Obama Administration Announces Appointments to U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum

U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson and Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs Michael Froman announced the following appointments to the U.S. Section for the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum on January 9.

These new U.S. Section participants were named to fill vacancies and will complete the two-year term ending on August 12, 2013. In addition, International Paper Chairman and CEO John Faraci was appointed as the new U.S. Section Chair. 

“The U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum is a critical component of U.S. efforts to expand our bilateral relationship with a key trading partner,” Bryson said. “The Forum is instrumental in strengthening our relationship with Brazil, a priority market under the National Export Initiative.” 

The Forum, comprised of up to 24 CEOs from the United States and Brazil, comes together to provide joint recommendations to the two governments on ways to strengthen the U.S.-Brazil economic relationship. Previous recommendations have advanced discussions between the United States and Brazil governments on important issues such as visa reform, customs procedures, education, energy, trade facilitation and infrastructure. The seventh meeting of the Forum is expected to be held in Washington this spring. 

“Under John Faraci’s leadership, we know that the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum can reach new levels of success and will bring the U.S. and Brazilian economies closer together,” Froman said. 

Brazil is among the world’s fastest-growing economies and is anticipated to grow nearly four percent in 2012 according to the International Monetary Fund. Brazil was identified as a priority market under President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which is on track to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014. With a potential market of 195 million consumers, Brazil offers tremendous opportunities to U.S. exporters of goods and services.