Gastao

Gastao is Head of Real Estate for Brazil. Based in the São Paulo office, his responsibilities include developing real estate investment strategies, managing investments, maintaining relationships with local partners, and developing new partnerships that align with GIC’s direction. As a member of the Regional Investment Committee for the Americas, he also analyses and casts votes on investment opportunities in the region, primarily in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Brazil. 

Outside of work, Gastao has an eclectic range of interests—jogging, playing the guitar, reading, and travelling with his family.  He is also quite the soccer fan.  

Why did you decide to join GIC?

n my past role as a fund manager for a leading real estate investment fund in Brazil, I had the opportunity to work alongside GIC. GIC was one of the largest investors in the fund from the beginning. What struck me was the exceptional level of expertise and commitment demonstrated by the GIC team. Their thorough preparation and sound judgement in addressing challenges and making critical choices were truly impressive. I was thrilled when the opportunity to join GIC came my way. I knew that this was the place where I could flourish and take my career to the next level. 

What does your typical workday look like?

My mornings at GIC typically kick off with a team huddle, where we come together to discuss our ongoing projects and tackle any challenges that may have arisen. We also make it a point to connect with our local partners in Brazil to discuss asset management matters and business opportunities. As GIC is a well-known real estate investor in Brazil, we are constantly approached by market players for potential collaborations. These engagements give us a wealth of market information that we can tap into to make better decisions. 

Occasionally, I have the opportunity to visit our potential new investments and assess any issues with our existing assets. When I have meetings with the Regional Investment Committee for Americas, I spend time going through the deal qualifying memorandums and analysing investment opportunities presented by our deal teams well in advance. 

What do you like most about working here?

While there may be a common misperception that GIC is bureaucratic, in my experience it is an agile, bold, and forward-looking organisation, especially given its size and strategic importance to Singapore. 

The collaborative culture at GIC is something that I truly appreciate. We prioritise open communication, mutual trust, and shared responsibility, encouraging team members across departments to work together towards a common objective. When we collaborate, we can leverage each other’s unique skills and perspectives to come up with innovative solutions to challenges. 

Even after a decade at GIC, I continue to cherish the camaraderie I have with my colleagues. We understand the significance of team morale and make it a point to participate in regular team bonding activities. At one of our department’s global retreats, we organised a mass karaoke session in a large auditorium. I remember inviting two of my colleagues from the Mumbai office to sing a classic Elvis Presley song, and this memory brings a smile to my face to this day. It was a fun and memorable experience that further strengthened our bond as a team. 

How would you describe the learning & development culture at GIC?

GIC provides us with exposure and opportunities to work on exciting and impactful projects, which drives exponential learning.  When I first joined the company, I was tasked to develop an investment strategy for a credit or debit investment platform in Brazil. Since we had limited exposure to this asset class and I had no prior experience investing in it, we conducted a thorough market analysis and eventually identified a suitable partner for debt deals with whom we could form a joint venture. This strategy has proven to be a success, and we have invested in five joint ventures with the same partner thus far, all of which have delivered impressive results. 

What you should know before joining GIC

If you are searching for a career opportunity in the asset management industry that empowers you to make a significant difference in the market, GIC is the company you are looking for.