E Camillo Pachikoski of PP&C Nexia, and Peter
Thorpe, highlight the key issues that professional firms need to
consider if setting up in Brazil.
A relatively stable political and economic environment, strong
financial system and increasing demand for professional services
has led a growing number of firms to consider setting up in
Brazil.
Last year, foreign investment was around US$60bn, with this
figure set to rise to over US$80bn in 2013. But there can be
significant obstacles to overcome as a result of relatively
inflexible rules and legislation.
The regulatory landscape
Regulation surrounding some professions, such as engineering and
architecture, is fairly flexible. Firms with a commercial brand are
permitted to operate within the country, as are foreign partners,
provided at least one professional is resident in Brazil and
assumes a technical role. This individual is required to have
graduated from a certified institution and be enrolled with
