Fostering Bilateral Trade and Investment Flows Between Brazil and Florida

Member Spotlight

We are proud to highlight the following Council members in President's Circle and Patron membership levels. Learn more about prestigious companies who have selected the Brazil-Florida Business Council as their partner to foster business relationships between Brazil and Florida. If you wish to upgrade your membership category, contact us.

Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized by Financial Times as among the most forward thinking firms in the industry. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and overcome barriers to innovation and growth. Akerman is known for its results in middle market M&A and complex disputes, and for helping clients achieve their most important business objectives in the financial services, real estate, and other dynamic sectors across the United States and Latin America.

The Akerman Corporate Practice Group advises public and private companies, including private equity funds, on M&A, capital markets, financings, and other transactional matters, with a strong focus on the middle market. Akerman is top-ranked nationally for mergers, acquisitions and buyouts: middle market by The Legal 500 and is recognized as a leading U.S. law firm by U.S. News – Best Lawyers for corporate, M&A, private equity, securities/capital markets, securities regulation, and banking and finance law, and is listed in PitchBook league tables as among the most active law firms in the United States for M&A and private equity deals. 

Citrus Products, Inc. was established 40 years ago in the business of importing and distribution of citrus products (orange juices and by-products) as a wholesale. The company operates an orange juice terminal in the Port of Newark, NJ and has offices in Orlando, FL.

Our mission is to be a worldwide consistent source of high quality orange juice, its products and services, adding value to the citrus business, respecting the community and the environment.

Synonymous with excellence, quality, customer service and unwavering commitment to the highest standards of luxury, Fortune International Group has been a recognized leader in development, sales and marketing since 1983. With over 7,000 units and 9 million square feet of projects delivered, the company’s prestigious development portfolio includes many of the most prominent residential properties in South Florida including Jade Signature, The Ritz-Carlton Residences Sunny Isles Beach, Auberge Beach Residences and Spa Fort Lauderdale, Jade Residences Brickell; Jade Beach, Jade Ocean, Artech Residences, and Hyde Resort & Residences Hollywood. In addition, Fortune Development Sales is the premier, exclusive on-site sales and marketing representative for third-party development projects in South Florida, having sold more than 25,000 units and currently representing some of South Florida’s most successful projects such as: Cipriani Residences, Missoni Baia, Una Residences, 57 Ocean, 2000 Ocean, Monaco Yacht Club, Baccarat Residences & Casa Bella Residences, among others. Led by visionary founder Edgardo Defortuna, Fortune International Group has 20 offices around the world with nearly 1,000 associates. Fortune’s international broker network reaches legions of prospective buyers from South Florida to Buenos Aires, Hong Kong to São Paolo, and Manhattan to Paris.

Inter&Co is the holding company of Inter Group and indirectly holds all of Banco Inter’s shares. Inter is a digital bank that simplifies people’s lives, where everything is integrated into a single app. Inter offers a complete range of services in banking, investments, credit, insurance, and cross-border services, in addition to a marketplace that brings together the best retailers in Brazil and the United States. Inter&Co is listed on Nasdaq under the ticker INTR.

King & Spalding is a full service international law firm with an extensive Latin America practice throughout the region, including Brazil. Practice areas include: cross-border corporate, M&A, real estate and infrastructure transactions, international commercial and investor-state arbitration, dispute avoidance counseling, including negotiations with states, civil and commercial litigation, international trade, intellectual property, energy, oil & gas, mining, healthcare, private equity, banking and finance, and compliance and internal invest.

Formed in 2004, Mosaic is a young company rooted in history and experience. Recognized as innovators in our field, this status owes much to the combined strengths of the crop nutrition business of Cargill, Inc. and IMC Global Inc., our founding companies. In 2014, Mosaic completed its acquisitions of the Florida phosphate business of CF Industries, Inc., and of Archer Daniels Midland Company's fertilizer distribution business in Brazil and Paraguay.

Multiplan Real Estate Asset Management’s singular vision for inspired living was born from a rich, forty-year history stretching across continents and time zones and culminating in South Florida, where the firm has distinguished itself as the preeminent developer of sustainability-driven, ultra-luxury real estate projects. 

In 1974, Brazilian native José Isaac Peres founded Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliários S.A. and through his entrepreneurial spirit and vision transformed into one of the largest publicly owned real estate companies in Latin America. It is with this same focus that Peres launched Multiplan Real Estate Asset Management in the United States, building upon his long-standing history of excellence with iconic projects that herald a new and prosperous era for South Florida.

Energized by the unique cross-cultural synergy that continuously shapes and reshapes Miami-Dade County, Peres has long maintained a deep admiration for the region, having called Florida his part-time home since 1998. Earlier projects such as the acclaimed Il Villaggio mixed-use development in Miami Beach, with its sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and Lummus Park, and Jade Brickell, a bayfront luxury residential condominium Peres conceptualized and designed, set the tone for Multiplan REAM’s overarching mission: to pay homage to the buildings’ natural environments while enhancing the value of the surrounding communities with record-setting unit values.

Today, Multiplan Real Estate Asset Management has cultivated a world class development team and distinguished partners who continue to expand Peres’ legacy while furthering the firm’s opportunities in South Florida.

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S.A. is the highly successful Brazilian airline launched by JetBlue founder David Neeleman. The quality of its services has been acknowledged by many national and international awards. In 2015 Azul was named by Skytrax World Airline Awards, for the fifth time in a row, as the "Best low-cost airline in South America." Azul launched their services in the Brazilian domestic market on December 15, 2008 between three cities: Campinas, Salvador, and Porto Alegre. The company's business model was based on meeting the demand for frequent and affordable air service to underserved markets throughout Brazil. Today, Azul is the airline with the greatest number of destinations served in Brazil. The company has a fleet of 140 aircraft, more than 10,000 employees, over 900 departures per day, 100+ destinations being served, and one-third of all the departures in the country. 

As the #1 school for entrepreneurship education for 24 consecutive years, Babson College comes to Miami to serve working professionals in the Southern US and Latin American markets, where Babson already has a large alumni base of almost 5,000 people.
The Babson Miami Hub will offer three graduate programs (Blended Learning MBA, Masters of Science in Business Analytics and Certificate in Advanced Management) starting fall of 2018. Founded in 1919 in Massachusetts, Babson brings to Miami nearly a 100 years of excellence and expertise from different centers on entrepreneurship, women leadership, social innovation and finance, among other activities.

Bernardo Piccolo Team for Real State Solutions is a Residential & Commercial Real Estate practice with 15 years of market experience in the Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. With over 800 transactional parties assisted and $100+ millions in Real Estate Sales. Bernardo Piccolo PA is within the top 1% in Sales volume & Units sold in the Tampa bay. Bernardo and his team specialize in Domestic & International relocation, Investment Real Estate, residential & commercial sales. Assistance in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

More than 4,000 Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) flights take off every day, connecting people across more than 275 destinations on six continents with a commitment to industry-leading customer service, safety and innovation. As the leading global airline, Delta's mission is to create opportunities, foster understanding and expand horizons by connecting people and communities to each other and their potential.

Delta's more than 80,000 employees believe our customers should not have to choose between seeing the world and saving the planet. Delta is working toward more sustainable aviation by leveraging existing solutions and technologies, investing in the future of sustainable aviation fuel and actively engaging with next-generation solutions.

Digibee enables organizations to build flexible, highly scalable integration architecture. Founded in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2017, the Digibee team is based throughout the Americas with offices in Florida. Our platform allows enterprises to compete and excel in today’s rapidly changing digital environment. The technology is cloud native, low code, fully recyclable, and discoverable–connecting applications, processes, and people for faster time-to-market without a major investment.

Ten times faster than other systems, Digibee is the preferred e-iPaaS solution for 250+ corporate customers including Accenture, B3, Carrefour, Payless, Santander, and others.

Drummond Advisors has a multidisciplinary team with experience and certifications to operate in the United States and Brazil. Our team has accountants, lawyers, managers and consultants with experience in international business. The qualifications of these professionals enables Drummond to have a broad and complete overview of the challenges involved in international transactions, including those relating to accounting standards (US GAAP vs. IFRS-International Standards), tax, legal and market analysis.

In a market with fewer economic barriers, it is important to be in constant contact with specialized professionals who are in tune with world economic trends. In such a global market, it is vital to have qualified consultants certified in specific countries to help ensure proper international accounting, taxation and legal compliance, with security and excellence. In this challenging environment, Drummond Advisors was created to fulfill the needs of companies operating in both the Brazilian and U.S. markets.

In order to deliver an exceptional level of high quality service, the consulting performed by Drummond Advisors presents a set of skills that differentiates us in the market, allowing greater efficiency, timeliness and promptness in service. We mean to always work in partnership with our clients, ensuring their accounting, tax, legal and market needs are aligned to your goals, thus enabling sustainable financial decisions and successfully exits.

TMG Places Agriculture and Food Policy expert at Holland & Knight | The  McCormick GroupWith more than 1,600 lawyers in our U.S. and international offices and legal colleagues in over 40 countries around the world, Holland & Knight LLP serves clients globally. Our clients recognize the ability of our firm to consistently provide excellent value in a variety of areas that range from commercial litigation, regulatory matters, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and government advocacy. We are committed to providing the highest quality legal counsel combined with the utmost in client service – across state and national borders – in a seamless, cost-effective manner.

Leaf Law represents domestic and multinational corporations and other organizations which employ foreign nationals on a temporary or permanent basis. The firm also represents talented individuals and business professionals, as well as entrepreneurs and investors who have decided to start a business, buy a business, franchise or explore business opportunities in this country. 

Leaf, Ferreira, de Araujo, LLC tailors its representation for each client by addressing specific factors and needs. Based on our in-depth knowledge of U.S. immigration laws, practices and policies, our firm evaluates clients’ goals and expectations, and facilitates an appropriate course of action in order to file the appropriate petition and/or application with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or pertinent U.S. Consulate.

The firm enjoys a superlative record of successfully analyzing individuals’ credentials and formulating the appropriate strategy to expeditiously realize their ambition to enter the United States and contribute valued skills to the economy as a non-immigrant. Moreover, our informed judgment affords us the ability to evaluate the best process to achieve permanent residency for those wishing for immigrant status. (“Green Card”) 

The firm represents individuals globally, with language capacities in Spanish, Portuguese, and French. It possesses familiarity with U.S. Consulates around the world and in-depth expertise with U.S. immigration law, including daily focus on the United States of Citizenship and Immigration Services, as it is integrated into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

By February 2023, we merged with the Minas Gerais’ law firm Fialho Salles and now, we are Madrona Fialho Advogados. We are a true partnership and count on a defined and professionalized governance (Board of Directors, CAGC and Executive Committee), and adopt ESG practices in our activity, having a Code of Ethics and an ESG program written and implemented.

We are a full-service firm, with a team of 300 professionals, 40 of them partners. Based in São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Brasília, Madrona Fialho operates on a business unit model. We find solutions to legal challenges in: Environmental Law, Competition and International Trade, Litigation and Arbitration, Corporate, Financial, Banking & Market, Real Estate Law, Infrastructure & Public Law, Digital, Comex & PI, Labor law, Tax, White Collar & Compliance. Our firm also acts with Agribusiness, Contracts, ESG, Social Security & Supplementary Pension, Administrative proceedings CVM/Bacen, Project Finance, Special Situations, Sport Law, Wealth Management.

We are among the 10 firms with the biggest number of advisory services/financial volume when it comes to M&A in Brazil, according to TTR and Mergermarket.

For more than 160 years, Winston & Strawn LLP has served as a trusted adviser and advocate to companies in a broad array of industries.

With a global reach of 900+ attorneys in 16 locations in key financial centers, the firm has built a law practice with tremendous depth and an international presence. We represent clients in all phases of international transactions and disputes and before governmental and international agencies.

We litigate cases and close transactions. Over the past several years, the firm has made a concerted effort to balance its practice offerings between transaction-, corporate-, and litigation-related areas considering our clients’ present and future needs. Of all the accolades we receive, Winston is most proud to have the continued trust and confidence of its clients. Winston is globally recognized by Chambers Global 2022 and Am Law Global 100.

Council News

Led by Shining Star, Brazil Business Council Gains Traction

Although The White House, Commerce Department and US Trade Representative’s Office are all led by protectionists these days, various chambers of commerce throughout the United States are moving ahead with promoting two-way trade and investment flows between the United States and Latin America.

One of the most active is the Brazil-Florida Business Council, which after only three years in operations has gained a reputation for its high-profile Brazilian guests while scoring strong feedback from attendees of its events, who lavish praise on the council’s founder, Sao Paulo native Sueli Bonaparte.

Read more at Latinvex.

Bonaparte: Brazil Back on Track

Brazil’s economy, Latin America’s largest, is back on track, says Sueli Bonaparte, president of the Brazil-Florida Business Council (BFBC). In this interview with Latinvex, Bonaparte talks about the outlook for Brazil’s economy, US investor interest, investment grade and why she started the BFBC.

Latinvex: To what extent have recent economic reforms in Brazil helped interest in Brazil among US companies?

Bonaparte: Despite Brazil’s dismal economic performance, foreign direct investment has hit record highs amid recent reforms. Savvy US companies recognize Brazil’s underlying economic fundamentals and see this is a historic buying opportunity. The economic team of the current administration has brought confidence to the international financial market and they have quickly taken essential actions to bring the economy back on track. Despite modest economic growth forecasted for the coming year, analysts expect that the new administration will continue pro-growth policies to foster more robust economic recovery in the coming years.

Read more at Latinvex.

Council helps businesses in Brazil, Florida navigate bureaucracy

Brazil is Florida’s No. 1 trade partner when it comes to exports, but getting in the door isn’t easy. The Brazil-Florida Business Council provides a forum for business people to exchange ideas and network.

Sueli Bonaparte - President and FounderTAMPA, June 17 — Brazil is Florida’s No. 1 trade partner when it comes to exports. But getting in the door isn’t easy. Cutting through red tape and tariffs requires a sharp tool.

Enter Sueli Bonaparte, who for 17 years served as executive director of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce in New York City, slicing through bureaucracy to create international partnerships. After moving to Florida a few years back, Bonaparte said, she saw a lot of untapped potential for connecting business threads between this state and her native Brazil.

Read more.


Encontro realizado em São Paulo auxilia investidores brasileiros interessados em ingressar no estado da Flórida

Uma das maiores ambições de empresários brasileiros é fazer com que seu negócio seja reconhecido internacionalmente, porém, muitos não possuem as informações e regras para trilhar esse caminho.

Pensando em auxiliar esses executivos, as organizações Brazil-Florida Business Council (BFBC), Enterprise Flórida e APEX-Brasil, que trabalham na intensificação do relacionamento entre o estado da Flórida e o Brasil, realizaram no último dia 7 de julho, em São Paulo, um encontro com o objetivo de apresentar estratégias para o investidor interessado em ter uma fatia de seu negócio nos EUA.

Com o tema "Investindo na Flórida: desafios e oportunidades", o encontro foi apresentado pela presidente-fundadora, Sueli Bonaparte, e contou com a participação de líderes empresariais com filiais no estado americano.

Read more.

SAVE THE DATE

    • June 09, 2023
    • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
    • 101 East Kennedy Blvd. #4200, Tampa FL 33602
    Register
    Guest Speaker:

    Corrine Ricard is President of Mosaic Fertilizantes, the Brazil-based business unit of the The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) Headquartered in Tampa, it is the world’s leading integrated producer of concentrated phosphate and potash—two of the three most important nutrients in agriculture. Agribusiness is a major economic driver in Brazil. Today, this sector represents 22% of Brazil’s GDP.

    Previously, Ricard held leadership positions at The Mosaic Company including Senior Vice President, Commercial and Supply Chain, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Vice President of International Sales and Distribution, Vice President of Business Development and Vice President of Supply Chain and Risk Management. Prior to Mosaic, Ricard worked for Cargill in various roles including risk management, supply chain, treasury and commodity trading. Ricard has 35 years of agriculture experience.

    Ricard serves on the board of directors for Canpotex, the Canadian potash marketing association; Gulf Sulfur Services; and Carlisle Companies, a publicly traded company. Ricard previously served on the board of directors for the Ma’aden Wa’ad Al Shamal Phosphate Company, a phosphate production joint venture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, DayBreak Foods, a privately held company; and the Freshwater Society, an environmental non-profit organization.

    • June 21, 2023
    • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
    • Cantaloup Next Door
    Register
    Brazil celebrates the 115th Anniversary of Japanese Immigration in June. The featured speaker will be Chieko Aoki, the Founder and  CEO of Blue Tree Hotels. Born in Japan, she works towards the development of economic and cultural relations between Brazil, United States, Japan and Latin America. Mrs. Aoki has been named as one of the most powerful businesswomen in Latin America by Forbes and Financial Times among other media outlets.

    Throughout her professional life, she worked around the world in places such as the US, Asia and Europe. She began working in 1982 as the Marketing and Sales Director of Caesar Park São Paulo and, served as the President of Caesar Park Hotels and Resorts and of the oldest and most traditional hotel chain in the US, Westin Hotels and Resorts.

    Mrs. Aoki is known in Brazil as the first lady of the Brazilian hotel industry for her innovative management style which has made a “benchmark” in the excellence of services in the sector. She participates in many private and government organizations, such as the Business Council of Latin America (CEAL), the Business Leaders Group (LIDE), the Brazil-Japan group of Sao Paulo's State Industry Federation (FIESP), the Brazilian Events Academy, the Association for the Centennial of Japanese Immigration and several other entities linked to tourism. In 2006,  Mrs. Aoki was elected the president of LIDEM, the Group of Leading Businesswomen, and took on a position in the Brazilian Marketing Academy. She was elected president of the Consulting Council of ADVB-Japan. In addition, Mrs. Aoki was the recipient of the 2016 Brazil-Florida Business Award Honoree.

    Her academic credentials include a law degree from São Paulo University (USP), with Management courses from Sofia University in Tokyo and Hotel Management from Cornell University in the US.

    Additional panelists to be confirmed. This special event is being curated by the Membership and Diversity and Inclusion Committees. Apresentação em Português🇧🇷.

    • June 27, 2023
    • 8:00 AM
    • Mattos Filho Faria Lima and Teams
    More information to follow. Organized by the Innovation Committee in partnership with Mattos Filho Advogados.

THANK YOU MEMBERS

FEATURED VIDEOS

Q1 2023 Highlights

The Outlook for the Global and the U.S. Economy: Hard or Soft Landing for 2023?

TESTIMONIALS

"Sueli, the amazing energy that you bring to this cause is astounding. I envision this organization and the relationship to go long beyond certainly my tenure as a mayor, and I think building a bond between Brazil and Florida, particularly between Brazil and Tampa, is going to be important. The Brazil-Florida Business Council can play a vital role to the economic growth of the city. If we are going to be the city we want to be, we will have to expand our horizons and be global in our perspective and global in our actions."


Bob Buckhorn, Former Tampa Mayor

"Sueli is relentless in pursuing excellence for Brazil-US relations, and she should really be congratulated for that. Honestly, we highly respect her work and all the great things she’s done now, she’s doing it here."

Gary Spulak, Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc.

"I'd like to say how excited we are for the launching of the Brazil-Florida Business Council and the important work they'll do in further connecting Brazil's and Florida's business communities and promoting Brazilian companies in Florida.

David NeelemanAzul Brazilian Airlines

"It is important to work with partners such as the Brazil-Florida Business Council to help counsel and advise American companies about doing business in Brazil."

Stephen KnodeUnited States Commercial Service

"Brazil continues to be Florida's largest global market for trade and FDI. The partnership between the Brazilian Office of Enterprise Florida and the Brazil-Florida Business Council play a vital role to capitalize on business prospects in both regions."

Fabio Yamada, Enterprise Florida Brazil

"A Sueli é uma locomotiva para o desenvolvimento de negócios, ela não se cansa de procurar meios para auxiliar o crescimento de todos, prova disso é a Brazil Florida Business Council que em tão pouco tempo já alcançou tamanha expressão e mostra o tempo todo ao que veio, aglutinando mais interesse no Brasil e esse tipo de iniciativa faltava na Florida.”

Marcelo Fleury, LAFINSA

"We see how passionate you, and your staff, are in building relationships across borders to mutually grow global economic development.

Doug Davidson, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

“We are extremely grateful for your continued leadership and efforts to promote the relationship between Florida/Tampa Bay and Brazil.  Your efforts reflect the very best of what we do to promote our community and our regional growth.” 

Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay

The Brazil-Florida Business Council is surely a key partner for Brazilian firms willing to invest in Florida.” 

Andre Leal, Select USA

What you have achieved is truly remarkable in such a short time and serves as an inspiration to all of us. I have always believed that nations in this hemisphere should work closely together. The Council  has demonstrated to me that there are many opportunities to better both Nations by working together and sharing information. At each event we have attended, we have met people that we would not have come in contact with normally, had it not been for the Council.” 

Dr. Gustave ZaderUniversity of South Florida


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