FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 8, 2011
CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
202-482-4883

U.S. Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser For International Economic Affairs Michael Froman today announced the U.S. private-sector participants for the 2011-2013 sessions of the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum.

The Forum includes up to 24 CEOs from the United States and Brazil and meets twice a year to provide joint recommendations to the two governments on ways to strengthen the U.S.-Brazil economic relationship. The U.S. CEOs serve two-year terms and are selected from respondents of a joint Commerce-White House Federal Register Notice inviting applicants for the U.S. section of the Forum. 

“The U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum has been very successful in advancing our bilateral relationship,” Blank said. “Brazil stands out in the global marketplace for the tremendous opportunities it offers U.S. companies, and the Forum has helped to strengthen the ties between both of our countries.”

The Forum’s joint 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.  And as a direct response to a joint recommendation made by the Forum, the two governments signed the U.S.-Brazil Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation in March to expand trade and further grow economic relations.

“The U.S. government looks to the private sector to innovate and create the jobs to help us grow our economies,” Froman said.  “The CEO Forum has been successful in helping to create a framework that stresses partnership, mutual respect, and sustainable economic growth for our two countries.”

With a potential market of 195 million consumers, Brazil presents tremendous opportunities for U.S. exporters of goods and services. Trade with Brazil is expected to increase in 2011 following trade in 2010 that totaled $59.4 billion. Brazil is among the world’s fastest-growing economies and, according to the International Monetary Fund, is anticipated to grow by between 4-5 percent in 2011.

The U.S. Section CEOs for the 2011-2013 Sessions of the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum are:

Tim Solso, Chairman & CEO (Cummins Inc.) – U.S. Section Chair
James Albaugh, President & CEO (Boeing Commercial Airplanes)
Steve Angel, Chairman, President & CEO (Praxair, Inc.) 
Deepak Chopra, CEO (OSI Systems, Inc.)
John Faraci, Chairman & CEO (International Paper)
Kenneth Frazier, CEO (Merck)
Paul Hanrahan, President & CEO (The AES Corporation)
Lee McIntire, Chairman & CEO (CH2M HILL)
John Melo, CEO (Amyris, Inc.)
Gregory Page, Chairman & CEO(Cargill)
Vikram Pandit, CEO (Citigroup, Inc.)