Event

**This event is complimentary and has limited seating. Please send RSVP to
lecker@economicclub.ca and await confirmation on availability**

Costa Rica: Beyond a natural paradise! One of the hottest location for business in Latin America. This small country at the heart of the American Continent has a thriving economy and is one of the safest and most stable countries in Latin America. Also, Costa Rica has emerged as an attractive destination for foreign investment being considered by leading companies as the "the Silicon Valley of Latin America". Today, Costa Rica boasts three sophisticated and highly productive sectors: advanced manufacturing, services and life sciences, with more than 250 high-tech multinational companies operating in the country that inlcude leaders such as St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, IBM, P&G, Western Union, Hospira and Intel Shared Services, among others. Canadian companies as Gildan Activewear and Konrad Group have laid down their business roots as well in this economically thriving country.

What makes Costa Rica a valuable location for businesses looking to invest and grow? Its stable political and regulatory environment, business friendly policies, sound macroeconomic fundamentals, as well as an investment-friendly climate and government policy combined with the country’s strategic location and skilled and multilingual workforce.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity of hearing the investment opportunities for Canadian companies from Mr. Luis Guillermo Solís, President of Costa Rica, a land that concentrates outstanding natural beauty and the catalyst for boosting growth in companies.

Hear from one of Canada’s greatest business leaders and media moguls of the 21st century, Paul Godfrey, President and CEO of Postmedia. There will also be an engaging panel discussion moderated by an editorial spokesperson of the National Post, and it will include Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, Jorge Sequeira, Director General of CINDE and a high level representative from the Konrad Group.

This strategic, invitation-only event will bring together senior policy makers, investors and international business leaders for a forward looking and insightful discussion about Costa Rica’s economic prospects, key areas of growth and emerging investment opportunities.

Costa Rica is a high potential location for Canadian investors to make their companies soar to new heights of success, and this event is not to be missed to learn why.

Alexander Mora

Minister of Foreign Trade
Costa Rica

Founder and co-founder, chairman and manager of several companies in the technological sector, including TecApro, Indromics, Evicertia, InnovApro and Infonet International. Vice Chairman of the Bank of Costa Rica and the International Bank of Costa Rica. Chairman of the BCR - Mutual Funds Management Company and BCR - Insurance Brokerage firm. Chairman of the Bank of Costa Rica Transformation and Technology Committee.
Vice Chairman and Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Science for Development - UNCSTD. Vice President of the International Federation for Multimedia Associations - IFMA President of the Chamber for Information and Communication Technologies - CAMTIC Ad Hoc Advisor for the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications - MICITT Member of the Foreign Trade Consulting Council and the National Commission for Information and Communication Technologies - CONATIC Executive Vice President of the Ibero American Federation of Information Technology Associations and Chambers - ALETI until 2012.Vice President of the Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica until 2010.

Hauwa Otori

Director of Legal & Regulatory Policy,
The Internet Association

Hauwa Otori is the Director of Legal & Regulatory Policy with The Internet Association. Hauwa focuses on a broad range of Internet-related policy issues including international trade, intellectual property, and privacy. Before joining The Internet Association, Hauwa gained valuable international policy experience working with the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic and South Africa's Shuttleworth Foundation. Prior to her legal career, Hauwa was a research scholar in the area of media psychology and authored Children and the Media: Self-Other Perceptions of Occupational Portrayals in the Media. Hauwa earned her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Communication with a minor in Applied Economics & Management from Cornell University.

Jorge Sequeira Picado

Director General
CINDE

Jorge Sequeira is the Director General for the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency, CINDE. Mr. Sequeira joined CINDE in October 2014, bringing extensive experience in foreign trade affairs, having worked as the General Manager of The Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), an entity created for the promotion of the Costa Rican products and services exports from 2010-2014. In 1987, he co-founded SPS Software, which later became Exactus Corporation, a leading ERP company. Under his leadership, the company grew from a garage operation into a multinational company with over 200 employees in 4 regional offices (Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Dominican Republic). In 2007, the Spanish software group, Softland, acquired 100% of Exactus Corp.'s operations and assets. Mr. Sequeira remained as Managing Director for Softland Central America & Caribbean, reporting directly to the CEO, and after three years, in 2010, he ended his term as regional president. Mr. Sequeira has served as Vice-president of the Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Chamber of Industries, as well as GS1 Costa Rica, the local representative of the Brussels-based organization responsible for establishing global barcode and supply chain. In 2006, Mr. Sequeira was chosen as one of 100 Most successful businessmen in Central America by the prestigious business magazine Summa. Jorge has a degree in Computer Engineering from Tufts University in Boston and a Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University

Mr. Luis Guillermo Solís

President
Costa Rica

Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera is the current president of Costa Rica. He was elected in April 2014 and assumed office in May 2014. Mr Solis is a professor, a politician and a diplomat. He has also held managerial positions in philanthropic and multilateral organizations in Costa Rica and internationally.

As politician and diplomat, he was the ambassador for Central American Affairs and the Director General for Foreign Policy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Jose Maria Olsen’s administration (1994 to 1998). Previously, he was the Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the first Oscar Arias administration (1986-1990).

In the political field, Mr Solis was the sub secretary for International Affairs, coordinator of foreign policy and finally secretary general of the Liberacion Nacional Party (PLN), where he was an activist for more than 30 years. After leaving PLN, Mr Solis remained independent until 2009 when he joined the Acción Ciudadana Party (PAC), formally announcing his pre-candidacy for president in 2012.

Mr Solis has also held key positions with the University of Costa Rica as a professor, Sub Director of the School of Political Science, Director of the Central American Post Graduate Program in Political Science, and Vice Dean of the School of Social Sciences. He was also a Fulbright Professor at the University of Michigan and at the Florida International University (FIU) in Miami. Mr Solis has written 10 books as author, co-author and editor and he has edited more than 60 academic articles in specialized magazines published in Central America, South America, Europe and the United States.

For many years, Mr Solis has also contributed to Central American development in philanthropic and multilateral organizations.

Mr Solis studied History at the University of Costa Rica and subsequently received a scholarship for post-graduate studies at the University of Tulane in New Orleans. He obtained a Master's degree in Latin American Studies, majoring in History and Political Science.

Paul Godfrey

President and CEO
National Post

Prior to Postmedia Network, Mr. Godfrey served as President and CEO of the National Post, President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club, and spent 16 years with Sun Media Corporation, eventually taking the role of President and CEO . Mr. Godfrey has a proud record of public service including a record four terms (11 years) as the Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. He is Chairman of the Board of RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, a Director of Cargojet Income Fund and is the Vice Chair of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Mr. Godfrey has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto