A delegation of officials and business leaders from Guernsey has arrived in Singapore, its first destination on a three-center trip to raise the Island’s
profile across Asia. The delegation will also meet with representatives from
Hong Kong before concluding with an official visit to Shanghai.
Peter Niven, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance – the promotional agency
for the Island’s finance industry, said: “We have made great strides
during the last couple of years to increase awareness of the Guernsey brand
in the rapidly growing Asian market. Wendy Weng and our representative office
in Shanghai have been instrumental in that process but it is vital that we show
our commitment to the region and continue to raise our profile.”
The Guernsey delegation in Asia includes the Chief Minister, Lyndon Trott;
Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance, Peter Niven; Jonathan Hooley, Chairman
of the Channel Islands Stock Exchange (CISX) and External Affairs Adviser to
the States of Guernsey; Mark Whiteley, Guernsey Registrar of Companies;
as well as some of the Island’s leading finance industry practitioners.
“I am extremely pleased that we are taking such a strong delegation
of officials and finance industry representatives from Guernsey," said Niven. "This has enabled
us to put together a comprehensive itinerary where we will meet with government,
stock exchange and regulatory officials, as well as practitioners in each of
the centers. It is through cementing these relationships that we will build
on the progress we have already made in developing business flows for Guernsey
in the future.”
During the course of the delegation’s visit to Singapore, Guernsey will
be a lead sponsor and exhibitor at STEP Asia. Jonathan Hooley will speak on "the new global framework for wealth structuring"
as well as participating in a panel session that looks at the contribution "offshore"
centers make to higher tax jurisdictions. Paul Hodgson, from Butterfield Trust
in Guernsey, will speak on "Foundations and Trusts: How to decide which
to use," while Niven will chair a debate provocatively titled "Gordon
Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy are right – tax havens really are finished."
The delegation from Guernsey will visit Hong Kong on October 23-24. The itinerary
for this visit includes a half-day conference showcasing why the Island’s
expertise in offshore investment funds makes it an ideal gateway for Asia to
access European capital markets. The Guernsey team will also meet with the Hong
Kong Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Investment Fund Association.
The Chief Minister will be a keynote speaker at the opening of the 6th China
International Finance Forum in Shanghai on October 24-25, highlighting to delegates
that Guernsey is a leading international finance center which meets the highest
standards of transparency and regulation.
The visit also includes the official opening of the new Guernsey representative
office, scheduled for October 26, which will be attended by Dr Fang Xinghai,
Director General, Shanghai Municipal Financial Services Office. There will be
a half-day conference showcasing why the Island is ideally positioned to provide
offshore investment fund and wealth management solutions to the Chinese market
on October 27. In addition, there are meetings with the Shanghai Stock Exchange,
the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the British Consulate, and local
industry practitioners.
LAWANDTAX-NEWS.COM
