The top Brazilian businessmen are packing their bags for New York at the end of this week to participate in the resumption of the traditional gala dinner for the Personality of the Year award, held by the Brazil-United States Chamber of Commerce, this Monday (9).
The event, which was suspended for two years because of the pandemic, this year will honor Luiza Trajano, chairman of the board of Magalu. She is the second Brazilian woman in the history of the award, since the 1970s, after fellow businesswoman Yolanda Queiroz, who was honored in 2008. Queiroz died in 2016.
Unlike the last edition, in 2019, which caused controversy when the Museum of Natural History refused to host the event in New York because the winner was President Jair Bolsonaro, this year’s ceremony should be more relaxed. According to the expectation of some of the participants, no one foresees a protest at the event’s door this time, but the conversation at the tables should revolve around the elections.
The choice of Trajano’s name is different from the three previous tributes, more directed to personalities linked to the political environment. Before Bolsonaro, in 2019, it was former judge Sergio Moro, in 2018, and the current presidential candidate, João Doria, in 2017.
Among the business representatives expected at the event, there are names such as Flavio Rocha (Riachuelo), Antonio Carlos Pipponzi (Raia Drogasil) and Marcelo Silva, former president of the IDV. João Doria also confirmed his presence.
According to Marcos Arbaitman, owner of the Maringá tourism group, which embarks on the night of this Thursday (5), the event helped to fill flights to New York this week and some businessmen will have to make a stopover.
Latam says that the flights on the Guarulhos to New York route for this weekend register a 100% occupancy.
For Florida destinations (Miami and Orlando), flights register 90% occupancy in the month of May, according to the company.
There is an expectation of female participation higher than the historical one at the event, because next week the opening of the New York nucleus of the Mulheres do Brasil group is scheduled, to integrate Brazilian women who live in the city in causes related to art and culture, combating violence against women, education, entrepreneurship and immigrant insertion.
Businesswomen Sônia Hess, Chieko Aoki and Cristina Potomati, leaders of Mulheres do Brasil alongside Trajano, should be present.
Joana Cunha with Andressa Motter and Paulo Ricardo Martins
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