With the landslide election of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela in December, 2006, businesses operating there are grappling with the potential consequences.

More than 115 individuals got much-needed and much-appreciated insight from experts who spoke at the “Global Intelligence Briefing,” co-sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Regions Bank, and the College of Business Administration.

The panel members addressed the question “Post Election Venezuela: What Does the Future Bring for Commerce?” Jerry Haar, professor, Department of Management and International Business, and associate director, Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management, moderated the panel. Haar also chairs the Chamber’s Global Business Development committee.

“A couple of people flew in from Venezuela,” he said. “We opened with five minutes for an overview to set the stage on the economic situation. We then had a round of questions and cross-examination.”

Part of the challenge was to keep the discussion focused on commerce without adding a political dimension.

“Our concern was not politics,” Haar said. “Our focus was on how people are responding on the ground. People were very satisfied with the content of the discussion.”

International panel touches on wide range of interests and concerns.

To give attendees a breadth of information, panelists included Mariano Oliva, franchise manager, Latin América/Caribbean, Wendy’s International; Gilberto Minionis, president, NetUno, a telecommunications firm in Caracas; John Price, president, InfoAmericas, Inc., a market research and business development company; Roberto Vainrub, president, ActiValores, a brokerage firm in Caracas; and César Vasquez, business unit manager, medical division, Olympus Latin América.

The event took place on January 24, 2007. Future global intelligence briefings will focus on the Patriot Act and on issues related to the Asia-Latin América connection.