PT sponsors 13th International Meeting
Friday, October 10, 2008
Organised for the first time in Europe, the International Meeting, an event promoted by LIDE – Group of Business Leaders from Brazil, gathered circa 160 CEOs and Portuguese politicians in Lisbon, from 8 to 10 October. Portugal Telecom was the main sponsor of the event, whose focus was the ‘International Seminar’, a forum to debate issues pertaining to telecommunications and Bio-energy
Portugal Telecom was the main sponsor of the 13th edition of the International Meeting, which happened in Europe for the first time. The meeting took place from 8 to 12 October, at Pestana Palace Hotel in Lisbon, and gathered circa 160 CEOs and political authorities from Portugal and Brazil for an exchange in terms of experience and knowledge: a meeting coincident with” the celebration of PT’s presence in Brazil; a presence that started in 1998 with Portugal Telecom’s acquisition of Telesp Celular and that has been consolidated over the years”, explains Zeinal Bava, PT’s CEO.
The International Seminar, the focal point of the meeting, took place on 10 October and became a place of discussion for two issues on the economic agenda worldwide: “Telecommunications – driver for development and social integration” and “Bio-energy – energy alternative and reduction of environmental pollution”. The official opening of the debate was chaired by the Portuguese Minister of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, Mário Lino, and was closed by the Portuguese Prime-Minister, José Sócrates.
The speakers’ panel was composed of Brazilian and Portuguese representatives. Zeinal Bava, PT’s CEO, and Basílio Horta, chairman of Portugal’s Investment and External Trade Agency (AICEP), presented the situation in the telecommunications and energy sectors in Portugal, respectively, as well as the relations and investments in Brazil, through Portuguese companies.
Zeinal Bava spoke about PT’s international footprint, namely in Brazil through Vivo and Dedic, and about the projects implemented in the Portuguese society in terms of health, education and security, which may inspire the development of similar projects in Brazil. “We are a company with a strong international presence and we cultivate this presence through strong partnerships. Our positioning is to cultivate, in every market where we are, the citizenship values of these countries. What we want to do in each market is to adapt our brand to local culture and to what brings us closer to consumers in those markets”, states PT’s CEO.
One of the issues covered during the Seminar was the strong bet made by PT and the Portuguese Government on educational projects. Zeinal Bava explained to all those present that “PT’s investment on education has three objectives: to ensure terminal equipment for internet access for the Portuguese; to increase connectivity and access capability to high speed internet; and to bet on online applications development and content in Portuguese”.
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Zeinal Bava spoke about the 10 years
of history connecting PT to Brazil | For PT’s CEO, the investment made on education “is unique, outstanding and we believe that it will inspire a similar movement worldwide and revolutionise the life of all those attending school.”
The Brazilian representatives have shown great interest in the e.escola and e.escolinha projects. Therefore, PT’s CEO states that “Through Vivo, we will try to take some of our experience in the educational area to the competent entities in the area of education in Brazil. We are completely available for a co-operation with Brazil in this domain.
To present the Brazilian situation in terms of telecommunications, bio-energy and international relationships, the Minister of Communications, Hélio Costa, Minister of Mines and Energy, Edion Lobão, and the Minister of Institutional Relations, José Múcio Monteiro, were also part of the panel. Henrique Granadeiro, PT Chairman and Shakhaf Wine, Chairman of PT Brasil, among others, were also present at the table of debate.
The International Meeting is an initiative that aims to promote economic, political, social and environmental relations between the two countries, by exchanging experiences and suggestions about the direction to take in developing telecommunications and bio-energy. It seeks mostly to foster debate among participants so as to expand the interchange between both countries. According to the Portuguese Prime-Minister, “the Brazilian market has been changing and gaining prestige in terms of business, occupying a prominent position in strategic terms worldwide. Its market is subject to demand and investment by international companies. Portuguese companies see Brazil as a good market to invest in, and this has contributed to increasing the co-operation between the two countries and subsequently, to developing strategic changes”.
On this same day, a visit to the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic was also scheduled, where an audience with the President, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, took place. Portugal was the location chosen for the 13th edition of the International Meeting for the historic ties between both nations, for the excellent commercial relationship with Brazil, and for the celebration of the 200 years of arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazil.
About LIDE
Created in June 2003, LIDE is a businessmen’s association whose aim is to strengthen thought, relationship and ethical principles in terms of corporate governance in Brazil. Composed of business leaders from Brazilian and international corporations, LIDE promotes the integration among companies, organizations and private entities through debates, forums, among other initiatives.
LIDE is currently composed of 574 companies that represent 44% of Brazil’s private GNP. Its aim, from the start, was to make Brazilian businessmen aware of the importance of their role in building an ethical, developed and conscious society.
The International Meeting is organised annually by LIDE and aims to discuss economic, corporate and communitarian issues among participants; to stimulate business promotion; to promote, update and improve enterprise knowledge; to foster business and personal relationships and to promote cultural diffusion.
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