This Q&A session with Market Access International, Inc. (MAI) Founder Diane Alleva Cáceres is part of MAI’s 2024 Canada Channel sponsorship of Global Atlanta.

Global Atlanta: Tell us about your company and its role in Atlanta’s global landscape.

Diane Alleva-Caceres is founder and CEO of Atlanta- and Halifax-based Market Access International Inc., sponsor of Global Atlanta’s Canada Channel.

Dr. Caceres: Founded in 1997, Market Access International, Inc. (MAI) is an international trade, investment and enterprise growth consulting practice headquartered in Atlanta with Canadian partners in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and strategic alliances globally.

We collaborate with private sector and government clients in the areas of cluster development, industry value chain and gap analysis, innovation ecosystem analysis, global growth strategies, export promotion, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) attraction, and firm-level business development guidance.

Since its founding, MAI has been a leader in growing Atlanta’s international trade and FDI. We have worked with hundreds of Georgia and Canadian companies interested in expanding globally. Our work has taken us from the Caribbean to European Union member countries to Canada and its provinces. MAI also collaborates regularly with many government partners such as the Georgia Department of Economic Development and several industry associations.

Why is important for you to foster more discussion around Canada-Georgia trade and business relationships?

Canada is Georgia’s top export market, reaching US$7.6 billion in 2023. In fact, exports from Georgia to Canada have grown 37 percent in the last 20 years. So, Canada offers a lucrative opportunity for companies, universities and economic development agencies in terms of exports but also foreign direct investment. Given Canada’s proximity, similar culture and cross-border industry ecosystems, many Georgia firms are already embedded in the market. But much potential still exists for firms interested in expanding or entering the Canadian market across technologies and industries like electric vehicles and battery technology, aerospace, AI-powered machines, agribusiness, among many others.

What are your plans for growth or upcoming initiatives in Canada? What specialized services/expertise do you offer potential clients looking to do business in Canada? What sets you apart in your engagement there?

MAI has been collaborating with private and public sector clients in the U.S. and Canada since 2000, so over 23 years. We are entering a phase where we are emphasizing our advisory services in areas of strategic planning for global growth as well as research in industry value chains and gap analyses, innovation ecosystems, and business development opportunities for clients in both countries. We also collaborate with economic development agencies and industry associations in developing fine-tuned strategies and workplans to grow their companies’ exports as well as inward FDI. 

This is MAI’s 15th year as the private sector partner for the Southeastern United States – Canadian Province Alliance (SEUS-CP). This year’s SEUSCP Business Forum will be hosted by Mississippi in Biloxi, August 4-6, 2024. In addition to panel discussions and ample networking, participating organizations can take advantage of pre-scheduled, B2B one-on-one meetings. The website is: https://seuscp-b2b.com/ and to register: https://seuscp-b2b.com/register/. MAI provides advisory services, strategy development, research, and B2B services to both SEUS-CP member states and provinces as well as their companies participating each year in the annual business forum.

During MAI’s 23 years of experience growing Southeastern U.S. – Canada trade and investment, we have developed a critical network of partners and other contacts enabling us to support our clients.

We are arguably one of the few if not only companies in Georgia with this depth and breadth of experience in the Canadian market. MAI has an established reputation for customized, highly effective, hands-on approaches resulting in increased market share and profitability for our clients.

Why did you choose to sponsor Global Atlanta’s Canada Channel?

We find our sponsorship with Global Atlanta to be invaluable when it comes to raising the profile of trade, innovation, and FDI between Georgia and Canada. Global Atlanta is the only online publisher dedicated to this effort. Since Canadian and especially U.S. trade policies have changed dramatically over the last eight years from supporting a global rules-based trading system to friend-shoring, collaboration with allies, sanctions and tariffs, we believe it is important to partner with an organization that can help companies understand this changing landscape along with the opportunities and risks associated with trading and investing globally.

How can Global Atlanta best aid your outreach? Contacts? Our expertise? Connections with businesspeople and diplomats?

We appreciate Global Atlanta’s assistance in raising awareness of our services and experience through the online sponsorship, possible workshop development and other opportunities.