In the era of globalization, direct investments abroad have long ceased to be the exclusive preserve of companies from developed countries. What attracts the world's attention, nevertheless, is the volume represented by the growth of transnational companies from emerging markets. From the paltry US$ 50 billion that circulated in the 80s, the figure has risen to US$ 11 trillion in 2006. Sales associated to these investments are estimated at US$ 22 trillion, almost twice the value of world exports.

In an unprecedented event, a group of business schools from the BRICs, Fundacao Dom Cabral (Brazil), Fudan University (China), Indian School of Business (India) and the Skolkolvo School of Management (Russia), supported by Columbia University (USA), as well as business people, executives and government representatives will meet, on April 28 and 29, in New York, to discuss strategic questions for the multinationals of the four countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Discussions will take place from three fundamental perspectives: countries that receive investments; countries that make investments; and public policies of support for the process of internationalization of the BRIC companies. The conference will, therefore, cover the whole spectrum of challenges faced by the BRIC multinationals from the perspective of relevant corporate experience and existing or necessary public policies.

During the meeting, Paulo Resende, Carlos Arruda, and Georges Blanc, Fundacao Dom Cabral professors, will side with other specialists from the United States, India, China and Russia, for an analysis of what company sectors have the most chance of success in the internationalization process. In addition to this, they will highlight the principal challenges of these corporations, such as the question of the localization of Brazil in relation to the demanding markets, the lack of platforms of public policy for the process of internationalization, the strategies of Brazilian multinationals compared to the other multinationals from other BRIC countries, their challenges and opportunities. Finally, the obstacles encountered by foreign companies doing business in Brazil will be covered, as well as comparing the experiences of the other countries in the support of internationalization processes for their companies. These debates will be enhanced by the presence of important names from the corporate and governmental world of the BRICs.

The president of the Committee of International Investment of the OECD (The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Manfred Schekulin, CEO of CVRD Roger Agnelli, Minister of State for Trade of India Jairam Ramesh, CEO of Bank of China Xiaojing Li, vice president of Lenovo Jeffrey Carlisle, and Director of the Earth Institute of Columbia University Jeffrey Sachs, among other authorities, have confirmed their presence.

The next conference, to be held in 2009, will be hosted by the Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and will cover the challenges faced by the multinationals of emerging countries in their internationalization process. The third stage, in 2010, will be held at the Moscow School of Management - Skolkovo, in Russia; the fourth, in 2011, at the Indian School of Business, in India, and the last is programmed for 2012 at Fudan University, in China.