Starts Sao Paulo 1 May 2010, ends Rio de J 8 May 2010
 

Brazil is one of this century’s Big Rapidly Industrialising Countries (BRIC). Its performance will have a profound impact on portfolios, so it’s imperative those who build investor portfolios develop an in-depth understanfding of this market and its role in portfolio construction - which you just cannot do sitting in your office.

Our Study Tour commences in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s commercial capital, with two days of back-to-back economic and investment briefings and site visits, including a networking reception at the Australian High Commission. We then fly to Iguazu Falls, for an in-depth briefing from our Brazilian elder statesman (“Mestre”) on Brazil’s cultural, society and political history, before flying on to Rio de Janeiro for further briefings and site visits and final implementation workshop.

Economy/
Investment

How will Brazil’s economy, with its rich commodities and resources, fare in the current global economic climate? What are the investment opportunities in Brazil, and how should they be assessed and accessed? What are the short- and long-term risks? We hear from selected members of our panel of local experts who work and live on a daily basis in the Brazilian economy and markets.

Politics

In its volatile political history, Brazil has re-written is constitution many times, most recently in 1988. Following a period of military dictatorship, the seventh and current Constitution provides for a fully democratic system, the preservation of civil liberties, and a free and open legal system. We explore Brazil’s growing geo-political influence on the world stage.

Business

Brazil’s significant US$250 billion investment in much-needed infrastructure, together with a growing middle class and expanding retail sector, offers a wide range of opportunities for investors to play a part in its rapidly growing private sector. We meet and talk to business leaders (foreign and local) for a detailed discussion of the local business environment, including the key business sectors that drive Brazil’s economy.

History

No visit to Brazil is complete without gaining an understanding of its colourful history, and visiting some of its famous landmarks. We’ll explore Brazil’s past – from the first settlers in 1500, as a Portuguese colony from the 16th to 19th centuries, through periods of military dictatorship in the late 19th and 20th centuries, and through to today’s free, open and thriving democracy.

Society

Today’s Brazilians have known terrible times – military dictatorship, economic stagnation and austerity are recent memories for even the most prosperous, and there are still tens of millions of Brazilians who live on less than one dollar a day. Local experts help us understand the socio-economic issues and their drivers, the key elements that make up Brazil’s culture, and the changing fabric of Brazil’s increasingly affluent population.

Implementation

To ensure knowledge gained on our BRIC+ Study Tour is put to good use in designing investor portfolios, the program is structured to include delegate discussion and debate during the week. This includes several implementation debates, facilitated by Graham Rich, Publisher of PortfolioConstruction Forum – including a final implementation workshop on our last day.