Alma Farias

Alma is a senior international business development consultant at her own firm Trade Partners. She focuses on trade and investment promotion between Canada and emerging economy and developing countries. Alma’s strong network of corporations, government agencies and associations in Canada and internationally enable her to assist clients in the most efficient way. Alma has helped many businesses and associations from Canada, Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Africa and she is very proud of her work helping SMEs, especially women- owned businesses. Alma also has been a mentor in Canada for many young professionals, men and women in the international trade area.

Alma is currently an Associate of TFO Canada.  Most recently she served as Ontario Regional Representative for TFO Canada for 10 years by outreaching and training trade commissioners from developing countries based in Toronto who were responsible for advising exporters from their countries and they passed on to those exporters knowledge learned through Alma’s ongoing training. Alma’s experience includes working with exporters and trade representatives of Canada and many other countries such as Malawi, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Turkey, Palestine, Peru, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia and Ecuador.

Alma is part of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Consulting. She has been an active volunteer in numerous associations and she currently serves on the Board of Directors for OWIT- Toronto. (Organization of Women in International Trade).

Alma received JoAnna Townsend Excellence Award for Leadership in International Trade, 2015 OWIT-International Woman of the Year Award, the Maple Award by the Consulate General of Canada in Mexico, national OHTLI Award by the Mexican government and BCCC recognition by the Brazilian- Canadian Chamber.

Alma is a Chartered Accountant and holds certificates of specialization in Industrial Costing and Human Resources Management. Alma is a native of Monterrey Mexico and now a Canadian citizen.