E157 Conor McEnroy, Chair of Paraguay's largest bank, Sudameris, explains how he has grown from #5 bank in that South American country to #1 since he first joined us on E15 of That Great Business Show. Paraguay he says is like Ireland in the 1970s, with a population of 6 million, spread over an area the size of California. California is 475% larger than Ireland.Conor also tells us about his 3,500 acre sugar cane farm - now the largest specialised, organic, cane sugar farm in the world. He is adamant that re-starting the sugar business in Ireland is an 'absolute waste of time'. He's also in trees as a minority investor, in a wood pulp manufacturer. Forestry will jump 50% in Paraguay in the coming 10 years (toilet tissue is a massive growth area). His first tree project will involve 1 million acres eventually. He's a dragon investor in a separate seedling company that is currently growing 5 million seedling trees.He's also a partner in a beer business, importing Heineken from the Netherlands, and is in the process of building a brewery for the country.He's now open to Joint Ventures to be 'the trusted local partners' in some further Paraguayan ventures.He's also looking to set up funds located in Ireland that invests in Paraguay. The first fund might be $500 million. He explains what you could do with that amount of money in that country.He details the opportunities for Irish companies in Paraguay. Software, education, hydroelectric power, hotel chain,... and much, much more. Irish whiskey should be marketed 'like crazy' there he says. Anyone in the tree business should 'get their butts down' to Paraguay immediately. He would hire the late Brian Lenihan junior 'in a heartbeat'.Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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