Since 2023, leading Zuk, Brazil's largest online real estate auction portal, Henri Zylberstajn He juggles a demanding and diverse schedule, bringing to the company the experience gained in various fields. In addition to being a partner at Kwara and Passageiro de Primeira, he acts as a mentor at G4 Educação, inspiring and guiding executives and other entrepreneurs. Socially, he maintains a strong involvement with the NGO Gerando Falcões and is the founder of the Instituto Serendipidade, established in 2018 to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, motivated by his experience with his third child, who was born with Down Syndrome. He also serves as a board member and angel investor in companies like Loft, Agrolend, and SuaQuadra.
Activity at Zuk
A Zuk partner since 2023, the entrepreneur took on the CEO role in early 2024 with the mission of boosting operations and focusing on new growth levers. With this move, the organization, which maintains substantial year-on-year growth, aims to double the number of real estate properties taken to auction in 2025. Amidst over one million registered users, the company's success over time is also tied to attractive discounts. Currently, listings on the Zuk Portal reach values up to 80% below market value.
Against a sector resistant to innovation, the company already adopts a simplified online auction approach, combining advanced technology with human service. The intention is to direct investments towards further integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into operations. "By increasingly using AI, we aim to optimize processes and position Zuk even more as a player at the forefront of technology use," shares Zylberstajn.
Inspirational journey
From a family with Jewish roots, whose grandparents were refugees who came to Brazil determined to start anew after World War II, Zylberstajn, 44, comes from a privileged background. His parents, entrepreneurs, always emphasized the importance of hard work and education for their children. At school, he demonstrated abilities in mathematics and physics, and was always passionate about solving complex problems, which led him to study civil engineering at the Escola Politécnica of the University of São Paulo (USP). He later specialized in finance. Driven by challenges, he left behind a successful career as an executive in multinational consulting firms to found his own company, SOLD Leilões – which was sold to a technology group 10 years later. As a partner at Zuk, he has ambitious goals, among which is doubling the number of properties sold through auctions, effectively doubling the company's size within 3 years.
At 28, the current leader of Zuk held a comfortable position as an executive manager at a multinational recruitment and selection company in São Paulo, with above-average compensation. However, he had a dream: to own his own business before turning 30, get married, and have children. Around the same time, he joined his childhood friends, brothers André and Fabio Zukerman, whose family was in the auctioneering business, to create a virtual auction company. This initiative was very successful, and he continued to pursue entrepreneurship. The company they founded became the largest in its segment.
"My diverse background has taught me that innovation and purpose go hand-in-hand. As CEO of Zuk, I leverage every accumulated experience – from engineering to social causes – to design solutions that create impact, drive company growth, and, most importantly, lead the people who help us achieve this mission," emphasizes Zylberstajn.
