To:

WFPMA Country Associations

Dear Colleague:

In my role as WFPMA Secretary General/Treasurer, it is my pleasure to share with you the April 2011 WorldLink issue, which has as its focus Latin American and the member countries of the Interamerican Federation of People Management Associations (FIDAGH). We extend our thanks and appreciation to Leovigildo Canto Pérez of Panama, president of FIDAGH, and Horacio E. Quirós of Argentina, president of the WFPMA, for their help in contributing articles to the publication as well as in helping to coordinate other features. 

This issue is the second one to focus on a particular region. We received positive feedback from WFPMA members on the January 2011 issue on Europe, and we thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with your comments. Please continue to do so. We hope you are again satisfied with the content we have put together for you in this edition. This issue includes coverage of: 

• An insightful analysis on how HR in Latin America is shaped by the region’s unique political, cultural and demographic landscapes, and what needs to be done to capitalize on its extraordinary economic opportunities.
• A report on a key challenge to Latin America’s path to economic prominence—meeting the talent expectations of global companies investing in Latin America.
• Multilatina companies—those firms with operations in multiple countries that are headquartered in Latin America—are rising as fierce global competitors. This article looks at the ways in which multilatina companies succeed in their HR practices.
• What does it mean to be happy in Latin America? This article uses research to define the factors that most influence happiness among people in Latin America.
• A country profile on the region’s largest economy, Brazil, which is enjoying tremendous growth and worldwide attention.
• HR-related developments within the Latin American region.

We trust that you will find this issue of WorldLink, which is available on the WFPMA web site www.wfpma.org, timely and informative. Please forward it to the members in your association and post it on your association’s website.

Together with WFPMA President Horacio E. Quirós of Argentina, we reiterate our appreciation to the full 2010-2012 WFPMA Board of Directors for their leadership and commitment to developing valuable regional and global HR networks among our respective associations.

We wish to thank Rosaura Barrera in her role serving as the WFPMA Secretariat at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and to Adrienne Fox, WorldLink Editor, for delivering a cohesive report on HR developments in Latin America. The next issue of WorldLink will focus on the Asia-Pacific Federation of Human Resource Management (APFHRM). Ms. Fox will be reaching out to the regional federations of WFPMA for content for the future issues, and we trust that you will respond promptly to her. If you have story ideas for your regional issue, you may contact Adrienne at afox@pointcs.com.

Warmest professional and personal regards, 

Pieter Haen

WFPMA Secretary General/Treasurer