Rio Oil & Gas Conference Arrives, September 17th - 20th

Rio Oil & Gas Conference Arrives, September 17th - 20th | The Rio Times | Brazil News

The IBP Rio Oil & Gas Conference Arrives

September 11, 2012 | Filed underBusiness | Posted by Andrew Willis

By Andrew Willis, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference, perhaps the most important event of its kind in South America, is set to run next week (September 17th-20th) in the Riocentro Convention Centre in Barra de Tijuca. Organizers of the biennial event are expecting a record turnout of 55,000 visitors from over fifty countries at the expo this year, with 1,300 exhibitors.

The Opening of the 2010 Rio Oil and Gas Expo and Conference, photo by IBP.

This year marks the 16th edition of the industry gathering. “The event has grown and strengthened in parallel with the changes in the Brazilian and global oil and gas industry,” according to event organizers the IBP (the Brazilian Oil, Gas and Biofuels Institute). “In the 1980s the event occupied two pavilions in Riocentro, now we occupy all five.”
Running in parallel to the expo, a four-day conference is expected to attract roughly 4,300 people, with keynote speakers including the CEOs of Shell and Repsol, as well as the presidents of the World Petroleum Council and the International Gas Union, among others.
Plenary session topics include the role of the petroleum industry in promoting sustainable economic development, challenges to energy supply in the 21st Century and offshore operational safety. “We have managed to broaden and deepen the discussion of topics … trying to always include foreign speakers,” said the organizers.
A number of new themes will be addressed this year, including the issue of non-conventional gas, especially shale gas, which has revolutionized the U.S. gas market and is now being explored for across Latin America and the rest of the globe.

Participants and the 2010 expo, photo by IBP.

Writing in the August newsletter of the IBP, the institute’s head of gas, Jorge Delmonte, said that after the tragedy that took place at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, gas power generation assumed “great and instantaneous” importance.
This year the Rio expo and conference are running under the slogan: ‘Innovation and growth with responsibility’. In keeping with this message, an area of the exhibition will be dedicated to improving social and environmental responsibility within the oil and gas sector.
“The industry is aware of its risks, but also the importance of sustainability for the planet and for future generations,” say event organizers. A series of legal cases against U.S. oil major Chevron are ongoing in Brazil after offshore oil seeps were discovered last November.
The expo and conference constitute an important date in Rio’s corporate calendar, helping to fill the city’s top hotels and restaurants as senior oil and gas executives flock to Rio to take advantage of networking opportunities and the chance to catch up on the latest technology.
It also comes at an interesting juncture for the oil and gas industry in Brazil. Delays in developing the much-anticipated pre-salt oil fields off the Brazilian coast have led to considerable debate, while the country’s state-run oil giant, Petrobras, recently reporting its first quarterly loss in over a decade

Talk 2 Brazil Guest Interview with Fernando Ikedo

Talk 2 Brazil Guest Interviews « Talk 2 Brazil, Talk Radio on Business in Brazil

Fernando Ikedo is a professional with 15 years of experience in technical, commercial and strategic activities in the Defense market. He is currently working as an independent consultant, as focused on Brazilian Defense Market.

He is a member of ABIMDE’s (Brazilian Defense and Security Industries Association) and also member of the ABIMDE Advisory Board.

Listen to Tom Reaoch interview Fernando Ikedo: PLAY or DOWNLOAD

He was Market Strategy Director at Embraer Defense and Security, with experience in market strategy, competitive intelligence, strategic planning, marketing and promotion, sales engineering and commercial proposals. He was also involved in partnership identification and mergers & acquisitions activities.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Engineering from Brazil’s ITA – Aeronautical Institute of Technology and an MBA in Entrepreneurial Business Management from ITA/ESPM.

He is currently working as an independent consultant, as focused on Brazilian Defense Market.  Fernando and I met recently at the IBCO ( Brazilian Institute of Organizational Consultants training course in Sao Paulo.

Marienne M. S. Coutinho ,Tax Partner KPMG Brazil.

Marienne M. S. Coutinho ,Tax Partner KPMG Brazil.

 Marienne M. S. Coutinho is a tax partner KPMG in Brazil and leads the International Corporate Tax & Transfer Pricing practice. She is a lawyer and has an IFRS specialization (FIPECAFI). She has been with KPMG for 17 years and has also worked with KPMG in New York in the Trade & Customs group. She is a frequent speaker in Brazil and abroad on Brazilian and International Tax matters.

Marienne has very strong experience in advising foreign investors in Brazil in understanding investment structures, Brazilian direct and indirect taxes, environment for tax planning, supply chain models, etc.

Listen to Tom Reaoch interview Marienne: PLAY or DOWNLOAD 

She works closely with other KPMG member firms to structure the outbound investments of Brazilian companies in light of Brazilian controlled foreign corporation rules, tax treaties and taxation in other countries. She also helps Latin America tax directors based in Brazil with the coordination of their tax affairs in the region.

She specializes in M&A tax structuring, private equity investments, capital markets, corporate restructurings, domestic and international tax planning, supply chain projects and tax governance.

Marienne co-leads the Global Business Group of KPMG in Brazil (a group specialized in attending Newcomers and Brazilian Multinationals), KPMG’s Network of Women in Brazil (KNOW) and  is a member of a group of Brazilian tax advisors and tax authorities to discuss technical matters (GET). She is a member of KPMG Global International Corporate Tax (GICT) and of KPMG GICT Technical Core Group.

Reference for part of the interview:

Investment in Brazil, KPMG 

What does it takes to win in Brazil? KPMG

Fabiana Passoni, The Best Brazilian Female Singer living in the U.S.

Fabiana Passoni, The Best Brazilian Female Singer living in the U.S.

Fabiana Passoni, the best Brazilian Female Singer living in the U.S. Chosen by the Brazilian International Press Awards’ 2012 Colégio Eleitoral composed of U.S. based Brazilian groups and community organizations as best Brazilian Female Singer living in the U.S. confirms Fabiana’s ability to connect her fans to her music. Her recent single Lovin’ You (2012) enjoyed several months in the Smooth Jazz charts. Another single, Rock With You will be released in August  2012 followed by an EP CD at the end of the year.

Fabiana Passoni will be participating in a new musical called “Loving the Silent Tears” which will have its red carpet premiere at the Shrine Auditorium on October 27, 2012.  She will be starring along with Grammy winners Jon Secada, Jody Watley and Broadway stars in an impressive cast of top talents representing a dozen countries. It will feature music from Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning composers. The grand production was created by 2-time Oscar winner Al Kasha and directed by the Tony-nominated Vincent Paterson (director of Michael Jackson’s BAD and Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tours).
In her role, Fabiana will be presenting a taste of Brazilian music and culture. She stated, “I am proud and honored to have been invited for a part in the musical ‘Loving the Silent Tears."
Born in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, Fabiana Passoni began singing when she was 6 years old. Her father would sit on the couch composing songs while teaching her the art of interpretation and how to play to an audience. With her father’s musical influence as her foundation, Fabiana also received formal vocal training with Francisco (Chico) Campos, a famous Brazilian voice trainer.
Fabiana ran a successful music school in her hometown in the late 1990’s before travelling to the United States. While in New York City, Fabiana began singing bossa nova jazz fusion to American audiences. Legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Leny Andrade influenced her approach to music while she was slowly developing as a singer songwriter. She finally found her voice after moving to Los Angeles in 2007 composing songs for her debut album, É Minha Vez.
Fabiana’s three-year battle with breast cancer put her on a journey not only of survival but a discovery of her own personal musical style. With joyful rhythms and a velvety voice, Fabiana achieved her style with the acclaimed 2011 release of Naturalmente Brasil featuring 12 original tracks. Composed in the midst of her battle with cancer, chemotherapy and pregnancy, Fabiana’s dreams of continuing her career never faltered even among many setbacks. Her spirit propelled her rebounding success.
For more about "Loving the Silent Tears" www.silenttearsmusical.com

David Ó Beagáin, Expert in Foresight

Talk 2 Brazil Interview with David Ó Beagáin, Expert in Foresight

David Ó Beagáin  is Irish and an expert in Foresight and in this interview talks about Brasil and Foresight.

Listen to the interview PLAY  or  DOWNLOAD

His love affair with Brasil started 25 years ago. In 1987, aged 14 he fell in love with the music of the great composer Heitor Villa Lobos.

In 2001 and 2002 David lived in Brasil, working in KPMG and in General Electric in Due Diligence.
In 2012 David fulfilled a life ambition. He returned to live permanently in Brasil after successfully selling his boutique consultancy firm in Ireland.

His firm served public & private organizations, like, the Irish Government, the European Commission, Hobbs Fashions of London, The Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) and The Brazilian National Agency for Entrepreneurial Businesses (SEBRAE).

David now living in Brasil, works for organizations to develop their Foresight capability.

Foresight is the process of future-intelligence-gathering and long-term vision-building. David is active with the European Foresight Platform and Foresight Brasil as well as many other agencies.