Panelists:

• Enrique Ostalé, President and CEO, Walmart Latin America, India, and Africa
• Hugo Villegas, President, Latin America, Medtronic
• Alexei Remizov, Managing Director & Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets Latin America, HSBC Securities
• Brian Winter, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas; Editor-in-Chief, Americas Quarterly (moderator)

The first panel of the Latin American Cities Conference in Brasilia explored the potential and risks for business in Brazil, with a focus on the health, finance, and retail sectors. Questions from AS/COA’s Brian Winter covered  the “Brazil cost,” inclusive economic growth, and business opportunities. Medtronic’s Hugo Villegas said that optimizing health services is one priority. HSBC’s Alexei Remizov noted that it will be positive to see the outcome of current economic policy shifts but that it is crucial for those changes to carry over from one presidency to the next. Looking to India for an example of a country that successfully accomplished tax reform, Walmart’s Enrique Ostalé talked about the troubles associated with Brazil’s tax system.

Each year in Miami, Council of the Americas' Symposium and BRAVO Business Awards bring together leaders from the private sector, government, and civil society to discuss major challenges and opportunities facing the Americas. This recap is of our 2016 program, where influential thought leaders gathered to share insights on the region, as well as celebrate those who have made a major impact on the Western Hemisphere.

Please join us on Friday, November 3, 2017 for the 2017 COA Symposium and BRAVO Business Awards.

Speakers:

• Dubie Cunningham,VP, Enterprise Innovation, Digital Banking, Scotiabank
• Bernardo Bonjean, Founder & CEO, Avante
• Jose Renato Hopf, Founder & CEO, GetNet; Founder & CEO, 4all Tecnologia
• Edgar Perez, Author, The Speed Traders and Knightmare on Wall Street
• Sabrina T. Howell, Assistant Professor of Finance, NYU Stern School of Business (moderator)

In a panel at the Latin American Business Conference 2017, experts discussed what the digital revolution means for the finance industry and broader economy.

• Learn about Young Professionals of the Americas. 

Speakers:

• Andrés Moreno, Founder and CEO of Open Education, holding company for Open English and NextU
• Silvina Moschini, Founder, SheWorks! and Yandiki; Contributing Expert, CNN en Español
• Jimena Flórez, Founder, Chaak Healthy Snacks; Americas Quarterly Top 5 Young Entrepreneur
• Matt Haggman, Miami Program Director, Knight Foundation
• Felipe Sommer, President & Co-Founder, Nearpod
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
• Brian Winter, Editor-in-Chief, Americas Quarterly; Vice President, Policy, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (moderator)

Some 89 percent of young people in Latin America want to start their own business. But the entrepreneurial culture in the region still needs to mature by creating favorable policies for new businesses, promoting more early-stage investing, and changing how society views failures. "Failure is always a possibility, but until then, always keep trying," said Andres Moreno, one of Americas Quarterly's top entrepreneurs in the magazine's latest magazine. Moreno joined other entrepreneurs in this event in Miami, which is a growing hub for innovators—particularly from Latin America.

Speakers:

• John McIntire, Chairman, Cuba Emprende Foundation
• Jay Brickman, Vice President, Government Services, Crowley Maritime Corporation
• Paul Johnson, President, Chicago Foods International; Co-Chair, U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC)  
• Yosbel Ibarra, Co-Chair, Latin American & Iberian Practice, Greenberg Traurig LLP (moderator)

How can the United States and Cuba build trust? One place to start is through agriculture ties, said Paul Johnson. For states that depend on agricultural exports, having access to the Cuban market becomes of U.S. national interest. Other panelists discussed the opportunities for business relations with Cuba's emerging entrepreneurial sector, which has top talent in software development, according to John McIntire.

• Learn about the Cuba Working Group.
• Watch more videos of our Cuba conference "The United States and Cuba: A Snapshot of Current Collaborations."