It was King Willem-Alexander’s first King’s Speech, when he read out the yearly government statement in the historic Knight’s Hall of Dutch Parliament on September 17th. And what a first it was. Though he read it well, King Willem-Alexander was not to be envied. A Kings’ Speech about another 6 billion Euro to be collected… Read More Should the King read out the King’s Speech?
By Arnout Nuijt South Africa’s former African National Congress Youth League leader, Julius Malema, last week successfully registered his political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), for the 2014 national elections. Mr Malema promises to provide free and quality education, healthcare and sanitation, as well as redistributing land and nationalising the mines. Although he was… Read More Why Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters could become a game changer for South African politics
By Arnout Nuijt When you are in Brazil’s third economic center, Belo Horizonte, and you have a weekend to spare, there is a range of old colonial towns to visit. One of the most famous is Ouro Preto, or Black Gold, a historic mining center and former capital of Minas Gerais. Once nicknamed Vila Rica… Read More Weekend Break in Ouro Preto
By Arnout Nuijt Late Thursday night news broke that Dutch telecoms firm KPN had activated its firewall against a hostile takeover by Mexican magnate Carlos Slim. A foundation, led by a handful of venerable representatives from Dutch business circles, exercised its right to emit emergency shares that would give it nearly 50% of voting rights… Read More Why Carlos Slim will fail to win KPN
By Arnout Nuijt The gentleman who had entered the Mozambican hotel elevator on the same floor as I did must have been a good observer. He said, while nodding his head towards the book I was holding: I see you are reading Deon Meyer. Indeed, I replied, it’s my first one and I find it… Read More Deon Meyer, South Africa’s thriller writer
Brazil Weekly readers have spoken. For the last few months we have been running a poll on Brazil’s expected GDP growth in 2013. By the beginning of 2013 officials and foreign observers still worked with the assumption that Brazil’s economy would grow well again this year, some 3-4%. But soon both Brazil’s government and several… Read More Brazil to grow just 1,67% – Brazil Weekly poll
Arnout Nuijt, Editor-in-Chief of Atlantico Weekly/Angola Business News and CEO of Atlantico Business Development, a consultancy based in Rotterdam, recently spoke to Mrs Maria Luisa Abrantes, director of ANIP, the Angola Investment Agency. Mrs Abrantes, thank you for talking to Atlantico Weekly’s Angola Business News. You have come to the Netherlands to attract new investors… Read More Angola Beyond Oil & Gas
By Arnout Nuijt Ever heard of Uberlândia, Joinville, Ribeirão Preto or Londrina? Well, you may soon, as they are among Brazil’s next generation of big business cities. 2013 (FIND THE 2014 EDITION HERE) – No doubt the biggest and most important business centres of Brazil are the megacities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.… Read More Brazil’s Next 10 Hottest Business Cities – 2013 Edition
By Arnout Nuijt Writing a City Brief about Brazil’s biggest city, its economic powerhouse and home of the country’s cultural, business and political elite, is not easy. São Paulo is simply to big to grasp, as is its impact on Brazil, South America and, no doubt, the rest of the world. The economic heart of… Read More City Brief: Sao Paulo
By Arnout Nuijt When you are visiting São Paulo for business you will inevitably get tired of your many meetings and not to mention the heavy traffic in this city of 11 million. Even when business goes well, you may need to unwind and relax. So, where to go when you are in an endless… Read More Weekend Break in Guarujá
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