BRAC and GNO pair up for Brazil pitch

With the world’s seventh largest economy, Brazil is the economic gateway into the South American market. That’s why representatives from the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Greater New Orleans Inc.—in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Louisiana Economic Development, the Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana, Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, and the Committee of 100 for Economic Development Inc.—recently traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil, on a public-private business development mission. Enriching ties among businesses in southeast Louisiana and firms in Brazil is considered integral to the continued development of a successful regional economy. The 21 Louisiana companies that joined the state’s economic development organizations on the mission attended receptions, participated in site visits and held individual business-to-business meetings with 22 Brazilian companies in a variety of industries, including chemicals, electronics, engineering services, food processing, minerals processing, and oil and gas. “The recent work in Brazil created direct opportunities for potential deal flow to the region,” says BRAC President/CEO Adam Knapp. “More importantly, this trip represented two important firsts for the Baton Rouge area: a partnership for international business development with Greater New Orleans Inc., in keeping with our joint Super-Region Committee, and an important signal of our increased focus on international business attraction.” The trip took place in early October. Iain Vasey, BRAC executive director of business development, and Matt Rookard, GNO Inc. senior vice president of business development, represented their respective organizations.