(openPR) - Brazil’s top infrastructure experts in the government and private sectors are gathering in São Paulo next month for the InfraBrasil Expo & Summit to take urgent stock of the country’s preparedness for the upcoming Football World Cup in 2014 and Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Brazilian government, through its Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), is investing in the expansion and modernization of all sectors of national infrastructure, namely airports, ports, highways, railways, sanitation, urban transport, energy, telecommunications and housing.

Says Maria Zoraide Stark, InfraBrasil director: “Hosting two world class events within a relatively short space of time is a massive undertaking for any country, but we all know that Brazil will be very successful. However, both the government and private sector realize that they have to pool resources and work together.”

Will Brazil be ready on time?
She continues: “the main concern shared by government, private companies and society alike is: what if we cannot deliver the necessary infrastructure improvements to these events on time?” Right now, it is clear that we need more infrastructure improvements for the World Cup in 2014 and that projects to improve our airports and public transport, are not progressing fast enough. With regards to the Olympics, we are happy to report that these projects are progressing at a brisk pace and much of what is being done for 2014 will be used in 2016.”

Maria Zoraide Stark: “the InfraBrasil Summit will bring top government decision makers and planners as well as private sector together in the same location to discuss what government needs to do until June 2014 and how the private sector can assist in developing and improving Brazil’s infrastructure. During the three day summit, we will have government authorities, CEOs and directors from state-owned and private companies, regulators and investors to discuss the challenges, perspectives and new solutions for the market.”

Airports and urban transport main concerns
The InfraBrasil director says Brazil needs to invest mainly in expansion, modernization and increased efficiency of the national airports, which is being done by the state-owned airports company INFRAERO's new projects and concessions of airport facilities to the private sector. She continues: “another source of public concern is urban transportation in the host cities of the World Cup and Olympics - as they are large cities with subway or train and bus systems with investment needs and congested roads. São Paulo is a good example, it has over 7 million cars and national congestion records. This year’s traffic congestion record was set last month at 228 km!”.

Top government decision makers who will be at the InfraBrasil Expo & Summit include:
• Marcelo Perrupato, National Secretary of Transportation Policy, Ministry of Transportation
• Bernardo Figueiredo, Managing Director, ANTT (National Agency of Transport)
• Rodrigo Vilaça, CEO, ANTF (National Association of Railroad Concessionaires)
• Cleverson Aroeira, Executive Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation
• Luis Cláudio Santana Montenegro, Director, Ministry of Ports
• João M. Jordão, Director of Airports, INFRAERO
• Leodegar da Cunha Tiscoski, National Secretary of Sanitation, Ministry of Cities
• Lúcia Vânia, Senator, Senado
• Nelson Fontes Siffert Filho, Superintendent of Infrastructure Area, BNDES (Brazillian Development Bank)
• Fernando A. Brito Fialho, Managing Director, ANTAQ (National Agency of Waterway Transportation)
• Nabil G. Bonduki, National Secretary Water Resources and Urban Environment, Ministry of Environment
• Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, Managing Director, DNIT (National Department of Transportation Infrastructure)
• Jurandir Fernandes, Secretary of Metropolitan Transportation of São Paulo State

Some of the top private companies at InfraBrasil are:
• Luis Valença, CEO, ViaQuatro
• Leonardo Vianna, Business Development Director, CCR Group
• Marcelo Araujo, CEO, Libra Group
• Yves Besse, CEO, CAB Ambiental
• Pedro Janot, CEO, Azul Linhas Aéreas
• Antonio Carlos Modesto de Oliveira, Legal and Corporation Affairs Director, Ferrovia Tereza Cristina
• Marcus Quintella, Transportation Engineering Director, Odebrecht Transport

Event dates: January 30, 31 – February 1, 2012
Location: WTC Convention Center, São Paulo, Brazil

InfraBrasil is part of Clarion Events, the UK's largest independent events company with annual turnover of over £150m, drawing upon over 80 years of experience of hosting strategic conferences conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, North and South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Our events, business-to-business and business-to-consumer, serve 15 different market sectors from leisure and entertainment to finance, from retail to gaming and from fine art to energy.

Communications manager: Annemarie Roodbol
Tel. +27 21 700 3558
Fax. +27 21 700 3501
Mobile: +27 82 562 7844
Email: annemarie.roodbol@clarionevents.com
Website: www.infrabrasilsummit.com.br
Postal address: PO Box 321, Steenberg, 7947, South Africa