically illiterate," he exaggerates.

According to Estadão 's findings, it is not yet possible to know which Brazilian exports will be exempt from the 50% tax imposed by the American president.

In this conversation, the author of the book The Search , a learning experience from a journey of concerns and achievements - a reference to the search for something that goes beyond business efficiency and involves concerns in the fields of culture, health and education - states that, despite his business experience, which allowed him to see a few years ahead and make plans, today he is not able to "answer what will happen in the next few months, or perhaps in the next two years".

I'd like to start with a quote from US President Donald Trump, who wants to make America Great Again. Will he succeed?

I think the issue is very complex. But I would say that the United States, in recent years, due to its structure, in the simplest aspects of the industrial field, has been losing ground. China has taken advantage of this opportunity.

But the United States still stands out from the rest of the world due to its technological developments. The United States' leadership is eminently technological. And today, we have AI, the biggest shock we're all experiencing, and it's extremely difficult to understand or keep up with. I doubt whether Trump's vision of industrial recovery has much potential or validity. We have companies in the United States, including Gerdau, that are extremely competitive. The United States continues to be the most efficient in the world. Historically, the country has an extraordinary entrepreneurial and competitive background. But I think the space the United States has and should continue to have is technological leadership. I don't quite understand this ongoing debate. Perhaps, within global interests, there may be decisions to return some industrial activity to the United States. But, globally, the macroeconomy is what has defined this structure.

For the first time since their inception, U.S. Treasuries took a step back, albeit a small one, alarming the financial market and signaling that the U.S. could enter a crisis, with reduced growth. Do you think there's any logic to this? Could another country lead the world?

I think this happened as a result of a lack of clarity about what's happening and what's going to happen. I'll give a personal example. Historically, throughout my business career, I've been able to see a few years ahead and make plans. Today, within the current scenarios, whether here in Brazil or especially internationally, I can't predict what will happen in the next few months, or perhaps in the next two years. I almost say I've become strategically illiterate. This gives me a terrible feeling.

It's good of you to say that. I believe everyone feels this way but doesn't have the courage to say it. How are you planning?

Our tendency has been to try to develop a long-term strategic vision, but in reality, we're executing short-term plans. We continue to invest heavily in modernization and updating. This is a necessity for global competitive survival. But I don't feel we're in a position to define a longer-term strategy.

With your experience, this might be the time for the most doubts, right?

This is truly the most difficult time to define. There have been more tumultuous periods, when we sit back and wait to see what the future holds. But what worries me is that I can't understand what's happening. Usually, the main leaders are the ones who show us the way. Today, you see a country like Germany, which is working to define its future. You see the uncertainty, whether in France or Italy, countries that have a tradition of strategic vision. These are things that were unforeseen a few years ago, and suddenly there's a rise of the right. The Brazilian scenario itself is extremely interesting. Today, if you ask our Congress or the Presidency how they see Brazil in two years, four years, there's no answer.

Governments don't have enough money to invest in sustainability and in helping those most in need. Do you think the private sector will have to step in more actively?

I began my life with the example of my great-grandfather, who in 1860 took on the social responsibility of maintaining the roof of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in the city of Agudo (Rio Grande do Sul). You used a key word: sustainability. Today, it's discussed in three areas: economic, social, and environmental sustainability. If you want to survive, you have to evolve toward balanced sustainability. I believe this evolution will happen, because for efficient processes, you need the private sector to participate.