Lacte 21: Pedro de Aquino, from DiDi/99 para Empresas, highlights cost control and national scale in corporate mobility

The executive detailed how the platform has been supporting Brazilian companies in their pursuit of predictability without compromising the employee experience.

The event took place on February 23rd and 24th and brought together leaders from the corporate travel and events industry to discuss efficiency, governance, and innovation in business mobility.

Challenges in managing corporate mobility

According to Pedro de Aquino, Senior Director of Product, Growth, Sales and Business Development at DiDi/99 for Companies, the main obstacle for Brazilian companies is still the lack of consolidated control.

“Today, the main challenge for Brazilian companies lies in the lack of consolidated visibility into mobility expenses. Many organizations still operate with decentralized policies, manual reimbursements, and little integration between departments, which hinders budgetary predictability and governance,” says Aquino.

He emphasizes that there is increasing pressure for efficiency without harming the employee's journey. "Today, companies need to have more control over mobility expenses, but without hindering the employee's daily life, especially in a scenario where travel has increased again and teams are more distributed across the country."

According to the executive, 99 for Businesses' proposal is to centralize and organize this process. "99 for Businesses was created precisely to meet this demand: to offer a platform that organizes, centralizes, and brings intelligence to the management of corporate travel," he explains.

Technology as a balance point between cost and experience.

Policy customization and API integration were highlighted as strategic differentiators of the solution.

“Technology is the point of equilibrium. The platform allows for the creation of customized policies based on employee profile, cost center, schedule, or service category. This means that the company maintains strategic control, while the employee continues using an application that is already part of their routine,” says Aquino.

He further emphasizes the direct impact on governance. “With API integration, travel data can be directly connected to internal management systems, facilitating auditing, reconciliation, and expense analysis. This reduces manual processes, improves traceability, and increases financial predictability. At the same time, the user experience remains simple and intuitive, and this balance is essential.”

Security as a structural pillar of the operation.

During Lacte 21, security was presented as one of the central pillars of the corporate strategy.

"Security is a structural pillar of our operation and gains even more relevance in the corporate environment," says Aquino.

According to him, customers have access to features such as background checks for partner drivers, a security code to start trips, an emergency button, personal accident protection, the 99 camera, security calls, anonymous calls, and route sharing.

“For corporate clients, this means not only individual protection, but also greater peace of mind for managers, who can track movements in real time and access detailed reports. Our focus is on continuously evolving these tools, always combining technology, prevention, and transparency.”

National scale with operational efficiency

The capillarity of the operation was another point emphasized by the executive. 99 is present in more than 3,300 Brazilian cities, including all state capitals, and has more than 1.5 million active partner drivers. Currently, 75% of trips are accepted in less than 60 seconds, according to the executive.

According to Aquino, this structure is crucial for companies with decentralized operations. The ability to maintain efficiency at scale, he says, is the result of technology, constant data analysis, and continuous investment in the experience of both the passenger and the partner driver.

International presence and lessons learned applied in Brazil

The company operates on different continents. In Latin America, it has a presence in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Argentina, and Ecuador; in Asia and Oceania, it operates in China, Japan, and Australia.

“DiDi’s global presence allows us to observe different levels of maturity in corporate mobility. In some markets, there is a more consolidated adoption of integrated management platforms; in others, the focus is on digitizing processes that were previously entirely manual,” explains Aquino.

He believes that Brazil stands out for its rapid adoption of digital solutions. "Here, companies are increasingly seeking technological integration and cost predictability, but they also highly value the employee experience."

Among the international lessons learned and applied in the country, he cites the strengthening of data governance, the improvement of control tools, and the continuous evolution of security resources, always adapting to the continental dimensions and operational diversity of the Brazilian market.

Reporting by: Mary de Aquino.
Photo: Divulgação