World Trade Center Arkansas Goes South of Equator in October

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A delegation from the World Trade Center Arkansas will lead a trade mission to Brazil.

From Oct. 9-12, the World Trade Center Arkansas will lead a trade mission to Brazil and attend the 42nd World Trade Center Association General Assembly.

The WTC Arkansas professionals leading the trade mission are: Dan Hendrix, president and CEO; Herbert Morales, director of Latin America trade development; Boon Tan, director of Asia trade development; and Natalia Moreno, Latin America trade development Intern.

The trade mission delegation will include corporate representatives, professionals and educators. Businesses represented will include Rebounces, LLC; HP Engineering; and FRI Consulting. Andrew Horowitz, professor of economics in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, will also accompany the delegation to Brazil as well as two Walton College students: Alice McMillan, an undergraduate honors student majoring in marketing, and Katie Terrell, an MBA student and training specialist at Tyson Foods, Inc.

Brazil is now well known in the business world as a member of the fast-growing "BRICS" countries, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India and China, all deemed to be countries at a similar stage in their economic development. According to the World Economic Forum, Brazil went up five positions in the rank for global competitiveness giving it a current rank of 53 out of 142 countries.

Adding to this strategically competitive position, Brazil has been scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games. The FIFA World Cup 2014 will held in 12 of Brazil’s cities: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Sao Paulo.

Consequently, Brazil is undertaking many infrastructure projects in preparation for these events.The Brazilian National Development Bank programs ensure that projects related to the World Cup will be built with particular emphasis on power efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Current projects under way include:

• Olympic Village Clinic (three state-of-the art hospitals)

• Modernizing and enlarging two airport terminals

• Highway widening to accommodate “Olympic Lanes”

• Revitalization of the Port of Rio

• High speed transportation from Rio to Sao Paulo

• Green building initiatives

• Balneariu Camburiu Shopping Complex expansion

• Improved water sanitation

• Numerous stadiums and hotels

These projects provide ideal opportunities for U.S. companies in the construction, security, technology, accommodation, transportation and service sectors. Nevertheless, challenges to foreign investment still exist in the form of inflexible labor laws, local content requirements and a complex tax system. World trade centers, chambers of commerce and commercial services can aid in navigating these complexities, as well as assisting with research and networking connections.

The World Trade Center Arkansas’ October trade mission will include visits to the cities of Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. WTC Arkansas will provide one-on-one business matchmaking services and networking opportunities for the Arkansas delegation. In addition, the delegation will have the opportunity of attending the 42nd World Trade Center Association General Assembly at which world trade center delegations from around the globe meet to provide additional global resources, investment prospects and trade opportunities.

The WTC Arkansas is an affiliate of the University of Arkansas and provides an educational component through all the U of A college units, in addition to the Sam M. Walton College of Business International programs, utilizing student interns from Universities statewide to work with individuals and companies in their international business initiatives, while training students in practical applications of international business.