Ideas Economy: Brazil The next level of competition

  Ideas Economy: Brazil

The next level of competition

October 4^th 2012, São Paulo

Synopsis

The Economist’s Ideas Economy: Brazil event will explore the most important issues affecting the social and economic future of Brazil, including the role of finance, innovation, entrepreneurship, human capital, infrastructure, design, culture, and policy.

In recent years, the economy of Brazil has grown to unprecedented heights and also experienced a great leveling. Throughout this transition, Brazil has emerged as the world's sixth largest economy, surpassing the United Kingdom in 2011. With two global sporting events—the Olympics and the World Cup—accelerating the transformation of Brazil into a rich-world country, Latin America’s premier democracy is now a highly competitive and resource-rich global economic force.

While the recent history of Brazil is a success story—one about rediscovering democratic traditions and lifting millions out of poverty—there are still significant obstacles to Brazil’s ability to create a sustainable model for economic growth. Creaking physical infrastructure combined with weak technological infrastructure, extreme commodity dependence, protectionist economic policies, corruption, environmental conflict, and a huge informal sector that limits productivity, are preventing Brazil from fully maximising its global competitiveness.

What concrete actions can the government and private sectors take to fuel innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship? Can Brazil find the right formula for investing in education, technology, and infrastructure? And what is the right balance between supporting the legacy systems that led to Brazil's dramatic rise and developing the pillars of a new economy? Chaired by The Economist’s Americas editor, Michael Reid and São Paulo bureau chief, Helen Joyce, Ideas Economy: Brazil is an annual, live-event version of an Economist special report on Brazil. It is designed for a wide range of business leaders, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, public officials, global executives, and members of the ideas economy who are invested in the future of Brazil. 

Event chairs

Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist

Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist

Confirmed speakers

Kátia Abreu, senator of the republic; president, CAN

Rodrigo Baggio, founder, Center for Digital Inclusion

Rafinha Bastos, comedian

Eike Batista, chairman and chief executive, EBX Group

Claudia Costin, secretary of education for Rio de Janeiro

Luciano Coutinho, president, BNDES

Antonio Carlos Rego Gil, president, Brasscom

Maria das Graças Silva Foster, chief executive, Petrobras

Fernanda Feitosa, chief executive, SP-Arte

Rossana Fuentes Berain, Editorial vice-president, Grupo Editorial Expansión

Reinaldo Garcia, president and chief executive, GE Latin America

Marco Gomes, co-founder, Boo-Box

Marcello Hallake, partner, Jones Day

João Jorge Santos Rodrigues, president, Olodum

Danilo Miranda, director, SESC

Sergio Lazzarini, professor, INSPER

Ronaldo Lemos, director, Center for Technology and Society, Fundação Getúlio Vargas

Carlos Eduardo Lins da Silva, president, Projor

Marcelo Odebrecht, chief executive, Odebrecht

Fábio Rosa, founder and executive director, IDEAAS

Luis Paulo Rosenberg, vice-president, Corinthians

Álvaro Sierra, editor-in-chief, Semana 

Paulo Bernardo Silva, Minister of Communications for Brazil

Luiz Felipe Scolari, World-cup winning coach

Justine Thody, editorial director, Americas, The Economist Intelligence Unit

Marcos Troyjo, director, BRICLab, Columbia University

Andrew Vickers, Vice-president, NGO and Stakeholder Relations, Royal Dutch Shell

John H. Welch, executive director and emerging market macro-strategist, CIBC World Markets

Tom Zé, singer-songwriter

Programme

8.00 am	Registration and refreshments Sponsored by BNY Mellon
9.15 am	Opening remarks Michael Reid, Americas Editor, The Economist
9.25 am	The Brazil story Rotating interviews exploring how Brazil is portrayed in the foreign press Rossana Fuentes Berain, Editorial vice-president, Grupo Editorial Expansión Carlos Eduardo Lins da Silva, president, Projor Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist Álvaro Sierra, editor-in-chief, Semana
10.20am	The road ahead Investing in Brazil’s infrastructure Luciano Coutinho, president, BNDES Marcelo Odebrecht, chief executive, Odebrecht Moderator : Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist
10.50 am	View from the top New lessons in leadership Maria das Graças Silva Foster, chief executive, Petrobras Moderator: Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist
11.15 am	Morning break
11.45 am	To protect and serve? A cross-industry examination of Brazil’s protectionist policies and the problems for global competitiveness  Marcello Hallake, partner, Jones Day Sergio Lazzarini, professor, INSPER Ronaldo Lemos, director, Center for Technology and Society, Fundação Getúlio Vargas Moderator: Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist
12.30pm	Urban education Reform from the bottom up and top down Rodrigo Baggio, founder, Center for Digital Inclusion Claudia Costin, secretary of education, Rio de Janeiro Moderator: Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist
1.00 pm	Lunch Sponsored by Brasscom ICT in Brazil: Government and industry perspectives Antonio Carlos Rego Gil, president, Brasscom  Paulo Bernardo Silva, Minister of Communications for Brazil
2.25 pm	The search for growth: central banks in unchartered territory  Research sponsored by BNY Mellon Featuring a conversation with John H. Welch, executive director and emerging market macro-strategist, CIBC World Markets Justine Thody, editorial director, Americas, The Economist Intelligence Unit
2.40 pm	Beyond Rio + 20 Interviews on energy and sustainable development in Brazil Kátia Abreu, senator of the republic; president, CNA Andrew Vickers, Vice-president, NGO and Stakeholder Relations, Royal Dutch Shell Moderator: Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist
3.20pm	Brazil in 2050 Eike Batista, chairman and chief executive, EBX Group Interviewer: Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist
3.40 pm	Frugal innovation Will Latin America set the pace for global growth? Reinaldo Garcia, president and chief executive, GE Latin America Moderator: Justine Thody, editorial director, Americas, Economist Intelligence Unit
4.00pm	Innovation and job growth Brazil now has a record number of entrepreneurs. But are new ideas enough to create new jobs?  Marco Gomes, co-founder, Boo-Box Marcos Troyjo, director, BRICLab, Columbia University Moderator: Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist
4.25pm	Afternoon Break
4.50 pm 5.15 pm 5.30 pm 5.45 pm 6.10 pm	The art of soft power Promoting Brazilian culture to a global audience Introduction by: Fernanda Feitosa, chief executive, SP-Arte Danilo Miranda, director, SESC Moderator:Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist Cala a boca, Galvão Brazil in 140 characters with Rafinha Bastos, comedian Preto no branco What Brazil can teach the world about race and identity with João Jorge Santos Rodrigues, president, Olodum Interviewer: Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist Nascido para jogar futebol? The impact of the World Cup and Olympics on Brazil with Luis Paulo Rosenberg, vice-president, Corinthians and Luiz Felipe Scolari, World-cup winning coach Moderator: Michael Reid, Americas editor, The Economist Tropicália lixo lógico Conversation and music by Tom Zé, singer-songwriter Interviewer: Helen Joyce, São Paulo bureau chief, The Economist
6.30  pm	Cocktail reception