Speaker: Michelle Bachelet, Peter Hill, Ninoshka Linde, Javier Peña Capobianco

Keynote: Javier Peña Capobianco
Speaker: Silvana Vallejos, Luis Felipe Céspedes, Alejandro Micco Aguayo

One of the key characteristics of investments in the global services sector is their sequential mode of operation. Generally, FDI in services starts by investing in low value added activities, which later, if the national ecosystem follows up, end up in greater operations of more substantial productive chains for the country. This is why public policies aimed at developing the sector should not focus on attracting new FDI exclusively, but also, in the after care and the development of the local supply so as both multinational corporations and international customers find a proper business environment to develop and/or outsource higher value added tasks with larger local effects.

Speaker: Sergei Makedonski, Claire A. Hemingway, Carlos Pallotti, Monica Retamal
Moderator: Ninoshka Linde

In the international trade in services the basis of business is the people, from back and front office agents in a Shared Service Center, the medium level manager and technical employee of an IT services provider, to, and even more, specialists in the higher value added services such as R&D, engineering, and architecture. The quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the provided services depends directly on the employed personnel, which implies the need for a careful HR strategy, in terms of selection criteria, training, motivation, and career expectations of the employees within the firm. Discussions about the recruitment, retention, and training HR strategies, in particular in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering y Mathematics).

Speaker: Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh, Andres Rebolledo, Christine Bliss
Moderator: Santiago Pinzon Galan

In an international level, there are plenty of trade liberalization agreements, general and specific to trade in services, which together with bilateral agreements (such as the Double Taxation Agreements – DTAs), provided the current barriers, have direct effects in the competitiveness and fluency of trade and contribute to the business attractiveness of countries to be considered as good locations by the multinational corporations. However, there are also some consequences in terms of the regulation power of the national governments involved in each agreement. Discussions about states’ regulation and the potential direct effects of the TISA, TPP, and DTAs in the export of services of companies in particular, and the development of LATAM countries in general.

Speaker: Oliver Flögel, Danniza Gonzalez, Pablo Manzano
Moderator: Daniel Legarda

In order to multiply sales a proactive attitude is a must. Businessmen have to involve all their personnel in all the business areas, from the strategic planning, the mode of operation locally and internationally (direct or indirect exports, outsourcing, franchise, strategic alliances, M&A, exports consortium, etc.), the financial situation, recruitment of employees, advertising and marketing, to even the analysis of the relevance of acquiring certifications in the industry, and the careful preparation before and after the participation in an international event. Practical recommendations to reach the next level.

World spend in online marketing has risen continuously and the presence in social networks is not questionable any more. However, are we making the most of these tools?

Speaker: Roberto Yannuzzi , Trevor Loy , Carlos Álvarez Voullième, Karina Fernandez-Stark
Moderator: Mariana Ferreira

Due to the growing competition in the international market of services, locations have the obligation of having value differentiators and real incentives to turn their sites more attractive for FDI. One of the most popular strategies in the services arena consist of the development of free trade zones, industrial parks, and technological poles which fulfill that need. Nonetheless, it is stated that by these means FDI is not the only beneficiary. Those zones can turn out to be true specialization and cluster centers, with effects on the development of specialized human capital, cutting-edge technology, and the advocacy of necessary policies and regulations for the industry.

Speaker: Leonardo González Barceló

With the growing quantity of available data thanks to the ongoing increase of the ICT use and the availability of applications/tools to measure and examine the data, What information is key and how should we react to take the most of this technology and develop more effective growth strategies?

Speaker: Cate Ambrose, Pablo M. Garcia, Jessica López Saffie, Herbert Schulz

If in Latin America the access to financial services keeps being one of the most important barriers for both the development of start-ups and to grow an existing project in the trade in goods; in services, the challenge is double. One of the main reasons is the lack of real guarantees to be able to access traditional banking services. As a result, nowadays there are mechanisms, such as Crowdfunding, angel investors, public programs, public and private initiatives, and patent commercialization experiences which have been developed to outweigh that challenge and foster innovation, key basis of the current knowledge economy. How do you have access to more and better financial services for your ideas and projects? Experiences of both public and private opportunities.

Speaker: Rodolfo Saragoni, Roland Despinoy, Richard Moss Ferreira, Francisco Mardones, Carlos Busso Vyhmeister, Edwin Portillo, Juan Carlos Olcay Cárdenas, Renzo Sanchez, Julio César Marambio R, Margarita Cid Lizondo
Moderator: George Lever, Taiana Mora, Berioska Torres

Parallel Sessions: Information Technology; Architecture and Engineering; Animation & Videogames. The Latin America and Caribbean region is having an increasing role in the international trade in services. However, countries in Asia and Eastern Europe are also in the spotlight. How does LATAM differentiate itself and what is its specific value proposition in the IT, Architecture & Engineering, and Animation & Videogames services? What should the sale strategy be in each sector?