Octavio M Pontes-Neto is Neurologist and head of the service of Vascular Neurology and Neurological Emergencies of the Hospital das Clinicas de Ribeirão Preto. He is the former President and current Vice-president of the Brazilian Stroke Society. He currently works as an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo. He is the Chair of the Brazilian Stroke Research Network. He is also the co-chair of the World Stroke Organization Education Committee.