Viviane Senna Lalli (née Senna da Silva; born 14 June 1957) is a Brazilian entrepreneur and philanthropist. She is the sister of late Ayrton Senna (1960–1994), who was a professional racing driver and three-times Formula One world champion and mother of Bruno Senna who is also a racing driver by profession and is competing in various auto racing series. [1]
Viviane Senna | |
|---|---|
 Viviane Senna in 2006. | |
| Born | Viviane Senna da Silva 14 June 1957 |
| Education | Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneurship Philanthropy |
| Employer(s) | Founder and president of the Instituto Ayrton Senna and the Ayrton Senna Foundation |
| Spouse | Flávio Lalli (m. ?–1996; his death) |
| Children | Bruno Senna |
| Relatives | Ayrton Senna (brother) |
She is the founder & president of the Ayrton Senna Foundation, established in London in June 1994 and also of the Instituto Ayrton Senna organization, focused on children's education, headquartered in São Paulo since November 1994.[2][3][4][5] She also helped to found and chaired the technical committee of the think tank "Todos pela Educação" (Everybody for Education).[6]
Biography
Viviane Senna was born in São Paulo to Milton Teodoro Guirado da Silva and Neide Senna da Silva.[1] In 1979 she graduated in Psychology at the Pontificial Catholic University of São Paulo,[1] specializing in Jungian psychology in the university's Sede Sapientiaes Institute. She worked as a psychotherapist for adults and children, and also supervised qualification groups and improvement of psychotherapists.[7] She also coordinated study groups of deep psychology (advocated by Jung).
She received the Grand Prix 2012 BNP Paribas, that recognises worldwide leaders in the area of social investment,[8] and was appointed one of the Leaders for the New Millennium of CNN/Time.[9]
She is the only Brazilian member of the Fellow Adults of Boys of the World Prize together with Nelson Mandela (ex-president of South Africa), Silvia Renate Sommerlath (wife of the king of Sweden), and José Ramos-Horta (Nobel Prize winner), among others.
In 2018 she talked with then president-elect Jair Bolsonaro to head the Ministry of Education, but the deal was unsuccessful.[10] In 2020, she supported the reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Brazil.[11]
Businesswoman
Viviane Senna manages the royalties of the Ayrton Senna brand that through its character Senninha (based on the driver) has been reproduced in more than 200 products, from bicycles to french fries.[1]
Filmography
Viviane Senna has been in three documentaries and two TV series.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | A Star Named Ayrton Senna | Herself | Documentary |
| 2004 | The Right To Win | ||
| 2010 | Senna | ||
| Show Business | TV series | ||
| 2012 | Na Moral | TV series; episode 1.9 |