The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is leading the UK’s first professional staffing trade delegation to Brazil between 4-7 May 2009 to help its members expand in the region.

The delegation, sponsored by workforce management company Albany with its media partner Recruitermagazine, follows APSCo’s trade delegation to Abu Dhabi and Qatar last October and is being organised in association with the UK Trade and Investment, the government department responsible for promoting UK exports.

A pre-visit briefing will be held in London in April, followed by the trade delegation visit to Sao Paulo, Brazil, led by APSCo chief executive Ann Swain.

Planned events include a business briefing by the British Consulate, a client reception at the British Consulate, a meet the client event and a tour of the local business area.

Ann Swain, chief executive of APSCo, says: “Exploiting international business development opportunities will be absolutely vital as the UK market contracts. Our first trade delegation to Abu Dhabi and Qatar was an enormous success, which has directly led to APSCo members winning new business in those markets.

“Brazil is one of the most important emerging markets and well placed to weather the global downturn, so was a logical choice for our second trade delegation.”