Focus on business opportunities in Latin America

Focus on new business opportunities in Latin America

New opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Latin American will be under the spotlight at a one-day seminar on July 19th organised by the University of Auckland’s New Zealand Centre for Latin American Studies.

The director of the centre, Dr Matthew O’Meagher says that the potential of trans- pacific business is still largely untapped, and holds many opportunities for New Zealand.

Nearly five years ago, the New Zealand government launched its Latin American strategy, a programme designed to expand, intensify, and realise the potential of New Zealand’s links with Latin America, he says.

“This conference examines a crucial dimension of those links, this country's business relations with the Latin American region – where they stand today, and how they may grow.”

Dr O’Meagher says the conference will be of interest to those already familiar with Latin
America and those becoming aware of the region's potential. It will focus on practical matters relating to doing business in Latin American markets, as seen by small and large companies and organisations with years of experience in them. It will also address strategic themes in regional trade, especially the importance of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership and the potential for more economic linkages between New Zealand, Latin America and Asia.

The conference will be opened by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Stuart McCutcheon, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hon. Phil Goff, who will be the first speaker.

Other speakers include:

Marcus Troyjo, the international president of Gazeta Mercantil, Brazil's leading economic newspaper, as well as of Jornal do Brazil, that country's most influential daily. He headed the strategic division of Brazil’s foremost merchant bank from 2001-03, and is a prime minister's fellow for 2005, and will talk about ‘business diplomacy’ in Latin America.

David Walker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who negotiated the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership for New Zealand

Philip Turner, Fonterra's director of government and trade.

Robert Scollay, the director of the APEC studies centre at The University of Auckland, and New Zealand's leading academic commentator on international trade issues.

The conference is being held at the Northern Club on July 19th from 8.45am to 6pm.

For more details and registration visit http://www.auckland.ac.nz/nzclas/conference05.

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