The on-going trading relationships between Africa and Brazil has contributed much to the approximation of the jurisdictions, although much opportunity still remains to be explored.
Our first of a two-part webinar series organized by Insper and the Lagos Business School, in Nigeria, both in conjunction with the Afro-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, to explore the various challenges and prospects of doing business in Africa and Brazil, and the ways in which the businesses of the two regions have historically thrived in the space.
The event is targeted at top-level executives already operating in Africa and Brazil, interested in the dialogue between the areas. The webinar will also be beneficial to diplomatic personnel, political figures, and academics. The subjects that will be addressed include the increased prospects for trade in Africa and Brazil, the trading opportunities that exist under the various continental value chains and regional frameworks and agreements, and how businesses can navigate the demands of responsible entrepreneurship in the regions.
Insper Webinars – Insper believes that quality information based on evidence is essential to decision- making and to face the challenges posed by the surge of the new coronavirus. In this sense, the school has been promoting a series of online events, for free, to disseminate relevant content. They cover topics such as economic overview, labor aspects, legal tools applicable, challenges for the startups, leadership and management of remote teams, management of the working capital in times of crisis, impacts on supply chains, and coronavirus’ impacts on family businesses.
The webinar was fully conducted in English without simultaneous translation Portuguese / English.
Date: 15/09/2021
Time: 12h00
Dr. Bob Enofe is an international and comparative law and business expert with a focus on international economic law and businesses. He has a Degree in Law, an LLM Master's in law (with distinction) from Newcastle University, United Kingdom, a PhD in Law from University College Dublin, Ireland, and a Global Executive MBA from FGV EAESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2021, he was also an international MBA exchange student at the Yale University, School of Management, United States, and an EMBA exchange student at the School of Management at Fudan University, China (both under the GNAM framework). He is currently a Senior Legal Consultant and Adviser to the President at the Afro-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, São Paulo, Brazil, and an Occasional Lecturer in Macroeconomics and Law at FGV EAESP. Bob's professional and research interests include, among other subjects, the interface between the macroeconomic and other on-ground realities of developing and emerging market economies; the drive of the regions towards effective law and trade policy reforms (including reforms to tackle the sub-optimal business conditions of the areas) and the aspirational law and business prospects of the jurisdictions. Bob has presented his research in 5 countries including in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Nigeria, and Brazil.
Holds a PhD in Economic Development and Public Policy from MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA in 2008. Masters in City Planning by MIT in 1998. Master’s degree in Public Administration and Government from Fundação Getulio Vargas, in 1995. Graduated in Law from São Paulo Catholic University in 1987. She served as a public sector lawyer. Taught at New York University (NYU), Rutgers University, Yokohama International University and the University of Toronto. Taught at Foundation School of Sociology and Politics of São Paulo (FESPSP). Fellow at the International Labor Organization and as a consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Worked with Human Rights and electoral staff training in Mozambique. She was a professor at the Brazilian School of Public Administration and Business at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, vice-coordinator of the undergraduate degree in administration at FGV / EBAPE, and coordinator of Institutional Planning and International Accreditation. Professor of the Public Finance disciplines in Developing Countries, Economic Development and Public Policies. Coordinated the MIT-CNPq Academic Cooperation Project, “The Political Economy of the Oil and Gas Industry in Brazil.” Areas of interest: Organizational theories applied to the public sector, New Public Management and New Public Administration, State Reform, Administrative Tax Reform, Public Functioning Performance and Motivation, Public Sector Training and Training, Public Sector Performance Indicators and Public Finance and public management.
Born in Makarfi, Kaduna State, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Brazil, Professor Muhammad Makarfi Ahmad is an academic. He holds a M.Sc and Ph.D in Agricultural Economics, as well as M.Sc in Banking and Finance. He was appointed by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Nigeria’s Principal Representative to the Federative Republic of Brazil in July 2020. He assumed office at the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil in June, 2021. As an academic, Professor Ahmad, M Makafi, worked as a Research fellow at the Institute of Agricultural Research (I.A.R), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he was engaged in research on Economics and Production of cereals, Irrigation development and socio-economic aspects of rural life in Nigeria. He has written several publications in international and local journals, as well as commissioned technical reports over the years. Ambassador Ahmad, M. Makarfi also has a wide range of managerial experiences covering areas of Banking and Finance with National and International commercial banks, as well as Bayero University Microfinance Bank (BUMFB). Equally, as faculty member, he served in many University, Faculty and Department Committees, like Standing Committee of Congregation Member on Halal Products Foods, Director of Bayero University Microfinance Bank (BUMFB). He also served as the Director of the Agribusiness Incubator Center of the Federal University of Dutse Microfinance Bank, while at the Federal University of Dutse. He was also a Member of the Research and Department Standing Committee of the National Research Foundation. Ambassador Professor Ahmad, Muhammad Makarfi is also actively engaged in politics various levels. He has coordinated several committees of the ANPP, CPC and APC Parties. His focal areas of interest include Agribusiness Management; Agriculture Finance Policy, Production and Environmental Economics and Finance. His skills include Institutional Development and Team Collaborative Leadership; as well as Negotiation and Conflict Resolutions Skills. He is married with kids.
Natalia Dias has more than 25 years of experience in Investment Banking, both in Brazil and in the United States, with an emphasis on Capital Markets, Syndicated Loans, Project Financing and Relationship Management areas. She has served as CEO of Standard Bank Brasil since 2018, and as Director of Energy and Infrastructure at Standard Bank Group for Latin America since 2012. She is also a member of Standard Bank International’s International Executive Committee since 2018. She coordinates the Financial Ecosystem working group at the Brazilian Chapter of the 30% Club, a global campaign to promote diversity & inclusion at the Board level. Prior to Standard Bank, she has held different investment banking leadership positions at major global financial institutions including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, ING Bank and Banif Investment Banking. She also served as coordinator of the Real Estate Receivables Certificates Committee of the Brazilian Association of Financial and Capital Market Entities (ANBIMA) between 2010-2015. Natalia has a degree in Public Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas and a specialization in finance from the Amsterdam Institut of Finance. Natalia is fluent in Portuguese, English and French. She is also a Board Member certified by Fundação Dom Cabral (29th Class), in addition to being part of the 5th PDeC Class – Board Diversity Program sponsored by B3, IBGC, IFC, Spencer & Stuart, WCD (Brazil, 2020/21).
Rui Mucaje is the President of the Afrochamber of commerce - Câmara de Comércio Afro-Brasileira, São Paulo. Born in Angola, he has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a focus on foreign trade by UMESP. He also has an MBA in Management in Logistics and International Operations from the Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (USCS). At the AfroChamber, he has worked with diverse teams to grow and solidify the presence of Brazilian businesses in Africa and vice versa. Since 2008, he has acted in CPLP's directory board, and finance directory and consulting boards. His role as a trader in African Countries led him to rethink the needs of African Nations and how Brazilian companies can contribute products of excellent quality and competitive prices to the contexts. He has also actively championed the role that the Afro-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce can play in the advertisement of such products and in the creation of actions of social impact through Brazilian Companies in Africa. In 2013, he contributed to the book "Exporting to Portuguese-speaking Countries in Africa", by Zilda Mendes - Ed. Almedina. He has given international lectures in Angola, Cabo Verde, Cameroun, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Canary Islands, Morocco, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Sudan.
Mr. Romulu Correa is an accomplished executive and economist with over 10 years of experience. His career in the areas of macroeconomics, trade policy analysis, and development economics include roles at the Inter-American Development Bank, Brazil; the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office in Brazil; the Canadian Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development office, in Brazil; Apex, Brazil (the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency-- Agência Brasileira de Promoção de Exportações e Investimentos); the World Economic Forum at Geneva, Switzerland, and the Brazil African Institute, Brazil. Currently, he is the Senior Country Economist for Mozambique at the African Development Bank Group. His current focus includes originating, structuring, and implementing government-led projects and public-private partnerships. Mr. Correa has a Masters in Advanced Leadership (under The World Economic Forum's Global Leadership Fellows Program); a Master in Economics and a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.