Destination BVI - Where Global Business Solutions and Dispute Resolution Meet

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has enjoyed the reputation as a leading offshore jurisdiction. Companies seeking to deploy their capital globally are drawn to its shores by its robust commercial and regulatory infrastructure and, lately, its potential as the next major arbitration centre. 

At this event, Mr Charlie Clayton-Payne and Mr Francois Lassalle will provide useful advice on using BVI entities to facilitate financial transactions in the Greater China and Asia-Pacific regions. They will also introduce the uniqueness of BVI as a seat for resolving international commercial disputes.

Their talk will touch on:
•   Factors determining the continued appeal of BVI entities for conducting financial transactions in the Greater China and Asia-Pacific regions •   Increased arbitration clause usage in financial documentation as a trend in emerging markets
•   Making the right choice: Institution or Ad-hoc arbitration
•   The privacy and flexibility benefits of dispute resolution in the BVI

Time:         12:30 to 14:00
Address:   Chamber Theatre, 22/F United Centre, Admiralty, Hong Kong
To book your seat, click here. 

About the speakers:

Charlie Clayton-Payne, Partner, Harneys
Charlie Clayton-Payne is a Partner in the Banking and Finance team in our Hong Kong office. He is an international finance specialist with a wealth of experience across industry sectors and geographies in the Asia Pacific region.

He advises onshore law firms, borrowers and financial institutions on a wide variety of structures, including cross-border sponsor backed acquisition financings, capital call facilities, syndicated secured lending, structured lending, leveraged finance, project finance, aviation finance and debt restructurings.

Prior to joining us, Charlie was a counsel in the Hogan Lovells Singapore banking and finance team where he worked for six years establishing a leading banking and finance practice. Before that, he was based in London, where he worked for four years at the heart of the European leveraged loan market.

During his time in Asia, Charlie has spent over a year on secondment at Standard Chartered Bank working with the loan structuring and syndication teams and is consistently ranked in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading finance lawyer in the Asia Pacific region as recognition for the strength of his practice.

Mr. Francois Lassalle, CEO, BVI International Arbitration Centre
As the Chief Executive Officer of BVI International Arbitration Centre, Mr. Francois Lassalle is responsible for the overall set-up, growth, management and operations of the institution.

Prior to moving to the BVI, he worked for Dentons in London, the world’s largest law firm, where he advised senior management on the UK strategy and served as the Divisional Business Manager for two divisions.

He started his London career in Banking and since he always likes to explore pastures new, joined a financial start-up which was then acquired by Standard and Poors. During this time, he played a key part in the development of research departments and operations both in London, India and the Philippines before moving on to the legal sector. Francois worked for Linklaters where he advised the Executive Committee and led teams, strategies, global projects and consulting assignments both broad in scope and with high business impact before taking on a Global Business Management role.
Francois holds a Master’s Degree in Management from French Business School EM Strasbourg with concentrations in Finance and Banking; and a BSc Degree from UMIST, in Management.