- BRAZIL IS DOING very well right now.
This statement comes from Johan Fager, founder of the consultant company Brazilian Business Partners, in our interview about Brazil. Johan Fager has been in Latin America for 15 years and has genuine
experience in the region. Together with Peter Rowland, he founded Brazilian Business Partners and in collaboration with the Swedish-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce they assist Swedish companies to set up business in Brazil.
- Personally, I think it is a very interesting country. Brazilians are strong entrepreneurs, very professional and creative, says Johan Fager.
AS A RESULT OF a strict financial and monetary policy by the last two presidents, inflation has decreased and is 4.5 percent today. GNP growth and wealth have increased steadily.
- The Brazilian middle class has grown and more people have a better standard of living. A number of new social reforms have been implemented and minimum wages have increased, says Johan Fager.
At the same time, unemployment has decreased to 8 percent last January, which is the lowest level of unemployment ever in Brazil. The new oil and natural gas findings by oil company Petrobras, outside the Brazilian coast close to Rio de Janeiro and high prices on raw material, strengthen Brazil.
Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo
SWEDISH INDUSTRIES have a long history in Brazil and close to 200 Swedish companies are represented in the country. However, in addition to industry, Brazil has a lot more to offer foreign companies.
- Brazil has enormous natural assets like oil, gas, minerals and a big and fertile agriculture, says Hans Barry Bystedt, consul general at the Swedish consulate general in São Paulo. In addition, the Telecom and IT businesses are interesting as well as the textile industry, he adds.
As a result of the increased Brazilian standard of living, consumption has grown. Possibilities of finding your own niche in the Brazilian market have increased, says Hans Barry Bystedt.
Museum Paulista (Ipiranga) i São Paulo
BRAZIL IS STILL HEAVILY regulated and bureaucratic, but conditions for foreign companies to set up business have improved in the last ten
years. Rules for local employment and initial capital have been simplified but the tax system is still complicated. Hans Barry Bystedt’s advice to companies interested in setting up business in Brazil is to ask for assistance by people with local knowledge to make sure everything goes smoothly. Another advice is to make sure you have necessary funds and resources.
- IT IS EXTREMELY important to get backup from the Swedish company and to be prepared for a longer period than expected to get established in the Brazilian market. Once you are over the threshold, Brazil has endless opportunities to offer.
Emelie Ring