16th International Meeting Shows Positive Balance in Generation of Business and Brazil-Italy Integration

SAO PAULO, October 12, 2011 -

- Gathering brought together 120 business leaders and Brazilian and Italian officials who, in addition to debating macro issues, were also able to strengthen relationships and create new business opportunities

Most of the businessmen taking part in the 16th International Meeting sponsored by LIDE -Grupo de Lideres Empresariais [LIDE - Group of Business Leaders] presided over by Brazilian businessman Joao Doria Jr., were unanimous in affirming that the gathering provided a major opportunity to establish contacts to generate business and to discuss Brazilian-Italian bilateral relations. The event was attended by 120 businessmen and Brazilian and Italian officials from October 5th to 11th, in Italy.

(Logo: photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110922/SP72933LOGO-b)

Amil became associated with LIDE in 2001, when it had 1 million clients. In 2011, the company now has 5.6 million clients. In the view of Edson de Godoy Bueno, company president, LIDE allows for close relations among company presidents. “And since we like doing business, there’s nothing better than doing it with people we think of as our friends.” He pointed out that the health field requires a great deal of security and “this security comes from people you know and trust.” Godoy is emphatic in his assertion that part of this growth of Amil comes from the close relations provided by LIDE. About the 16th Meeting in particular, Godoy recounts that he was sought out by companies that sell medical equipment and homecare products to analyze the possibility of future business dealings.

“Even though I represent a multinational, I want to see Brazil in a featured position,” notes Paulo Nigro, President of Tetra Pak for Brazil and Latin America, who found the event to be a positive experience. To Nigro, the Meeting shows LIDE’s capacity for mobilization in bringing together a group of highly significant business leaders. “I’ve always wondered why there was not greater integration of Italy with Brazil, since Italy does not have a way to depend on the domestic market and on Europe.” As he sees it, the LIDE event provided an occasion “to sell Brazil.” “I was pleased to see the quality of the presentations and the reasons for investing in our country, taking into consideration our domestic market.”

For Daniel Mendez, President of Sapore, a company in the food business, the gathering was important for finding out more about Brazil and Italy, particularly information concerning business. “Through the discussions it was possible to perceive that there could be opportunities in Brazil for Italian companies working with foodstuffs and logistics.”

Dorival Dourado, President of Boa Vista Servicos, emphasizes that the Meeting brought out the fact that LIDE is becoming an agent of market change. “It was a very good meeting to make contacts for future business and to open up new opportunities.” A first-time participant in the event, Dourado said that he was “impressed by the number of participants and the strategic issues discussed in the seminar.”

The seminar, “Economic Relations and Brazil/Italy Integration,” addressed three major issues: Italy-Brazil investment opportunities; Industrial investments between Italy and Brazil, and Technological development and opportunities generated by programs of innovation in Brazil. For Giulio Cirilo, President of Almaviva, an Italian company in the contact center business, the seminar allowed the participants to find out about the business opportunities that Brazilian states offer to Italy. “Learning about how Brazil is prepared for the world crisis through the Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante, was great.”

The next Meeting will be held at Punta Mita, in Mexico, and Mexico’s ambassador to Brazil, Alejandro De La Pena, was present at the meeting in Italy. To him, the Meeting was of great importance because it made possible a wide variety of different contacts.

Information for the press:
Erica Valerio - erica.valerio@cdn.com.br - +55-11-36432710

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