NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Sep 24, 2012) - Brazilian companies dominate the 2012 Latin America Executive Team, Institutional Investor's third annual rankings of the region's top executives.

Brazilian companies dominate the ranks of top Latin America-based executives, according to Institutional Investor's third annual Latin America Executive Team rankings.

The CEOs, CFOs, IR professionals and IR teams of companies headquartered in Brazil capture all but two of the top 12 spots among companies getting the most first-place votes for best executives of 2012 in their industry segments from the 327 buy-side and 360 sell-side analysts from 252 firms surveyed by II last spring.

Tying for the No. 1 rank among these most honored companies were nonbank financial services company Cielo and pulp and paper maker Klabin, each winning eight first-place votes for their executives. They were followed by food and beverage manufacturer Cía de Bebidas das Américas, agribusiness company Cosan, capital goods maker Iochpe-Maxion and education services company Kroton Educacional, which each received seven first-place votes, and by metals and mining company Gerdau, financial services company Itaú Unibanco Holding, and health care services provider OdontoPrev, which each garnered six first-place votes.

Rounding out the top 12 were two Mexican companies, technology, media and telecommunications company América Móvil and cement maker Cemex, both of whose executive teams received four first-place votes, tying them with four Brazilian companies, BR Malls Participações, CCR, Localiza Rent a Car and Tim Participações.

The full rankings of the 2012 Latin America Executive Team and a feature article on some of its leading members are available on institutionalinvestor.com.

For more information about these winners, go to www.institutionalinvestor.com. For more information about this ranking, please contact Michele Bickford Luthin at michele.luthin@institutionalinvestor.com or +1 (212) 224-3360.

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