Private investment banker Bordier Bank this week hosted its second annual investment conference at Beaches resort.
Its aim was to enhance the attractiveness of the Turks and Caicos Islands as an ideal investment banking option to outsiders.
The conference was held from May 10 to 12, and kicked off with a cocktail reception on Wednesday, where the local media met and chatted with one of the three partners of the international bank as well as the bank’s local chief risk officer Kenrick Walters.
“We are very happy to be hosting this conference yet again this year, last year we had a very successful conference with our alternative investments area, and this year we are continuing on that theme generally, but we are sort of broadening that to include new ideas about traditional investments,” Walters told the press.
Walters pointed out that while Bordier offers the traditional investments – stocks, bonds etc – they also offer alternative abilities to access different products and markets that are not easily accessed anywhere in the Caribbean region.
“So, we think that with that value added it gives us a competitive advantage that we have been really, really happy to build over the years.”
Evrard Bordier, as managing partner and chief executive officer of Bordier & Cie (Singapore), attended the event on behalf of its international arm.
Bordier also serves as president of the board of Bordier International Bank & Trust, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands since 2000.
Expanding a little more on the banking areas, as outlined by Walters, he stated: “You can divide the investments into two categories – the public investments which are the trade and investments in the market and what we call the private market which is basically private investments such as private equity, private debts.
“And I think as an institution we try to offer the whole range from the most liquid like treasure bills or cash to the most illiquid in the private market which we hold for ten years or more in order to see the results, but obviously with much greater gains.”
“So, we are trying to offer this whole range and we would like to offer tomorrow (Thursday) what private banking is all about in today’s age and how to stay relevant as a private bank, but also how to access this type of investments, both public market and private market,” Bordier explained.
Among local investors, the guests who were anticipated to attend as well as present during the conference hailed from as far away as Vietnam, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Switzerland and several other countries.
Speakers at the event included Michel Juvet who addressed Macro Economics and Major Market Commentary; Borzou Azima focus on hedge funds; Robert A. Janson and Jonathan Colligan spoke on private debt and equity opportunities; Linda Nethery on captive insurance and alternative risk solutions.
Evrard Bordier on the future of private banking, Mark Yaxley on physical ownership of precious metals; and Peter R. Ryder on focus on Vietnam.
And of course, Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson was expected to give presentations on the Turks and Caicos Islands’ financial services industry.
