Event Detail

Doing Business in Brazil 2020 - 14th Edition

The Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 14th edition of our traditional Doing Business in Brazil event – for the first time hosted virtually through the BCCC Events Platform.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need to take better care of our planet and has shined a light on how the adoption of sustainable finance practices can be paramount to shape a faster post-pandemic economic recovery.

Opportunities for sustainable investing in the Brazilian Infrastructure sector are immense: mostly in areas of power generation, transport and sewage. The Brazilian government recently structured the first green bond certification program for transport infrastructure projects in Latin America and the Brazilian Senate has just passed important legislation to organize the sanitation sector and attract foreign investors interested in large-scale projects.

Moreover, fostering sustainable investments is a way to both protect and employ the countries natural resources, including agriculture and forestry. As pointed in a report by the Brazil Green Finance Initiative, some of the main opportunities in the Brazilian agribusiness are focusing on reducing or stopping the carbon emissions of its most polluting activities.

This year’s program has been divided into 4 sessions, which will take place on 4 different days in the course of 2 weeks. The agenda focused on Sustainability will cover hot topics for the Brazil-Canada business community always with the main goal of providing an overview of the current economic and political landscape as well as the main current trends for investors and executives who are interested in bilateral business opportunities.

Each session will have a networking component as well as a Keynote Speaker and a Panel Discussion, touching the following subjects:

- Session 1 | September 30th | Brazilian Economic and Political Outlook
- Session 2 | October 1st | Green Investments in Brazil: Opportunities and Challenges
- Session 3 | October 7th | Practical Steps of Doing Business in Brazil
- Session 4 | October 8th | Crystal Ball Session: Lessons Learned and What is Next?

We look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, September 30th

SESSION 1: Brazilian Economic and Political Outlook

2:00 PM | Networking

2:30 PM | Opening Remarks

PAOLA SAAD, President at Mandala Group and Chair at the BCCC Trade and Investment Committee

2:35 PM | Welcome Remarks

AMBASSADOR WANJA NOBREGA, Consul-General of Brazil in Toronto

2:40 PM | Keynote Speaker

DIOGO MAC CORD DE FARIA, Deputy Minister for Privatisation at the Brazilian Ministry of Economy

2:45 PM | Panel Discussion: Brazilian Economic & Political Outlook 2020 / 2021 - THE PATH FOR RECOVERY

Moderator: JOHN WELCH, Executive Director at Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce and Board Member at the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce

CHRISTOPHER GARMAN, Managing Director at Eurasia - America

ANDREA GARDELLA, Senior Economist Economic and Political Intelligence Centre at EDC

OTAVIANO CANUTO, Principal at Center for Macroeconomics and Development

3:45 PM | Q&A

4:00 PM | Closing Remarks

PAOLA SAAD, President at Mandala Group and Chair at the BCCC Trade and Investment Committee

4:20 PM | Networking & End of Event

Thursday, October 1st

SESSION 2: Sustainable Investment in Brazil: Opportunities & Challenges

1:30 PM | Networking

2:00 PM | Opening Remarks

FREDERICO MARQUES, Partner at S4G and Chair of the BCCC Mining Committee

2:05 PM | Welcoming Remarks

HEATHER CAMERON, Consul-General of Canada in Sao Paulo (TBC)

2:10 PM | Keynote Speaker

GUSTAVO JUNQUEIRA, Secretary of Agriculture and Supply - State of Sao Paulo

SERGIO GUSMAO SUCHODOLSKI, CEO at BDMG - Minas Gerais Development Bank

2:45 PM | PANEL DISCUSSION: Green Investment in Brazil: Opportunities and Challenges

Moderator: MONICA BUSCH, Senior Regional Manager at EDC

BRUCE IAN KEITH, IFC World Bank Latin America

RAFAEL BENKE, CEO at Proactiva Results

RICARDO ZIBAS, Head of Sustainability at KPMG Brasil

SAUL MENDONÇA, International Superintendent at Eletrobras

4:00 PM | Q&A

4:15 PM | Closing Remarks

CAROLINA ALBERNAZ, Director, Business Development & Operations at Brazil-Canada Chamber Of Commerce

4:20 PM | Networking + End of Event

Wednesday, October 7th

SESSION 3: Practical Steps of Doing Business in Brazil

1:30 PM | Networking

2:00 PM | Opening Remarks

DANIEL RICICA, Partner at KPMG and Co-Chair at the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce

2:05 PM | Welcome Remarks

AMBASSADOR JENNIFER MAY, Ambassador of Canada to Brazil (TBC)

2:10 PM | Keynote Speaker: Brazil: Ten Market Entry Best Practices

JOHN PRICE, Managing Director at Americas Market Intelligence

3:00 PM | Demystifying Brazilian Taxation & Updates in the Brazilian Tax Reform

EDUARDO FLEURY, Partner at FCR Law

PHILIPPE JEFFREY, Of Counsel & Head of the Canadian Desk at FCR Law

3:30 PM | Logistics and Supply Chain when exporting to Brazil

PETER HAWKINS, Managing Director at MELLOHAWK Logistics

ARNON MELO, President at MELLOHAWK Logistics

4:00 PM | Financing your exports

DARCY FERRON, Chief Representative, Latin America and EMEA at EDC

4:30 PM | Q&A

4:45 PM | Closing Remarks

DANIEL RICICA, Partner at KPMG and Co-Chair at the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce

4:50 PM | Networking & End of Event

Thursday, October 8th

SESSION 4: Crystal Ball? Lessons Learned and What's Next

2:00 PM | Networking

2:20 PM | Opening Remarks

PETER HAWKINS, Managing Director at MELLOHAWK Logistics and Co-Chair at the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce

2:25 PM | Welcoming Remarks

AMBASSADOR PEDRO BORIO, Ambassador of Brazil to Canada (TBC)

2:30 PM | Keynote Speaker

SARA WILSHAW, Deputy Chief Trade Commissioner of Canada

2:45 PM | Panel Discussion: Crystal Ball? Lessons learned and what’s next

Moderator: AMBASSADOR PEDRO BORIO, Ambassador of Brazil to Canada

EVELYN JOERG, Vice President, Portfolio Management at Brookfield Asset Management

ANDREW HASTINGS, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel at Lundin Mining Corp.

CARLOS GARCIA, Vice President, Payment Operations at Nanopay

HISHAM OMARA, PhD - VP of Strategic Growth at Opus One Solutions

4:00 PM - Q&A

4:15 PM - Closing Remarks