The Conference: Executive briefings,  success stories, detailed presentations from leading international economic experts, corporate strategists, legal specialists, and top government trade officials.

Plus!

Global Forum Candid Industry Panels with senior industry,  management and financial experts discussing proven successes in export, manufacturing,  marketing, provision of services in various industries.
 

The Global Forum Annual Conference offers a rare and important opportunity for U.S. companies to position strategically for effective business development in a new world evolving economic order.

The Consuls-General Reception at the end of the event to meet Atlanta’s international community.

Who Should Attend?
This unique executive conference is designed to be intense and specific for business decision makers, strategic business planners, export,  marketing, and operations managers, top professionals, consultants, and academics with a special interest in the area. Because pursuing international markets affects the entire company, we suggest sending a team of executives to the conference.
 
 

8:20-8:30 Welcome and Opening
Dr. Terry Blum, Dean, DuPree College of Management, Georgia Tech

8:30-10:00  Mercosur: A Regional Economic Area in Transition--Political and Macro-Economic Issues

Moderator: Dr. John E. Endicott, Director, Center for International Strategy and Policy, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Tech

                    Dr.  Juan Jose Taccone, Director, INTAL, Inter-American Development Bank, Buenos Aires, Argentina
                    Dr. Sergio  Abranches, Partner and Director, SDA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
                    Dr. Stephen J. Kay, Economist, Latin American Research Group, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
                    Dr. David Bruce,  Professor, Institute for International Business, Georgia State University and Chairman, Brazilian-American
                    Chamber of Commerce, Southeast

10:00-10:15  Coffee Break

10:15-10:45 Morning Plenary Address

Dr. Maria Beatriz Nofal , President,  ECO-AXIS S.A.; Member, National Assembly of Argentina; Former Undersecretary of Industry and Foreign Trade of Argentina; Buenos Aires, Argentina

"Challenges of Southern Cone Interation for Global Competitiveness"
 

10:45-12:10     Market Entry Strategies and Channels of Distribution

Moderator:   Mr. Samuel Troy, Director,  U.S. Export Assistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia

                    Mr.. Jose Paulo Silveira, Secretary, Ministry of Planning, Brazil
                    Mr. Randolph L. Mye, Senior Economist,  Office of Latin America, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
                    Mr. Maximilian L. Gorrissen, Trade Representative, Georgia Department of Industry, Trade, Sao Paulo Brazil
                    Mr. Gregory Cinnamon,  Attorney, Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP
 

12:15-2:00 Lunch

Keynote Speaker

H.E.   Rubens Antonio Barbosa,  Ambassador of Brazil to the United States

 "U.S.- Brazil Relations in the 21st Century"

2:00-3:15  Concurrent  Mercosur-wide Industry Panels (select one)

A. E-Commerce and Logistics Panel

Moderator:  Ms. Maria  F.  Rey, Director,  Logistics Thinking, LLC.; Senior Fellow, GT CIBER

                    Mr. Ed Arias, President & Co-Founder, 4Nbiz, Atlanta,  Georgia
                    Ms. Marisol M. Wesson,   President,  EllaSavvy.com, Atlanta, Georgia
                    Mr. Alvaro Lima, Global Procurement and Trading, Latin America/Mercosur Countries, The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta
                    Mr. Carlos Toppazzini, Editor, Enfasis Logistics Magazine, Buenos Aires, Argentina
 
 

B.   Banking and Financial Services Panel
 

Moderator:  Dr. Robert G. Hawkins, Professor of International  Finance, DuPree College of Management
 
                    Mr. Paulo Sergio Moreira da Fonseca, Superintendent,  Planning Area,  Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social (BNDES), Brazil
                    Mr. Rodrigo Briones, Managing Director, Deutsche Capital Corp.,  (Latin America), New York City
                    Mr. Fabio Gian Biagi, Office of the Ministry of Finance, Brazil
                    Mr. Hugh  M. Durden, Executive Vice President, Wachovia Corporation and President,Wachovia Corporate Services In., Atlanta
                    Mr. H. Christian Pirkle, Vice President,  Structured Trade Finance Group,  SouthTrust Bank, Atlanta

3:15-3:30  Coffee Break
 

3:30-4:55  Strategy and Success Stories Panel

Moderator:  Mr. Roger M. Scovil, Chairman, Executive Committee, World Trade Center Atlanta
 

                    Mr. Heraclio Rojas ,  Marketing Manager for the Americas Region,  UPS, Atlanta
                    Ms. Elizabeth de Carvalhaes, Vice President, Volkswaven do Brasil, Sao Paulo, Brazil (also Vice President, ANFVEA/SINFAVEA)
                    Mr. David J. Marini, Executive Vice President & General Manager,  Worldwide Field Operations, Lanier Worldwide Inc., Atlanta

5:00-6:30  Consuls-General Reception in Honor of Mercosur Countries

Buffet Reception
Lobby, Georgia Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology

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COST

$85  for entire conference & reception;  $45 for lunch only  (academic and sponsoring institutions rate available)

HOW TO REGISTER

Complete the attached registration form along with your check made payable to:

                Georgia Economic Development Foundation

and mail to:
                Georgia Economic Development Foundation
                ATTN:  TRADE
                P.O. Box 1776
                Atlanta, GA, 30301-1776

Fax registration: (404) 651-6505

LOCATION:   The Georgia Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology(GCATT),  250 14th Street, NW,  Atlanta, 30318

PARKING:    Available  in deck next to GCATT

FOR MORE INFORMATION

          •on registration, call  GDITT at (404)  656-3571

•on  directions and the conference, call   Georgia Tech at  (404)  894-4379 or email to:mark.ballam@mgt.gatech.edu