Arbitration
ICC Brazil relaunch to boost international business
ICC Brazil, one of the world business organization’s 89 national committees, will be relaunched today at a high-level event in its new São Paulo headquarters.
A move set to strengthen the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) presence in Latin America, the relaunch will boost Brazilian business links with ICC’s global network of 6.5 million enterprises in more than 130 countries. Julian Kassum, who will assume the role of Executive Director for the new national committee, will be in charge of daily operations.
Daniel Feffer, newly appointed Chair of ICC Brazil and Corporate Vice President of Suzano Holding, said: “ICC is a platform for Brazilian business to express its views and gain influence on the global stage. At a time when Brazil is looking for new international sources of economic growth, our new office will bring the full range of ICC services to our country, from training and policy advocacy to the diffusion of ICC rules and standards, in areas from arbitration to banking and commercial contracts.”
Business and government leaders are expected at the opening ceremony. They will be welcomed by Mr Feffer and Robson Braga de Andrade, President of the Brazilian National Confederation of Industries (CNI), the organization that now hosts ICC Brazil.
“Our renewed presence in Brazil is in line with ICC global objectives to expand our international reach and outlook and we are pleased to be able to bring the benefits of ICC membership, products and services to more businesses in this important region, and to benefit from the participation of Brazilian business into our work,” said ICC Secretary General John Danilovich, who will present ICC priorities and the global business agenda at the inauguration.
President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration John Beechey is also in São Paulo, in recognition of ICC Brazil’s goal to improve lawyers’ access to ICC dispute resolution services in Latin America. Mr Beechey will participate to a round table which will highlight the growing relevance of ICC Arbitration in global markets helping solve a range of difficulties in international business.
In recent years, Brazilian parties have ranked among the top four users of ICC Arbitration worldwide. São Paulo has already hosted ICC Arbitration events for leading dispute resolution practitioners, including the Brazilian launch of the 2014 ICC Mediation Rules earlier this year.
ICC also welcomes Brazil’s support for the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, which recently reached a breakthrough in negotiations in Geneva. ICC also supports its new member’s involvement in other multilateral processes, which ICC Brazil will help Brazilian companies take part in. The new national committee will work to connect Brazilian professionals with ICC’s services to help companies navigate global markets.
With coordinating the private sector’s position in international trade negotiations one of CNI’s main activities, CNI Policy and Strategy Director Jose Augusto Coelho Fernandes will moderate a debate on latest trends in global governance and implications for businesses in Brazil. Panel discussions, featuring Frederico Curado, President of the Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer, and Ambassador Rubens Barbosa will highlight ICC’s actions to improve the global regulatory framework in key policy areas.
Under the direction of Francois-Gabriel Ceyrac, who is attending today’s relaunch, ICC national committees and groups work with ICC members in their respective regions around the world to voice the interests of business to national governments and provide input to ICC’s policy work.
Before its reorganization and move to São Paulo, ICC Brazil had operated for many years under the Confederacao Nacional do Comercio de Bens, Servicos e Turismo (CNC) in Rio de Janeiro.
Follow ICC Brazil via Twitter.
