Second Annual Business BVI Asia Conference

We are still in the right place and at the right time,”Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, Premier and Minister for Finance of the British Virgin Islandstold a gathering of business leaders in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “The BVI is immensely proud and fortunate to have been working with Asian businesses and individuals as you achieved economic success and Asia experienced incredible growth over the last 25 years. Asia will continue to make its mark with vitality, financial success and innovation. And, despite some current concerns, the economic experts predict a reasonably good outlook for Asia’s future.”

Dr. Smith made his remarks at the Business BVI Asia 2015 Annual Regional Conference, held at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong. This is the second year in which Business BVI organized a highly interactive conference in Hong Kong.

Themed “Pivoting to Asia – A View Beyond the Horizon”, the conference attracted more than 100 industry experts and leaders from the most progressive businesses in Asia and the BVI to exchange insights and knowledge about the offshore industry. BVI House Asia, the representative office of the Government of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in Asia Pacific, was pleased to be the sole diamond sponsor of the conference for the second consecutive year.

“The BVI remains at the forefront of international corporate structuring for cross-border transactions and investing worldwide,” Dr. Smith continued in his keynote speech at the conference. “Our characteristics, such as a familiar legal system based on English common law, internationally compliant regulations and tax neutrality, make us an especially attractive jurisdiction for pooling capital globally and investing it in markets where legal barriers or political risks would otherwise deter investment.”

During his speech Dr. Smith announced a number of significant BVI initiatives, including the BVI Financial Services Commission’s establishment of an office at BVI House Asia in Hong Kong to work directly with regional clients on BVI regulatory matters. In November the commission will launch special external access to its platform for filing transactions.

Presentations at the conference included “China’s One Belt One Road Regional Development Strategy”; “Future Disruption in the Offshore Space: Where will the next ‘Uber’ come from?” and “Emerging Wealth in China: Millionaire Households & Ultra High-Net Worth Households.”

Other notable speakers included Justice Barry Leon of the High Court of the Virgin Islands (Commercial Division); Jonathon Clifton, Group Managing Director of OIL; Matt Roberts, Partner of Harneys Hong Kong; Dr. Qian Liu, Director of Economics Unit, The Economist Group, Beijing; Siju Daniel, Managing Director, FXCM Asia Pacific; Paul Christopher, Managing Partner, Mourant Ozannes Hong Kong; Carson Wen, of counsel with Jones Day; Ross Munro, Partner, Harneys; Melissa Guzy, Managing Partner, Arbor Ventures; Alvin Ma, Wealth Management and Investment Banker; Gavin T. Shiu, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Hong Kong Department of Justice; James Noble, Partner, Harneys; Frances Woo, Group Chairman & Managing Partner, Appleby Hong Kong; Terrance Phillips, Managing Director, Citi Private Bank, Hong Kong; Dr. Angelo Leonards, CEO, Heritage Trust Services, Singapore; Michelle L. Georges, Asia Representative, BVIFSC; and Elise Donovan, Director of Hong Kong-based BVI House Asia.

“BVI House Asia is proud to support Business BVI Asia for the second time in Hong Kong, a key global financial centre where we have had a physical presence since 2013. We have recently launched a website to serve as a portal of information and will continue to expand our services to better serve BVI’s business partners in the region,” said Ms. Donovan.

On the evening before the conference Dr. Smith hosted a cocktail party attended by more than 220 business leaders, Hong Kong government officials and diplomats in the Central Plaza Building.

To view more conference pictures, please check the album below or visit our Facebook page.