On Friday, 22 November 2024, the latest edition of the Ibero-American Business Meeting took place at the Lux Lisboa Park Hotel in Lisbon. Organised by the Institute for the Promotion and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (IPDAL), this event brought together business leaders, government representatives, and renowned institutions from Portugal, Spain, and Latin American countries, with the aim of fostering economic collaboration and exploring opportunities for internationalisation.
The event commenced with an official opening led by Paulo Neves, President of IPDAL, accompanied by David Henneberger, Director for Spain, Italy, and Portugal at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, and Jaume Gaytán, Head of Economy and Business at the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB). João Rui Ferreira, Portugal’s Secretary of State for the Economy, was also present, emphasising the importance of economic integration within the Ibero-American space.
Highlights of the programme included a plenary session on the current business landscape in the Ibero-American region, moderated by Paulo Neves, featuring contributions from Bruna Montolar Westphal, Country Manager for Portugal at Iberia, and Joachim Hoeckle, General Manager of Mankiewicz Ibérica. In the afternoon, a roundtable discussion focused on “The Role of the Private Sector in the Rule of Law and Democracy,” with interventions by Tamara Taraciuk Broner from the Inter-American Dialogue and Ana Paula Laborinho from the Organisation of Ibero-American States, moderated by Gastón Ocampo, Secretary-General of IPDAL.
The closing session was led by Úrsula Desilú León Chempén, Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, and Lucas Redecker, Federal Deputy of Brazil, who underscored the importance of strengthening economic and cultural ties between the regions.
With a diverse range of participants and a focus on promoting investment, encouraging innovation, and fostering sustainable growth, the Ibero-American Business Meeting reaffirms itself as a privileged space for strategic dialogue and the creation of bridges between the Ibero-American and Portuguese markets.