# 20 Years of the Brazil Office: Reflections from Fernanda Miguel, HBS LARC Christopher P. Torto Executive Director July 27, 2026 In this interview, Fernanda Miguel, HBS Latin America Research Center (LARC) Christopher P. Torto Executive Director, looks back at over a decade of partnership with the Brazil office. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. **The Brazil Office and HBS LARC have shared both physical space and collaboration moments over more than a decade. How would you describe the relationship between the two, and what has made this partnership meaningful over time?** I would describe it as a partnership that has evolved organically through years of close collaboration rather than through formal agreements. What makes the relationship especially valuable is the complementary nature of our work. DRCLAS brings a deep historical, cultural, and interdisciplinary perspective on Brazil, grounded in decades of scholarship, while the HBS LARC contribute expertise in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Over time, this collaboration has fostered a strong foundation of trust, encouraging faculty to connect across programs, students to engage with both communities, and visitors from Brazil to experience the two centers as parts of a broader, interconnected Harvard presence. It is a partnership that has grown not because it was carefully designed, but because it has been sustained by shared purpose, mutual respect, and a longstanding commitment to working together. **From the HBS LARC’s perspective, what role does Brazil play in Harvard Business School’s broader engagement with Latin America - as a place for research, learning, case development, alumni connections, and student experiences?** ![HBS LARC team](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-07/WhatsApp%20Image%202026-07-24%20at%2012.24.30.jpeg?itok=pra6P6xX) Brazil serves as a cornerstone of our work in Latin America. As the region's largest economy, it offers a level of scale, diversity, and complexity that makes it an especially rich environment for research, teaching, and engagement. Brazilian companies and business leaders have long been featured in Harvard Business School case studies, and that body of work continues to expand as the country's innovation in areas such as entrepreneurship, agribusiness, and corporate governance becomes increasingly relevant to a global audience. Brazil also plays a central role in the student learning experience, often providing students with their first meaningful exposure to Latin America through immersion programs, case discussions, and faculty with extensive experience in the country. Equally important is our alumni community in Brazil, which is among the largest and most engaged in the region, consistently supporting student programs, mentoring participants, and strengthening institutional relationships well beyond graduation. As a result, Brazil is not simply one of many countries in our Latin American portfolio; it is often the foundation that connects our research, enriches our teaching, and provides a vibrant community through which students, faculty, and alumni engage with the broader region. **Is there any shared initiative, visit or event that stands out to you as especially representative of what this partnership can make possible?** One example that stands out is the way we approach faculty visits to Brazil. When an HBS faculty travels to the country, most of the time, we do not limit engagement to the HBS community; instead, we invite alumni from across Harvard's schools and programs. While this may seem like a simple logistical decision, it reflects the broader spirit of our partnership. ![hbs](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-07/WhatsApp%20Image%202026-07-24%20at%2012.24.31.jpeg?itok=7gEOQv3H) These events bring together alumni from Harvard Business School, the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Medical School, Harvard College, and many other parts of the University to engage with faculty on topics such as leadership, innovation, and Brazil's evolving business landscape. Just as importantly, they create opportunities for alumni to reconnect with one another across disciplines and professional backgrounds. In this way, a single faculty visit becomes much more than an event—it serves as a catalyst for strengthening connections across the entire Harvard community in Brazil. This collaborative approach exemplifies how DRCLAS and LARC work together to maximize the impact of each engagement and foster a more integrated and vibrant Harvard network in the region. **HBS LARC summer interns have also been based at the Brazil Office in the past years. What do you think students gain from working in that environment, and how does being physically connected to the Brazil Office shape their understanding of Harvard’s presence in Brazil?** ![HBS LARC](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-07/BA648F74-094E-4C09-88F3-79377B3ABC39.jpeg?itok=YW1RnMTQ) Being based in the Brazil Office fundamentally enriches the internship experience. While students can certainly study Brazil from Cambridge through research, coursework, and virtual engagement, working on-site provides an entirely different level of immersion. By participating in the daily life of the office, interns gain firsthand exposure to DRCLAS's programming, interactions with case protagonists and researchers, and the continual exchange among members of the broader Harvard community. This experience provides institutional and cultural context that cannot be replicated from afar. It also broadens their understanding of Harvard's presence in Brazil. Rather than viewing Harvard's engagement through the lens of a single school, interns see how LARC's work is integrated into a larger University-wide ecosystem that includes academic programming, cross-school collaboration, alumni engagement, and research initiatives. As a result, they develop a more comprehensive appreciation of what "Harvard in Brazil" represents and often build lasting relationships with individuals well beyond the HBS community, including DRCLAS staff, visiting scholars, and alumni from other Harvard schools. **As the Brazil Office marks its 20th anniversary, what are your hopes for the years ahead?** My hope for the future is that we continue to build on the strengths of this partnership rather than reinvent it. Over the next twenty years, I would like to see LARC and DRCLAS pursue even more ambitious joint initiatives, including expanded collaborative research, interdisciplinary programs, and opportunities that engage the full breadth of Harvard's schools beyond business and area studies. I also hope that the next generation of students and alumni develops an even stronger sense of ownership of this relationship, viewing it not simply as an institutional partnership maintained by its leaders, but as a community-driven collaboration that they actively shape and sustain. Above all, I hope we preserve the qualities that have made this partnership so successful: close collaboration, regular interaction, mutual trust, and a genuine commitment to working together. After two decades, those elements remain both distinctive and invaluable, and they are well worth preserving as the foundation for the decades ahead. Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)