Europe: Funds and Managers Conference 2015
Earlier this month, the Gibraltar Finance Centre partnered with IIR Conferences to host Gibraltar's first-ever international funds conference, attracting leading European fund managers, investors, regulators, prime brokers and administrators, as well as local funds experts. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo formally opened the conference on the 22nd April, noting that the size of the international delegation confirmed the ever-growing confidence in Gibraltar's global standing as an international finance centre. Mr Picardo highlighted that Gibraltar is the only jurisdiction to implement all EU directives and that this demonstrates the Government of Gibraltar's commitment to protecting and enhancing Gibraltar's reputation as a transparent, well-regulated, EU compliant and internationally-cooperative jurisdiction.
The international panel of high-level industry experts included: Executive Director and Senior Counsel for Goldman Sachs; Partner at EY; Management Committee Member at FMSA Belgium; Associate Director at AIMA; Senior Director for Prime Services at Societe Generale Newedge, and Partner at Norton Rose. Among local funds experts, panellist Joey Garcia, Partner at our affiliated law firm Isolas 1892, spoke about the latest AIFMD developments and options. Other key topics focused on the advantages attached to fund domiciliation in Gibraltar, European regulatory changes, taxation relating to European funds and fund employees, and MiFID II developments and implementation.
Minister for Financial Services Albert Isola concluded the conference with congratulatory closing remarks for the panellists, thanking them for delivering a stimulating and successful conference. Mr Isola echoed the Chief Minister's words, praising the hard work of the local regulatory authorities and financial services community in boosting Gibraltar's profile as "a modern environment with low personal and corporate tax, high quality infrastructure and a lifestyle that, taken together, creates a compelling proposition." The minister also emphasised the necessity for the Financial Services Commission to work together with the industry and noted his pleasure at seeing this happening extensively locally; affirming that this will ensure that Gibraltar remains highly compliant and also very much open for business.
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