Wealth & Finance International - March 2017

Wealth & Finance International 14 In many respects, Uruguay is one of the most advanced and sustain- able economies in the world. It is the only country in the world that already provides full electronic tracking of the entire production chain in the food industry. That applies not only to the tracking of meat from the live cattle to the final product in the supermarket or the restaurant, but also applies to vegetables, fruit and even wine. It is also a frontrunner in bio-agriculture with high regulatory standards in health and environment protection. Applying this system know how and its leading software expertise Uruguay could also be at the forefront for data management tools in other industries, foremost in the health industry but also in the role-out of internet 4.0. Cr. Gustavo Weigel not only leads the German foreign trade chamber as its president, but also the South American operations of Weigel Corporate Finance. Together with Esc. Carlos Haller, he founded Weigel Haller Corporate Finance in 2000. Weigel Corporate Finance is an inter- national corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions advisor with local operations in Europe where it was formed in the year 2000. Together with his German Swiss partner Dr. Winfried Weigel, a former managing director of UBS in Zurich, Frankfurt and London and a former Vice President of J.P. Morgan in London and New York Weigel Haller ad- vise international corporates on foreign direct investments in South Amer- ica. The markets covered by Weigel Haller Corporate Finance in South America are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. In Europe, Weigel Corporate Finance operates in all major markets, but in particular in its various home markets Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Finland. Wherever it operates, Weigel Corporate Finance has a strong local footprint, despite its international ambitions. Based on its track record, Weigel Haller Corporate Finance contributes strong industry expertise and network in many different industries from agriculture, farming, real estate, logistics, services, to energy, IT and telecommunications, often combined with financial controlling and project finance experience. Weigel Haller Corporate Finance not only initiates new investment ideas and structures the financing of new investments but it also helps its clients to develop business plans, conduct feasibility studies, applies for public grants and finds strategic partners to realize large invest- ment projects. Last year it advised an Argentinian investor to develop and build a new $100 million diary production in Uruguay that mainly produces for export markets. It also helped recently to establish a dry-eggplant, a ferry transport, a major soybean plantation and assisted European renewable energy investors such as e.g. Siemens or Gestamp or Juwi to intensify that business in South America. Last week the three partners participating in the official program in Germany contributed and participated in various conferences on investments in Latin America or held investors meetings with European and South American companies that are interested in FDIs and PPPs. Due to the financial crisis that hit many South American markets the development of cross-border mergers & acquisitions were subdued over the last two years but most international experts expect a return to sustainable growth rates, currency stability and a reduction of inflation and unemployment in 2017. President Vazquez and his team reflected very positively on the strong interest they have received during the state visits and the discussions with leaders of the industry including SAP, Siemens and UPM and large financial intermediaries like Commerzbank, KfW and DEG that help foster convergence towards a single market and liberalization of interna- tional trade and free capital and personal movement. Eventually a free trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU could be on the horizon? But independently from that, South America and Uruguay in particular is a very attractive investment market that gives access to more than 450 million consumers. Uruguay is now an oppor- tunity for European investors. Company: Weigel Corporate Finance Name: Cr. Gustav Weigel, Dr. Winfried Weigel Email: [email protected], [email protected] Web Address: www.weigelcf.com Address: Plaza Independencia 822, CP 11100, Montevideo, Uruguay Industriestrasse 3, CH-6345 Neuheim, Switzerland Telephone: +598 2908 70 85, +41 41 760 8730