São Paulo – The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), the emirate’s sovereign fund and one of the world’s largest, has a series of investments in real estate in Brazil, among them one of the buildings of the Ventura Corporate Towers complex, in downtown Rio de Janeiro, as well as business in the São Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa) and Brazilian government bonds.
The information was supplied by the Foreign Trade vice president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Wladimir Freua, who met with representatives of the fund in the capital of the United Arab Emirates today (4th). “They already have myriad investments in real estate in Brazil, plus investment in the stock exchange and government bonds,” said Freua, who heads a Brazilian delegation currently in the Gulf country.
“And they are keenly interested in continuing to invest in Brazil,” added the vice president. For such, according to Freua, the Adia has established a department specializing in studies on investment in Latin America, and hired two Brazilian specialists who are already working in the emirate.
Besides, according to Freua, the fund’s representatives showed interest in owning stakes in Brazilian companies and projects. “During the visit we were able to exchange information between the Adia, the Arab Brazilian Chamber, the Central Bank of Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce,” stated the vice president. The Brazilian delegation also comprises representatives of the Central Bank and of the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism.
The group made other strategic visits in the emirate. On Monday, they were received by investment sector representatives from Mubadala, another company owned by the Abu Dhabi government. It has 80% of its investment in the Emirates and 20% abroad. “Right now, Mubadala regards Brazil as a possible future investment target,” said Freua.
He added that Mubadala owns stakes in several international companies, such as General Electric, microprocessors manufacturer AMD, and Ferrari. “As a result of their investment in Ferrari, which took place approximately five years ago, they are building a park themed after Ferrari,” he claimed.
On this Tuesday, the Brazilian delegation also visited holding company Al Qudra. “They are very much interested in investing in Brazil, particularly in the food sector, ranging from the establishment of a trading company for buying and selling food, to investing in rural properties, infrastructure and logistics,” said Freua. “The idea is to turn Brazil into a food producing and exporting hub to the expanded Arab market, which comprises all of the Middle Eastern countries,” he finished off.
In addition to Freua, the delegation that visited the companies included the minister counsellor Arthur Nogueira, representing the Brazilian embassy in Abu Dhabi, the director of the Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries (ABDIB), José Maria de Paula Garcia, the senior advisor to the presidency of the Brazilian Central Bank, Alexandre Pundek Rocha, the director of the Financing and Investment Promotion Department of the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, Hermano Carvalho, the general manager of investment promotion of the aforementioned department, Laércio de Souza, the Arab Brazilian Chamber’s Marketing manager, Andréa Monteiro Uhlmann, and the Chamber’s Market Development manager, Rodrigo Solano.
Seminar
Tuesday in the morning, the Brazilian delegation attended the Brazilian Investment Seminar, promoted at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. According to Freua, the seminar showed that Brazil is now the most attractive market for investment in the world; that the country is going to host two important international events in coming years: the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games; and that there are opportunities in agriculture, industry and tourism. “Brazil has proved that it possesses a strong economy and a solid market, and several economic indicators guarantee the return on foreign investment,” said Freua.
The Brazilian ambassador to the Emirates, Raul Campos Castro, also attended the seminar.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
