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Bahamas Asia Landfall
Event 2025

Date: Wednesday, November 5th
Venue: Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

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Event Objectives

The legacy of financial services in The Bahamas is a rich history of more than 80 years to date. The Bahamas is world renowned for its financial services industry in large part because of its inclusive and diverse financial products built on a robust and tested legislature.

The Bahamas offer investors a broad choice of financial institutions that deliver myriad services including international & private banking, trust & fiduciary services, investment fund administration, capital markets, insurance, corporate services and shipping registries. The Bahamas is a favourable jurisdiction for the establishment of family offices, which help wealthy families achieve their goals while dealing with increased regulations, complex issues of taxation, succession planning and charitable giving.

The Bahamas Landfall Events underscore the importance of collaboration and dialogue within the sector, providing valuable insights and reinforcing stakeholders’ collective resolve. Attendees would get ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead.

About Us

The financial services sector remains a cornerstone of the Bahamian economy, accounting for an estimated 15-20% of GDP. In 2024, despite global regulatory pressures and subdued new licensing activities, the sector demonstrated resilience through modest expenditure growth and expanding domestic financial intermediation.

Agenda

WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2025
BAHAMAS ASIA FORUM: HONG KONG, CHINA

Time
Topic
1:00PM

ARRIVAL & REGISTRATION

1:30PM

WELCOME REMARKS
Ms. Brandace Duncanson Director of Financial Services, Ministry of Economic Affairs,
Commonwealth of The Bahamas

1:40PM

INTRODUCTION OF H.E. DR. PAULETTE BETHEL, AMBASSADOR OF THE BAHAMAS
TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

1:45PM

OPENING REMARKS
H.E. Dr. Paulette Bethel Ambassador of The Bahamas to the People’s Republic of China

2:00PM

RETHINKING FINANCIAL SERVICES IN THE CARIBBEAN: A BAHAMIAN PERSPECTIVE
Moderator – Mr. Theo Burrows Branch Chair, STEP Bahamas | Head of Legal for International Trusts
& Estates, J.P. Morgan
Speaker – Mr. Zhivargo Laing Director of Caystone Solutions Limited | Executive Director of the
Government & Public Policy Institute, Former Cabinet Minister in the Government of The Bahamas

2:30PM

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION – COMPLIANCE, CREATIVITY, AND CONFIDENCE: THE
CORNERSTONES OF THE BAHAMAS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY
Moderator – Ms. Cleora Farquaharson, VP of Business Development & Client Relations, Leno
Corporate Services Ltd.
Panelists –
Mr. Delphino Gilbert Cassar Head of Business Development, Equity Bank Bahamas Ltd.
Mr. Michael Clare Head of Digital Assets & Fintech Operations, Liongate Bahamas Ltd.
Mr. Antoine Bastian CEO, Genesis Fund Services Ltd.

3:00PM

PRESENTATION BY CHAMPION SPIRIT COUNTRY CLUB BAHAMAS
Mr. Abdoulaye Fadiga President
Mr. Andretti Bain Head of Sports & Performance, Olympic Silver Medalist

3:10PM

THE BAHAMAS’ DIGITAL ASSETS AND REGISTERED EXCHANGE REGIME
Moderator – Ms. Thea Munroe Securities Commission of The Bahamas
Speaker – Ms. Christine Rolle Executive Director, Securities Commission of The Bahamas

3:40PM

Q&A

4:00PM

PRESENTATION OF SPONSORSHIP DRAW PRIZE & CLOSING REMARKS
Sponsored by BahaMar Resorts & Casino

NETWORKING COCKTAILS
Sponsored by Leno Corporate Services Ltd.

Webinar Topics

Thursday, April 20, 2023
Venue: Zoom Conference Room
  • 9:30 AM (China Time)

  • Capital and risk management

  • Digital transformation

  • How IFCs can facilitate cross-border investments, promote trade, and help Chinese businesses navigate the evolving global landscape

  • British Virgin Islands International Finance Centre (BVI IFC) and the advantages it offers to Chinese businesses seeking to expand internationally

  • Importance of fostering collaboration and partnerships between Chinese businesses and international stakeholders

  • Measures IFCs can take to create a more conducive environment for business growth in the post-pandemic landscape
Speakers

Paul Trewartha

Partner,
Mourant Ozannes (Hong Kong) LLP

Vicky Lord

Managing Partner,
Harneys Shanghai

Ellie Crespi

Managing Partner,
Collas Crill BVI

Fiona Chan

Partner,
Appleby Hong Kong

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The Bahamas Ministry of Economic Affairs is the entity responsible for providing vision, strategic direction, policy, and information related to the movement of financial resources, economic diversification and growth.

Our priorities are to protect, promote and grow the Bahamian financial services sector, to expand opportunities for Bahamians to engage in international trade, improve the ease of doing business, initiate digital transformation, and promote domestic investment.

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  • info@bahamas.com

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Paul Trewartha, Partner, Mourant Ozannes (Hong Kong) LLP

Paul Trewartha is a Partner at Mourant Ozannes (Hong Kong) LLP in our Banking and Finance team, with more than 15 years’ experience in Asia-Pacific. He primarily advice on structured finance trades, debt capital market issuances and margin loans as well as a broad spectrum of cross-border transactions including asset finance (in particular aviation and shipping), fund financing, acquisition and leveraged finance and general corporate lending.

Paul regularly represents issuers and arrangers on the establishment of standalone and multi-

issuance repackaging note programmes and securitisation vehicles. He has acted for leading investment banks and private-equity firms across all debt, fund-linked, credit-linked and asset-backed securities, derivatives and equity derivatives, collars, covered call options, call spread options and other structured products. He has assisted issuers and listing agents with the listing of notes as Specialist Debt Securities on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and with the relevant continuing obligation disclosures.

Paul has significant experience in debt capital markets, regularly advising both subscribers and issuers on a range of corporate bonds, medium-term note programmes and issuances and convertible bonds.

Vicky Lord, Managing Partner, Harneys Shanghai

Vicky Lord is the managing partner of Shanghai Office offering in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and is a highly regarded litigator in cross-border commercial cases in the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands. As head in the China Litigation, Insolvency and Restructuring team, she obtains significant wins for clients acting as a litigator in ultra-high-value, high-profile BVI and Cayman commercial disputes with cross-border elements. Vicky has a wealth of experience in Cayman Islands s238 privatisations and BVI take-privates, as well as schemes of arrangements, acting company side to secure wins for clients. She has a proven track record of significant wins in shareholder and board-room disputes for new economy and tech companies, acting both company side and for shareholders and directors alike. She often acts as a specialist BVI and Cayman litigation co-counsel for PRC and US listed companies for IPOs in contentious scenarios. Vicky is an experienced advocate in insolvency, restructuring, distressed hedge fund litigation and shareholder disputes. She has appeared in the highest offshore court at appellate level, before the Privy Council in London and acts as advocate, supporting on-shore firms, in English language arbitrations in the PRC. Vicky’s client base includes some of the world’s top financial institutions, blue-chip listed companies and ultra-high net worth individuals.

Ellie Crespi, Managing Partner, Collas Crill BVI

Ellie is the Managing Partner of the BVI office, and also heads up the Corporate, Finance and Funds team there. She practises BVI and Cayman laws and advises on all elements of corporate, capital markets and banking transactions as well as restructurings. Her clients include leading onshore law firms, private equity investors, major international financial institutions, listed and private companies and British Virgin Islands statutory and public bodies. Ellie has been practising since 2006 and has built a global client base, advising on top-ticket corporate, finance and capital markets transactions in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Her experience practising and living in Western Europe, the CIS, Asia and the Caribbean brings a nuanced cultural understanding to complex, cross-border transactions with global stakeholders. Ellie started her career in London, practising in Moscow and Hong Kong with Allen & Overy prior to making the move offshore almost a decade ago with a leading BVI law firm and making her home in the British Virgin Islands at the beginning of 2019.

Fiona Chan, Partner, Appleby Hong Kong

Fiona Chan is a partner in the corporate department of Appleby’s Hong Kong office, leading the Banking and Finance practice in the Hong Kong office as well as Appleby’s Technology & Innovation Group in Asia. Fiona has over 20 years of offshore and onshore experience in the Asian market and advises on the laws of Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands.

Her broad offshore law practice spans banking and finance transactions including acquisition, leveraged and project financing, privatisation financing, shipping and aircraft financing, structured products, fund financing, crypto/digital financing, non-contentious insurances, bond issuance and restructuring of corporates and financial institutions. Fiona is routinely instructed by major international and Asian financial institutions, listed and private companies, securities providers and leading law firms.