New business events headed for Bermuda in 2016: BDA

Several major international business events are headed to the Bermuda next year, including two inaugural conferences that could attract hundreds of corporate delegates to Bermuda for the first time, according to the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA). The organisation announced that the Legal Week Private Client Forum Americas 2016 event will be held at the island’s Rosewood Tucker's Point Resort in February and the BDA is now finalising details with Canada's Radius Financial Education to stage the World Alternative Investment Summit (WAIS) 2016 in Bermuda later in the year also.  "These are both big-name events that will serve to heighten Bermuda's profile as an international financial centre," said Sean Moran, BDA business development manager for the asset management and private client sectors. "They will also boost our business tourism numbers through overseas attendees and generate potential interest among delegates who may want to consider doing business here. Events of this kind raise our profile and bring direct investment."  The Legal Week event is scheduled for 10-12 February and will focus on wealth-planning issues affecting high-net-worth individuals and families based in North, South and Central America, according to the BDA. WAIS events bring together participants within the global alternative investment industry, including investment managers, hedge funds, family offices, equity managers, investment banks, attorneys and investors. For the past 14 years, Radius has been Canada's leading producer of large high-level financial service conferences.  "We are thrilled to be hosting the World Alternative Investment Summit in Bermuda in 2016 and we believe our conference will provide global asset managers an excellent platform to Bermuda," said Tony Sanfelice, president and chief executive officer of Toronto-based Radius. That sentiment is being echoed by numerous groups that have worked with the BDA over the past year to stage successful events on the Island, said Nicole Conrad Morrison, BDA conferences and events manager. She said her team had noticed increased interest in Bermuda among a wide gamut of industry sectors, while those that had held events are now committed to returning to the Island.  Morrison added: "Bermuda has seen a positive trend with the increase of international conferences finding a home on the Island. “This is an extremely positive reflection on the jurisdiction and our high-calibre talent across all industry pillars. The BDA provides valuable support to conference producers when they're considering Bermuda. We guide them through the process, connecting them with necessary contacts, resources and industry support. That close teamwork, and the resulting success of these Bermuda events, encourages their return."  Industry events that returning to Bermuda next year, according to the BDA, include the Regulatory Compliance Association (RCA) Regulation, Operations and Compliance 2016 Symposium schedule between April 17-19; the Transcontinental Trusts: Bermuda Forum, May 9-10; the Global Fund Forum, October 24-26; and Asociación Latinoamericana de Administradores de Riesgos y Seguros (ALARYS) Congress, September 25-27.  The annual Bermuda Captive Conference, running June 13-15, 2016 at the Fairmont Southampton, is another well-attended event. This is held by a local organising committee and attracts more than 600 delegates from Bermuda and overseas. Next year's keynote speaker is Joe Flowers, a well-known American healthcare futurist and author.  ILS Bermuda's popular Convergence event, that brought 300 delegates to its Front Street venue earlier this month, will also go ahead again next year.