Petrobras Building Closed After State-Owned Company’s Divestment Plan, Reopens and Welcomes Approximately 480 Employees

Petrobras Welcomes Employees Back to Torre Pituba After Four Years of Inactivity

In a wave of anticipation and joy, approximately 480 employees returned to the Petrobras building, known as Torre Pituba, after a period of four years working in other locations. Among the returnees was Priscila Nunes, a 39-year-old administrator, who could hardly hide her excitement while waiting in the lobby of the building located in the Itaigara neighborhood of Salvador.

As was the case in another Petrobras building in Macaé, which was also vacated at the time, Priscila is among the company’s workers who had been redistributed throughout Bahia and other states and are now returning to their former workplace.

The expectation is that around 600 employees will occupy the structure by the end of 2023. The reopening event of the building took place last Monday (3).

Announcement of the Resumption of Activities at This Building Made About 3 Months Ago

A Review of the History of Torre Pituba

With its 22 floors and a helipad, Torre Pituba was established through a leasing contract in 2010 between Petrobras and Petros, the pension fund for the state-owned company’s employees. The building was constructed in a “built to suit” model, where the owner builds a property customized to the needs of the tenant. This construction, inaugurated in 2015, was subject to investigation during Operation Car Wash due to corruption suspicions.

Originally, Petrobras planned to rent the building for 30 years, at a monthly rate of R$ 6.8 million paid to Petros. However, after just four years of operation, the company opted for the privatization of some operations in Bahia and vacated the building, transferring about 1,500 employees to other units in different states. Since then, the reopening of the building has been a continuous demand from oil workers.

The President of Petrobras Says He is Committed to Change

In March of this year, during a visit to Salvador, Petrobras President Jean Paul Prates committed to meeting the employees’ request. At the reopening ceremony of the building, Prates celebrated the moment and promised future changes.

“We will start by welcoming the administrative teams, but we will continue to analyze and discuss improvements in our work schemes, with the leadership of our HR and extensive participation from the entire management of Petrobras. I know that the expectation is for change, and I guarantee that this is also our expectation,” assured Prates.

In summary, Prates says that the return to Torre Pituba is a milestone for Petrobras and its employees, representing a new phase of commitment and evolution.