Luiz Fernando Furlan, a Brazilian of Italian origin, is chairman of SADIA S.A., an important company founded by his grandfather Attilio Fontana in 1944, which is number one in Brazil’s meat and meat derivatives sector. SADIA currently employs 50,000 people and boasts a turnover of around US$6 billion, of which 46% is earned overseas. From 2002 to 2007, Luiz Fernando Furlan was Minister of Economic Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. Furlan was one of the great driving forces behind the sharp increase in Brazilian exports, which rose from US$60 billion in 2002 to US$160 billion in 2007. In recognition of his efforts to strengthen economic ties between Brazil and Italy, Furlan was decorated with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in celebration of the 54th anniversary of the proclamation of the Italian Republic. In addition to serving on the boards of directors of various companies in Brazil and overseas, Luiz Fernando Furlan is also president of the non-profit organisation, Fundação Amazonas Sustentável, which is responsible for the conservation of 17 million hectares of Amazon rainforest, created by the state government of Amazonas in partnership with the private initiative to implement sustainable development policies in the region.