SAO PAULO and MEXICO CITY, Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced the opening of two new branches in Brazil and Mexico as it continues its strategy to increase its presence in the fastest growing economies in the world.

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In Brazil, IBM has opened a new office in the city of Caxias do Sul which follows the recent opening of new branches in the cities of Sao Luis, Joinville and Natal. In Mexico, IBM has opened a new office in the city of Puebla following the opening of a new branch in the city of Toluca in October.

"The Latin American region continues its economic momentum and IBM is putting itself at the center of that growth," said Roberto Alexander, Vice President, General Business, IBM Latin America. "The standout businesses and organizations in these regions are those which understand the role of technology in transforming businesses and driving innovation. By expanding our branch network we are able to work closely with our clients and partners and ensure that they benefit from the most advanced solutions and services available."

In Brazil, where IBM has grown its presence from 11 branches in 2009 to over 30 today, the new Caxias do Sul location will service clients and partners in the city and in the neighboring Serra Gaucha region. Caxais do Sul has experienced strong economic growth in recent years becoming an important exporter of rolling stock, automotive parts and machinery.

In Mexico, IBM is quickly building out its presence in line with the country's rapid economic development. The new Puebla office is IBM's sixth in Mexico after those in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Queretaro and Toluca. Over the past two decades, Mexico has undertaken major reforms to liberalize its economy which has led to the emergence of fast-growing urban centers. As the state capital, Puebla's central location and proximity to Mexico City have enabled it to become an industrial growth center with strong activity in the services and manufacturing sectors.

With over 85 years of operations in Latin America, today IBM has a broad program of investment in place focused on the opening of new branches and facilities, the recruitment of new staff and investment in training, marketing and citizenship programs.

With a long-standing presence in Brazil dating back to 1931 when IBM opened its first office outside of the US in the city of Sao Paulo, IBM today has a working relationship with thousands of customers across the country. Brazil is also home to the IBM Global Delivery Center in Hortolandia and the company's ninth Research lab, opened in 2011 in Sao Paulo.

In Mexico, IBM recently opened a Smarter Data Center in Guadalajara city as part of a $30 million investment to provide cutting edge solutions and services to its customers in the country.

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Contacts:

Susana Maldonado
IBM Mexico
+ 52 55-5270-6502
smaldona@mx1.ibm.com

Vanessa Garcia
IBM Brazil
+55 11 2132-7759
vaneg@br.ibm.com

Jonathan Batty
IBM Growth Markets
+48 693935403
Jonathan.batty@pl.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM