Our President in 1972, Eric Binnie was Treasurer the previous year and in 1973 served ex-oficio on the Committee.

A Dundonian, Eric was educated at the local council primary school and Dundee Harris Academy, He was studying for the Civil Service Examinations in 1939, when war broke out and the examinations were cancelled, After several months working as a copyreader with DC Thomas Ltd of “Sunday Post" and "Weekly News" fame, Eric signed articles with a local firm of chartered accountants from which he qualified in 1946 and was elected to the Institute that same year.

He came to Rio to work in the old Light and Power group in 1948, arriving, appropriately enough, on the good ship "Highland Chieftain". During his period in Rio, which lasted nearly 14 years, Eric worked with the Cia. Telefonica Brasileira (part of Light and Power), reaching the post of Assistant Controller. He was a member of the St Andrew Society in Rio and served on the Committee for several years. In 1961 our forty- second President arrived in São Paulo to take up an appointment as Controller for Atlantis, with which company he has been ever since. Married to Bodel, Eric has three sons (all members of the Society) and a daughter. He plays an occasional game of golf but otherwise derives his pleasures in the company of his family and his wide circle of friends. The year of Eric's Presidency was notable in that, at the ceilidh after the Annual Banquet, the resuscitated "Haggis Alley Glee Club" and the newly formed "Bras Baun" both made a very successful joint debut. It was also during his term as President that a memorable cocktail party with Scotland's World Champion Formula 1 racing driver, Jackie Stewart as guest of honour was organised for Society members and their ladies.