São Paulo – Morocco is going to receive the first unit of the Business Leadership Group (Lide) in the Arab world. The launching ceremony will take place this Saturday (18) in Marrakesh, with the participation of representatives of the Moroccan government and presidents and CEOs of great companies in the country. Lide is a private Brazilian organization, founded by entrepreneur João Dória, that organizes events to promote business relations.
“Lide started an international expansion process some time ago and we wished to strengthen our presence in Africa. In December 2013, direct flights to Brazil started, which we believe will intensify trade and tourism relations between Brazil and Morocco,” explains Paulo Uebel, the group’s director-general, about Morocco as the choice for the organization’s new unit.
According to information given by Lide, the opening ceremony will count on the participation of Salah Eddine Mezouar, Moroccan Foreign Relations Minister, and Mohamed Boussaid, Finance Minister, as well as CEOs and presidents of great Moroccan companies, such as Driss Benhima, president of Royal Air Maroc; Majid Tazlaoui, CEO of the real estate development group Onapar; Mohamed Bouzoubaa, president of building company TGCC; and Mohamed Kadiri, director-general of the OCP group, greatest phosphate exporter in the world, among other executives. On the Brazilian side there will be Dória, Uebel and Wilfredo Gomes, Lide president in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.
Uebel says that Gomes helped found Lide Morocco, as he has good contacts in the Arab country. Once there, the group’s activities shall be headed by businessman Ali Hassan, who also presides an investment fund. According to Uebel, Hassan’s office is in Marrakesh, but he has activities in Rabat and Casablanca too.
For the Lide director-general, Morocco may be a good focal point for investments by Brazilian companies in the agriculture, mining, retail, construction and infrastructure sectors. “We are very interested in the opportunities ahead,” he stated. Uebel also spoke of the development the Arab country has witnessed recently. “Morocco’s economic growth has been constant, by 4%, 4.5% per year. They are seeking new opportunities and we are seeking to expand Lide’s international presence,” he emphasized.
After the Lide launching ceremony in Morocco, on Saturday, Hassan will start inviting Moroccan companies’ CEOs to become members of the group. The organization will also form a local management committee to establish Lide’s activities in Morocco during the year.
“We will probably have four events in 2014, and in the following years, from six to eight events,” says Uebel. Among the events promoted by Lide are luncheons, meetings, debates, seminars and workshops. “We hold relationship and quality contents events,” he explains. For November, Uebel says they have already organized a business trip to Morocco with the participation of 30 CEOs from Brazilian companies.
Considering the potential of the Arab world, Morocco most likely will not be the only country in the region to have a Lide unit. “We are interested in all Arab countries. In the end of 2013, we visited the United Arab Emirates, which was excellent. We plan on opening another Lide unit in 2014, most likely in the Emirates,” reveals Uebel.
Lide currently has units in Brazil, Germany, Angola, Argentina, Chile, China, Italy, Mozambique, Portugal, Uruguay, United States and Colombia.
*Translated by Silvia Lindsey
