Business Bermuda Continues Marketing Campaign
Business Bermuda continued its marketing campaign this Fall by sending Bermuda international business delegations to attend the GAIM Ops Europe Conference in Dublin, Ireland from October 26 through 28, 2010 and the Fund Forum USA Conference in Boston, MA from November 1 through 3, 2010.
“Business Bermuda is continuing to push the Bermuda story at conferences across the globe,” said Cheryl Packwood, CEO of Business Bermuda. “Over the past two months, we have been in Asia, the Gulf, Europe and the United States, delivering our message about Bermuda’s strong regulatory environment, financial strength and the jurisdictions commitment to international business. The financial services sector and the funds marketplace in particular are showing signs of significant life and our message is being well-received wherever we go.”
The GAIM Ops Europe Conference was attended by over 130 delegates from Europe and North America. Business Bermuda conducted the opening panel session “Surveying the global regulatory Landscape”, which was chaired by Michael Tannenbaum, Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP. Kieran Loughlin from Conyers Dill & Pearman, London represented Business Bermuda on the panel in front of a ‘standing room only’ audience.
Said Mr. Loughlin, “After last week’s AIFM Directive announcement, offshore jurisdictions can be cautiously optimistic. Bermuda is well positioned with sound regulatory agreements already in place that go back, in some instances, decades, illustrating the island’s long-standing commitment to transparency. Bermuda’s abilities are on a par with global standards.”
The Bermuda delegation present at the event included: Susan Stirling, Director of Marketing, Business Bermuda; Tom Davis from Meridian Management; John Bohan and Colin Keane from APEX; and, Chris Foy and David Barry from Equinoxe.
Commenting on the conference, Tom Davis said, “In the past I have heard fund management groups complain about Bermuda’s requirement for companies to hold an annual general meeting at which the shareholders are requested, among other items of business, to appoint, or reappoint, directors and auditors. It is interesting to hear panelists at this conference state that having shareholders involved in the appointment of directors and auditors is considered best corporate practice. It is important that Business Bermuda is supporting these conferences and helping to get the word out that Bermuda is a leader in such issues as best corporate practices.”
Fund Forum USA in Boston has been attended by 280 registered delegates and speakers. The Business Bermuda team attending the conference includes: Ms. Packwood and Ms. Stirling from Business Bermuda; Peter H.Y. Ch’ng of Conyers Dill & Pearman; and Helen Parfit of Equinoxe. Ms. Packwood chaired a luncheon roundtable on Offshoring and the Bermuda option. She commented: “The face-to-face interaction at these roundtables is invaluable as this forum allows us access to individuals who have often been using a particular jurisdiction just because ‘they have been using it forever’. It gives us a real opportunity to lay out our competitive superiority and open eyes.” Ms. Packwood also chaired a similar roundtable in Bahrain in October of this year.
