Flight to Rio GAP MJV

By: Skyler C. DeWalt, Smith MBA Candidate, 2018

3/21/2018

We finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro last night. Whereas Sao Paulo is more well-known as a center for business, Rio is a hub for creative services as well as tourism (aided, of course, by the beautiful scenery).

This morning, we visited a Rio-based asset management firm. The partners with whom we spoke explained that while Sao Paulo is a typical headquarters for Brazilian companies, the financial sector maintains some presence in Rio given the access to investors and finance talent. (The partners also noted the obvious lifestyle benefits of living in Rio!)

Though its equity market is still quite small compared to the United States, we learned a lot about how Brazilian financial markets have developed over the years. Brazil’s overall equity market has historically been driven by political shocks and volatile investor behavior. However, the firm spoke favorably on more recent regulations intended to improve investment transparency.

In the afternoon, we met with MJV Technology and Innovation, who shared with us how they have utilized design thinking to generate ideas and solve client-specific problems. They also showed us their “Lab” where they are applying new technology solutions, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, to create amazing user experiences.

Overall, a very exciting start to Rio!