Trustee Emeritus at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI). Minister Ricupero holds the José Bonifácio Chair at the University of São Paulo. He was Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) between 1995 and 2004.

Previously, he was Minister of Environment and the Legal Amazon (1993-1994), Minister of Finance (1994) and Special Advisor to the President of Brazil (1985-1987). He served as Ambassador to the United States (1991-1993), Italy (1995), the United Nations in Geneva (1987-1991) and he headed the Brazilian delegations to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Conference on Disarmament.

He was Professor of Theory of International Relations at the University of Brasilia and Professor of History of Brazilian Diplomatic Relations at the Rio Branco Institute. Minister Ricupero received a Bachelor's degree in Law from the University of São Paulo. He is the author of several books on international relations, economics, trade, history. His latest work is "Diplomacy in the Construction of Brazil. 1750-2016".