Rodrigo Oliveira looks at the changing face of business in Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil, with a population of approximately 6.7 million inhabitants, it represents the second largest GDP in the country.
In recent years, an increasing number of changes have been performed in the city. In 2013, the investment in infrastructure raised from approximately 136 million USD in 2009, to approximately 2,272 billion USD, according to data presented by the City’s mayor in an economic forum in 2013.
Much of those investments were the result of the events that were to take place at the city, such as the recent World Cup and the Olympics Games which took place in 2016.
On this matter, the population has seen the rise of the rush hour, with people spending over two hours on each commute within the city, the expropriation of houses in order to comply with the construction work needed, changes on buses lines, trains overwhelmed, lack of subways, jammed streets, and overpriced projects.
Published:
14/07/2014
Writer:
Rodrigo Oliveira
However, much to the city’s luck, it can always count on its inhabitants and on the way we perform business. Those referred to as ‘cariocas’ are pretty much normal; but pretty unique as well.
Partly due to the infrastructures changes and the investments done, the city was able to retain qualified professionals, which were being lost to other cities, in particular São Paulo. The city right now possesses a good number of entrepreneurs and executives with a solid background that are willing to invest in the city.
"Those involved in the co-working experience in Brazil are studying new ways of working, co-operating and developing new structures to suit the increasing number of entrepreneurs and the economic changes in Rio and Brazil."
In 2014, we saw an increase in the number of co-working places, with people interacting and, consequently, creating, and working together. Co-working places include Nitis Office, Templo Co-working, Goma, Space Coworking, XX Vinte, among others.
Those places, based on a contemporary survey performed by Deskmag publication, are used by mostly specialised young professionals (40% are between the ages of 26 and 35); the entrepreneur and freelancers tend to choose spaces located in their own cities; a nomadic tendency is also seen, though, with 11% commuting from another city.
With all that in mind, those involved in the co-working experience in Brazil are studying new ways of working, co-operating and developing new structures to suit the increasing number of entrepreneurs and the economic changes in Rio and Brazil.
Finally, we cannot discard that the city also counts on another great aspect: its festive side, with events such as Carnival, one of the greatest shows in the world; the famous Copacabana Beach’s Reveillon party, which draws around two million people each year; and the exquisite landscape, which is lauded constantly by those native to Rio and by the foreigners that arrive here. Putting those aspects together with the economics changes, and the inhabitants and our specialised professionals, and we have a great place to do business.
Rodrigo Rodrigues is a tax lawyer most of the time; a part-time writer; an occasional actor; and he usually sings alone while driving his car.
