Carlos Francisco Theodoro Machado Ribeiro de Lessa, better known simply as Carlos Lessa (30 July 1936 – 5 June 2020) was a Brazilian economist and professor.^[1][2]

Born on 30 July 1936, in Rio de Janeiro, to a wealthy family, Lessa studied at private schools in his native city.^[2]

In 1959, he graduated in economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and later got a Master's degree at Conselho Nacional de Economia. In 1980 he finished his doctor's degree in Human sciences at University of Campinas.^[2][3]

Lessa worked as a professor at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and at the Rio Branco Institute, the Brazilian diplomatic graduate school.^[1]

In 2002, Lessa was elected Rector of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. It was his post for a brief period of time between July 2002 and March 2003.^[3]

In 2003, Lessa was appointed President of the Brazilian Development Bank by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. His tenure lasted from January 2003 to November 2004 and his resignation was a result of multiple disagreements over economic policies with Central Bank of Brazil President Henrique Meirelles and Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Luiz Fernando Furlan^[1][2][4]

Lessa was a huge fan of Brazilian Carnival and founded Minerva Assanhada, a Carnival block composed mostly of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro students and personnel.^[1] Lessa's son, Rodrigo Lessa is a singer-songwriter and Multi-instrumentalist.^[3]

Lessa died from complications of COVID-19 in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil at the age of 83.^[1]