Rio Investors Day Conference, May 30-31st

By Patricia Maresch, Senior Contributing Reporter

BRAZIL, RIO DE JANEIRO – The current positive economic climate in Brazil has motivated the city of Rio and the Association of Professional Investment Analysts of the Capital Markets (APIMEC) to organize a high profile business event, called Rio Investors Day. The event is being held May 30 – 31st at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, with 42 publicly traded Brazilian companies and more then 400 institutional investors and government representatives.

Brazil is living in special, exciting times as a young democracy with a stable economy, economic growth and inflation relatively under control, which is attracting investors, foreign and domestically.

Rio’s mayor Eduardo Paes, says there is enough room for growth. In a press release promoting the event, Paes says: “Rio signifies prosperity. The city was chosen as one of ten cities that best reacted to the global financial crises. So, we want to show that, besides having the most beautiful landscapes for tourists, Rio is also the ideal destination for investment.”

Rio Investors Day has gained a lot interest from the business world. Alessandra Sousa, one of the organizers of the event, explains: “The main purpose of Investors Day is to include Rio in the global financial calendar.”

The participants will discuss Brazilian economics, investments and the preparations for the World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games. There is also time reserved for one-on-one meetings. Representatives from all major Brazilian economic sectors will be there, from mining, steel, oil and gas companies to companies in the business of finance, construction, retail, energy, education, health care or consumer products.

To demonstrate the prominence of the event, President Dilma Rousseff is the guest of honor at a dinner on the first evening. Brazil’s richest man, Eike Batista, will attend a special panel on the second day.

Sousa goes on to say: “I think all panels are interesting, but one of the highlights is definitely the panel in which EBX Group’s Eike Batista talks with executives and economists about the Brazilian and global macroeconomic outlook.” Other high-leveled guests are Rio de Janeiro’s Governor, Sergio Cabral and Alexander Tombini, the president of Brazil’s Central Bank.

Carlos Lazar, of Kroton Educacional – one of the largest private educational organizations in Brazil – has high expectations of the event: “It is a huge opportunity for all companies to participate in such a major event.”

Other participants agree with him. Alex Zornig, the director of Finance and Investor Relations at telecom company Oi, adds that Rio is an extremely attractive city to do business now. “From whatever angle you look at it, Rio de Janeiro is attracting investments, resuming its economic growth and experiencing a very favorable business environment. Furthermore, the effects of big events like the World Cup and the Olympics will have effects throughout this decade in the local economy. “

But it’s not just the business climate that is thriving, according to Zorning: “All this, coupled with the successful pacification politics, constitutes a historic opportunity for Rio. Oi is proud to be part of this process that benefits not only the city’s economy, but also education, culture, sports, environmental initiatives and shaping a more just society.”

Rio Investors Day
Copacabana Palace Hotel
Date: May 30-31th, 2011
www.rioinvestorsday.com.br