Tell us a little about yourself. What does your job at Telefónica involve?
My name is Daniel Costa Sampaio de Araujo and I am Institutional Relations Manager for the Eastern Region at Telefónica Brazil – Vivo. My work is based on three pillars: Institutional Relations, Government Relations and Advocacy.
I work on strategic coordination with the public authorities and civil society, promoting a more favourable institutional environment for both the sector and the company.
I have a degree in International Relations, specialising in Political Science, and a Master’s in Aerospace Sciences from the University of the Brazilian Air Force (UNIFA). In my Master’s research I addressed the topic of ‘Shared responsibility and the challenges of the Brazilian Air Force in the fight against transnational drug trafficking networks’.
I also published a chapter in the book *Poder Multidominio y el Sistema de Vigilancia y Protección de la Amazonía Colombiana* (Multidomain Power and the System of Surveillance and Protection of the Colombian Amazon), entitled *Seguridad Integrada y Responsabilidad Compartida en la Cooperación Entre Agencias: Los Desafíos para la Protección y Vigilancia de la Amazonía* (Integrated Security and Shared Responsibility in Inter-Agency Cooperation: The Challenges for the Protection and Surveillance of the Amazon), in collaboration with the Colombian Air Force.
Since this experience, my professional focus has been consolidated in the construction of institutional bridges that strengthen public-private dialogue and position connectivity as a key pillar for the socioeconomic development of the regions.
What are institutional relations?
They are a strategic channel for permanent, legitimate and transparent dialogue between the company and its various stakeholders, especially with public actors such as governments, regulatory bodies and representatives of civil society. They seek to build trust, promote mutual understanding and generate shared value through the articulation of issues relevant to the sector.
Why are they important?
Because they allow the company to maintain a constant and qualified presence in the spaces where public policies, regulations and decisions that affect its business environment are discussed and defined. They also contribute to identifying opportunities for collaboration, fostering alliances and strengthening institutional legitimacy at different levels of relationship.
How important are institutional relations in risk management?
They play a fundamental role. In a context of constant transformation, being close to decision makers, understanding the environment and keeping channels open facilitates more proactive and efficient risk management.
Institutional relations enable agile responses to operational, regulatory or climatic crises, contributing to corporate resilience and business sustainability.
And in the face of reputational crises?
Although they are not directly oriented towards public communication or interaction with the media, institutional relations play a strategic and complementary role.
The networks built with authorities, community leaders and key players strengthen the company’s position in front of different audiences, facilitating the understanding of the context and providing legitimacy in delicate situations.
What are the main characteristics of institutional relations?
They require active listening, strategic vision, empathy, political sensitivity and in-depth technical knowledge of the issues that are central to the company. Ethics, transparency and the ability to adapt to different institutional environments are essential elements for exercising this function in an effective and sustainable manner.
What different types are there?
There are three main approaches: Institutional Relations, which involve dialogue with the public and private sectors in the broadest sense; Government Relations, which focus on dialogue with the Executive and Legislative branches; and Advocacy, which promotes causes relevant to the company or sector.
In the latter case, the action is aimed at promoting structural issues such as digital inclusion, sustainability, infrastructure development or the responsible regulation of new technologies. Advocacy is based on the banners that represent the organisation’s purpose in society.
What are the benefits of institutional relations for companies?
They strengthen institutional reputation, increase presence in key areas of the public-private ecosystem, facilitate participation in different decision-making forums and stimulate multi-sector dialogue.
They also favour a more balanced regulatory environment, business predictability and the strategic positioning of the company in the face of global and local challenges.
What challenges do they face?
The main challenges include the complexity of the political environment, institutional fragmentation, high turnover in the public sector and the need to translate technical issues into messages that are accessible and relevant to different audiences. It is also essential to maintain ethical, transparent and consistent behaviour at all levels of dialogue, which requires constant preparation and institutional responsibility.
Which people working at Telefónica would you nominate for this interview because you think they do an excellent job?
I would highlight my colleague Rodolfo Rodríguez Acuña, Head of Network Operations at Telefónica Mexico, who actively collaborated on the article that gave rise to this interview. His technical and strategic vision of local challenges contributed significantly to the regional focus of the text.
