According to Rui Gomes Junior, president of InvestSP, São Paulo operates strategically in the competition for investments in Latin America and frequently establishes itself as the preferred destination, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, advanced industry, technology, energy and logistics.
In an exclusive interview with Jornal Portuário, Rui stated that the São Paulo State Government has adopted a structured strategy to make the business environment simpler, more predictable and attractive, combining technical advisory services, active prospecting and international promotion.
Through InvestSP, the executive arm of the Secretary of Economic Development, investors have access to three specialized support fronts: environmental advisory, which is responsible for licensing processes and obtaining the necessary licenses; infrastructure advisory, which evaluates locational availability and logistics and energy conditions; and specialized assistance on tax matters, facilitating understanding of applicable fiscal regimes and frameworks.
Simultaneously, the State conducts active prospecting with the aid of international offices and promotes rounds of Doing Business in São Paulo (an event promoting a document of the same name, which offers detailed information on São Paulo's economic, legal and regulatory environment) in various countries, presenting São Paulo's competitive advantages. This integrated effort is reflected in 209 projects provided free advisory support by InvestSP, with potential to generate approximately 207,000 jobs.
The Executive Manager also stressed that the challenges regarding investments in São Paulo are related to structural factors of national scope, such as tax complexity, environmental licensing timelines, bureaucracy present in some processes and exposure to the country's currency fluctuations.
However, to reduce these obstacles, the State has advanced consistently, increasing regulatory predictability, strengthening legal security and raising institutional efficiency, making São Paulo remain as the main investment destination in Brazil.
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