11/01/2011
JANUARY 11, 2011: Banco do Brasil and B2Brazil.com sign strategic agreement to promote Brazilian products in the international marketplace

Exclusive partnership is a result of successful pilot program between B2Brazil.com and the principal financial institution of Brazil.

SAO PAULO – JANUARY 11, 2011: Banco do Brasil (BB) and B2Brazil Serviços Interativos, a B2B portal focused on promoting Brazilian companies internationally, signed an agreement to promote Banco do Brasil’s clients that operate in the international market. The partnership is commencing through a pilot program where selected clients that are qualified on Brasil Web Trade (BWT), an electronic platform for foreign trade developed by BB, will be promoted to the global base of users of the B2Brazil.com portal. Through the partnership, BWT’s clients will benefit from a new channel to display and market their products abroad.

The main objective of the agreement is to increase the dissemination and promotion abroad of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In Brazil, the sector represents 99% of enterprises, contributes approximately 20% of GDP and, in many cases, does not have specialized channels for dissemination of their products and services in foreign markets.

As part of the partnership, B2Brazil is granting Premium Membership on B2Brazil.com selected clients of BWT, which is the highest level of membership, entitling a company to priority listing and prominence, and the capability to present complete information with unlimited content and contacts, in a site developed exclusively in English.

Through the Pilot Program, both B2Brazil.com and BWT will be integrated in a complementary manner, allowing companies that interested in products of clients of BWT that are members of B2Brazil.com to make their purchases directly through the e-commerce platform of BB. The intent of the agreement is to offer the services of foreign trade of BB to the entire membership base B2Brazil.com.

“We cannot have a better partner than Banco do Brasil, the largest financial institution in Brazil”, said John Gardiner, CEO of B2Brazil.com’s holding company. “Our online services compliment each other. The bank offers many comprehensive trade services (such as logisics, trade financing and letters of credit) that we will never offer, and likewise we have the expertise to promote them together with our base of Brazilian companies abroad. In addition, we are both focusing on Brazilian MSMEs.”

BB is the major partner of micro and small enterprises in Brazil. The bank ended the second quarter of 2009 with 1.85 million customers in the segment. The total loan portfolio reached R$ 252.5 billion in the period. Of this amount, R$ 39.5 billion corresponds to credit for micro and small sizes. The business of foreign trade totaled R$ 1.31 billion of the portfolio.

"We are very satisfied to embark on this new partnership with B2Brazil.com," said Admilson Monteiro Garcia, head of the Diretoria Internacional e de Comércio Exterior of Banco do Brasil. "We always seek the best options for increasing the business opportunities of our clients in BWT, and B2Brazil.com was very flexible in meeting our needs and objectives," added the director.

About Banco do Brasil 
Founded in 1808, Banco do Brasil is the largest financial institution in Latin America, being the first to offer foreign trade solutions online. It leads the country in total assets, management of third party funds, credit, collection and exchange markets for export and import. BB has the largest customer base and the largest proprietary network service in Brazil, with large presence abroad. It operates in major economic markets, but also supporting non-traditional markets or emerging markets, where it offers the most diverse solutions for conducting business. There are 38 offices in 21 countries, spread across Europe, South America, Central and North America, Asia and Africa.

About Brasil WebTrade 
Developed by BB, Brazil WebTrade is a secure business platform on the Internet, and covers all stages of an export operation, from online promotions to foreign currency exchange, including integrated logistics, escrow payments, and other complementary services.

About B2Brazil.com 
B2Brazil.com is a service focused on promoting business-to-business (or B2B) contacts and transactions between Brazilian companies and companies in the rest of the world. B2Brazil.com is the solution for firms wishing to expand effectively and efficiently achieve their international sales and global clients. By joining B2Brazil.com, Brazilian companies become part of a "group" with other Brazilian companies that are promoted internationally through B2Brazil.com.

Contact:
B2Brazil.com
Alexandre Ferreira Martins
[email protected]
+55 11 5097-9492
+55 11 98137-0973

Banco do Brasil
Press Office of Banco do Brasil
Ana Cecília
(61)3310-3541

About B2Colombia

B2Colombia is a leading business-to-business (B2B) company focused on providing digital solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to engage in foreign trade. B2Colombia is the solution for firms wishing to expand their business in an effective and efficient manner, increasing international sales and prospecting global clients.