Person of the Year: Experience Club US hosts a gathering during one of the most strategic weeks on the Brazil-U.S. calendar

Held during Brazil Week in New York, Brazilian Entrepreneurs brings together leaders, founders, and executives for a high-level conversation on Brazil’s entrepreneurial future and its connection to the U.S. market

In May, New York once again takes center stage in the bilateral agenda between Brazil and the United States with the 2026 Person of the Year Awards Gala Dinner, hosted by the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce. Scheduled for May 13 at the American Museum of Natural History, the event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, executives, and institutional leaders around an agenda that combines long-term vision, high-level relationships, and new connections between the two markets.

Created in 1970, the Person of the Year award annually honors Brazilian and American leaders whose trajectories have helped deepen ties between the two countries across the business, institutional, and economic spheres.

It is within this setting that Experience Club US will host, also on May 13, a special gathering for its members and invited guests in New York. Now in its third year, and once again presented in partnership with G4, the event will be held under the name Brazilian Entrepreneurs, at The Plaza Hotel New York, starting at 12 PM. The event is one of the most important gatherings of Brazil Week, bringing together Brazilian and American business leaders and executives for a high-level discussion on how to strengthen Brazil’s entrepreneurial landscape and unlock key levers for economic growth.

This year’s edition also marks a significant step up in scale: after welcoming 100 guests in 2025, the event is expected to bring together 200 guests in 2026, reinforcing the growing relevance of the gathering within the broader Brazil Week agenda. The event is supported by sponsors including iFood, Mentore Bank & Wealth, NTT DATA, Sauzer, and TotalPass, with special support from Terminal BTG Pactual.

At the center of the program is the conversation “The Shifting of Power,” featuring Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, and Tallis Gomes, founder of G4 Business. According to the event materials, the discussion will explore a silent inflection point in business: the moment when artificial intelligence stops being simply a tool and starts acting as an autonomous agent — deciding, executing, and learning on behalf of companies. In that transition, the debate shifts from productivity alone to a deeper question of power, control, and the future architecture of decision-making inside organizations.

The presence of Cristiano Amon adds particular relevance to this year’s edition. Honored as Person of the Year – USA, Amon is recognized in the event materials for his leadership at Qualcomm, where he has helped drive the company’s 5G strategy, product expansion, diversification across industries, and growth through acquisitions in areas such as connectivity and networking. His participation helps connect the luncheon directly to the broader spirit of the week: the intersection of innovation, business leadership, and Brazil-U.S. dialogue.

For Experience Club US, the luncheon reflects a broader approach the club has been consolidating across international agendas: creating curated environments for meaningful exchange among leaders at key moments on the global business calendar.

“Connections between Brazil and the United States increasingly flow through agendas linked to innovation, technology, investment, and relationships among leaders. Brazil Week and Person of the Year capture this movement especially well and help strengthen a strategic bridge between the two largest economies in the Americas,” says Marcelo Goulart, CEO of Experience Club US.

Last year’s edition, also held in partnership with G4, brought together 100 guests in New York for a conversation that featured a trio of influential leaders: Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of Prosus — one of the world’s largest technology and investment holding companies, operating in more than 90 countries; Guilherme Benchimol, founder and chairman of XP Inc., who helped transform Brazil’s financial landscape by expanding access to investments and reshaping the client relationship model in banking; and Henrique Dubugras, cofounder of Brex, one of the most prominent fintech companies in the U.S. market. The session was moderated by Tallis Gomes, cofounder of G4 Educação, and helped establish the gathering as a qualified forum for conversations around entrepreneurship, capital, expansion, and international growth.

THE 2026 HONOREES

The 2026 honorees reflect the profile of the award at this moment: globally minded leaders capable of connecting business, innovation, and influence between Brazil and the United States.

José Auriemo Neto will be honored as the Brazilian recipient. He is recognized by BrazilCham for his track record leading businesses that helped reshape sectors such as real estate, retail, hospitality, and aviation, as well as for his work related to innovation and professional development.

Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, will be honored on the U.S. side. His selection reinforces the prominence of technology leadership within the Brazil-U.S. conversation and adds further weight to this year’s agenda in New York.