Two years after announcing that the EBX holding company would become publicly traded only to later change his mind, Eike Batista sold part of that enterprise that controls his companies to the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The Mubadala Development Company, which holds and manages a multibillionaire portfolio of local, regional and international investments, bought 5.67% of Centennial Asset Brazil Equity Fund LLC, EBX's investment vehicle, for US$ 2 billion. The news was advanced yesterday by columnist Maria Cristina Frias on Folha.com. By paying US$ 2 billion for 5.67% of EBX's stocks, Mubadala estimates the holding's value at US$ 35.5 billion. It is the first time Batista accepts a partner in EBX, and it is also the Abu Dhabi's fund's first investment in Brazil. The transaction occurred weeks after Batista rose yet another position in Forbes's rank, becoming the 7th richest man in the world. By entering the EBX group, Mubadala guarantees its indirect participation in the group's publicly traded companies in the oil and natural gas sector (OGX), offshore shipbuilding (OSX), mining (MMX), logistics (LLX) and electric energy (MPX), as well as the privately held companies in gold mining (AUX), real estate (REX) and sports and entertainment (IMX). Many of those companies have strategic and minority partnerships with several other foreign partners. FGV finance professor Jose Baliand says the new resources are very welcome now that the EBX group has many important ongoing investment fronts. "This reflects the great trust such fund investors have in the group. Batista has many projects in several areas; there is the pre-salt, ports, all this requires much money." The EBX group expects to invest US$ 15.5 billion between 2011 and 2012 and intends to invest up to US$ 50 billion in its projects in the next ten years.DOUBTS Baliand questions, however, if Batista will be able to manage so many projects."He may have trouble managing it all. Most of the projects are long-term and some companies are losing money." Batista issued an announcement stating that "the investment greatly strengthens the group as a whole and its ability to successfully carry out its current and future projects." EBX says the agreement also guarantees that Mubadala will participate in the group's future projects, such as technology, cement, fertilizer and entertainment companies, among others. Most of the group's stocks traded at Bovespa rose after the news, especially MMX (+5%).Translated by THOMAS MUELLOfolha.com President Dilma Rousseff's decision to change the head of Petrobras aims at increasing the federal government's influence over the company. Director of Petrobras' Gas and Energy Department, Maria das Gracas Foster will substitute Jose Sergio Gabrielli as president of Petrobras. Foster will be appointed officially by Finance Minister Guido Mantega, president of the Petrobras Board of Directors, on February 9. The change in Petrobras' top executives, and also in the company's most important sectors, shows that more technical criteria have been adopted to choose such managers. By promoting former director of Gas and Energy Maria das Gracas Foster, Dilma intends to increase the national production of oil. The government has