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Keynote Speech for the UK-Brazil Personality of the Year Awards

The Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP,  Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
Dorchester Hotel, London,  22 April 2008

Your Excellencies, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honour to be here with you tonight. And I’m sorry that I couldn’t be with you earlier.

Can I start by thanking the Embassy of Brazil and the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce for organising this wonderful event.

Your hard work has helped build powerful and prosperous links between the UK and Brazil. It offers us and the rest of the global business community a gateway to the dynamic Brazilian market.

And the attendance tonight of so many senior Government representatives and leading business people from both our countries shows that, in its 200th year, our trading relationship is stronger than ever.

Importance of relationship

In the last two years, trade between the UK and Brazil has increased by more than 20% - totalling over £3 billion in 2007 - and has been matched by a significant increase in bilateral investment.

We want to build on this success. Focusing resources to encourage more UK and Brazilian companies to invest and work together to generate jobs, growth and prosperity in both our countries.

Record growth, some of the world’s leading industries and high levels of foreign investment have helped Brazil become the world's 10th largest economy. Bigger than Australia, Russia and India, and with a GDP greater than the rest of South America combined.

This is a remarkable achievement. And Brazil recognises that with this growing global economic influence comes increased, international responsibilities. Your country already plays a vital role in Latin America, and is continuing its open engagement with the rest of the world. This is both welcome and necessary.

Multilaterally, an ambitious Doha Development Agenda package would not only considerably benefit Brazil, but also have a significant impact on global stability, prosperity and development. It is therefore essential that Brazil and the UK continue to work, with other global partners, to achieve an agreement this year that works for all countries.

Build on success

At the heart of our work together is the UK Brazil Joint Economic and Trade Committee – JETCO. And in the two years since it was established, we’ve already made substantial progress. With senior representatives from our public sectors, business people from major UK and Brazilian companies and leading business bodies sharing learning and experience to create a better environment for our two countries to do business together.

None of this work would have been possible without JETCO. And I’m delighted to announce that today I have agreed with Miguel Jorge, Brazil’s Minister for Trade, to broaden and deepen our JETCO relationship to build on this success.

Later this year, I will make my first visit as Secretary of State for Business to Brazil. And will see for myself the determination of the Brazilian people to succeed and the hard work that’s drives their country’s dynamic economic performance. And nowhere is this drive and talent more evident than in the achievements of the people we’re here to honour tonight.

Maria Claudia de Oliveira Amaro Demanato

Over the last 18 years, Mrs Maria Claudia de Oliveira Amaro Demenato has helped TAM Airlines grow to become Brazil’s leading airline and a major international operator.

Helping to build a frequent flyer customer base of around four and a half million people and to develop international routes that cover the US, Europe and South America and include a direct London to Brazil service.

With a background in finance and retail, Maria Claudia worked her way up through the company from Marketing Manager to now Chair of TAM.

She is recognised here tonight for her commitment to TAM’s success in Brazil, her work to increase cultural and economic exchanges between our two countries and her promotion of British tourism in Brazil.

Maria Claudia was the driving force behind the creation of TAM’s Sao Paulo to London route and helped establish TAM flights to other European destinations.

She takes a personal interest in, as well as responsibility for, almost every aspect of TAM’s business. No matter how detailed the work. From the layout of aircraft seating and design of in-flight services and menus to her company’s corporate image in the 21st century.

Recently she led on the successful re-design and re-launch of her company’s logo and branding.

TAM is a company whose history is filled with growth and success. And for her own tireless work and immeasurable achievements, it gives me great pleasure to present Maria Claudia de Oliveira Amaro Demenato with the 2008 Embassy of Brazil and Brazilian Chamber of Commerce’s Personality of the Year Award.

In recognition of her and TAM’s contribution to our bilateral relations, it is an honour richly deserved. Congratulations.

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