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After six months into his role as Brazilian consul general in Atlanta, Pompeu Andreucci Neto has been impressed with one surprising aspect of his new home: how deep its economic ties with his country run.
Before arriving in Atlanta, Mr. Neto served in two straight ambassadorial postings, first to Spain, then to Ecuador.
The former’s commercial influence is inescapable around Brazil, by far the largest market in South America and a key proving ground for Spanish banks, manufacturers and energy firms.
Spain may not be as present in Atlanta, but Brazil has seen its own presence grow dramatically here as companies use Georgia and the Southeast as an entry point into the U.S.
The ambassador has seen the dynamic play out often in meetings hosted at the consulate in Buckhead, where innovative Brazilian firms stop by to seek insight from the consulate’s trade team on how best to break into a challenging market. The consulate’s commercial section hosts frequent Brazilian delegations, especially to big industry shows like the IPPE “poultry” show each January.
Georgia Department of Economic Development, for its part, maintains a longstanding office in São Paulo, the country’s financial hub, fielding trade leads and positioning the state as a gateway into the U.S.
Now, as much of the world reels from U.S. tariffs, Brazil finds itself in an advantageous position, given that, like many South American countries, the U.S. runs a trade surplus with Brazil ($7.3 billion in 2024, the largest of any large market besides the United Kingdom).
Mr. Neto said many Brazilian companies have sought to serve the U.S. by setting up operations here rather than exporting from afar.
“They decided to come and produce in the U.S.,” he said, citing the examples of aircraft innovator Embraer, orange juice producer Citrosuco, and, closer to home in metro Atlanta, companies like motor maker WEG and compressor maker Embraco. “We kind of passed the (exporting) stage and now we are in a different way opening own American subsidiary companies.”
Georgia has seen many Brazilian manufacturing wins thanks to this approach, from the Guidoni Group to CZM equipment, and more are likely on the way if the companies visiting Mr. Neto are any indication.
Few are as well equipped to help them navigate the ins and outs of international policy as Mr. Neto, a seasoned diplomat who holds a master’s degree in international public policy from John Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
He also holds another distinction that gives him a leg up in the political sphere, having advised three presidents, including a position as head of protocol for the Brazilian presidency from 2016-18.
Learn more about Ambassador Neto in the CV below, and stay tuned for a Global Atlanta Consular Conversation luncheon where we will interview the consul general about his extensive diplomatic career and opportunities to grow bilateral economic links.
CV-Emb-Pompeu_English-1
The Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia is the presenting sponsor of Global Atlanta's Diplomacy Channel. Subscribe here for monthly Diplomacy newsletters.