Premier and Minister of Finance the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP, travels to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland this week to participate in a series of meetings and discussions exploring business, technology and economic diversification opportunities for Bermuda.
The meetings will be held alongside the 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting taking place from January 23–26. The Forum attracts record number of global and regional leaders, international organisations, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs from more than 100 countries. A zone of pavilions staged around the event attracts public- and private-sector leaders to discuss shared interests and global topics, from technology and education to social issues and the environment.
The Premier’s three-day itinerary includes a full agenda of strategic meetings—a highlight of which will be an interactive roundtable he will chair on Tuesday, 23 January. Titled “Innovative States,” the hour-long session will see international participants invited from Singapore, China, Dubai, Estonia and Luxembourg discussing KYC/AML, digital identity, and beneficial ownership trends in the context of the Bermuda Standard. It will be immediately followed by a more informal session titled “The Bermuda Advantage,” in which participants can learn more about the island as a top-tier financial centre.
Both events are hosted by Bermuda-based Hub Culture, a global organization that brings together thought-leaders, decision-makers and corporate influencers. For the 12th consecutive year, Hub Culture has a pavilion in Davos, sponsored by corporate partners including Johnson & Johnson, Blackbaud, Guggenheim Partners, MasterCard, and Palo Alto Networks.
The Bermuda delegation will also be spending time with Mr. Aron Dutta who is facilitating a number of meetings with leaders of blue-chip technology companies and innovators with potential interest in doing business in or with Bermuda.
“The meetings and discussions I will participate in are happening at the same time the World Economic Forum takes place in Davos-Klosters,” said the Premier. “This is an opportunity to have talks with country leaders, industry captains and global entrepreneurs to highlight Bermuda’s international advantages and business-friendly regulatory environment. We will also learn about new technologies and explore how we can scale our operations to welcome companies that need a virtual presence in a location like Bermuda.”
Mr. Stan Stalnaker, Founding Director, Chief Strategy Officer of Hub Culture and Ven Currency said: “We are pleased to invite Bermuda to be front and centre on the concept of ‘innovative states’ because there is a very timely opportunity for smaller jurisdictions to reinvent themselves for a global digital economy. Davos is important, because it’s a place where people come to set the agenda on what’s going to happen next. Participants want to learn what the next milestones are, to work towards the future and activate business. If you’re not here, you’re not part of that conversation.”
The Premier will be accompanied by the Minister of National Security, the Hon. Wayne Caines, JP, MP, and Mr. Sean Moran, Head of Business Development for the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA).
“The meetings we’ll participate in with senior officials and business executives will span a broad range of subjects, from disruptive technologies and environmental issues, to job-growth strategies,” said Mr. Moran. “These are all important issues for Bermuda, and I look forward to not only talking about opportunities available in our jurisdiction, but also learning what is happening in other countries. As a team, we should be able to gain valuable perspective, and come away with ideas we can leverage to strengthen Bermuda’s offering as a world-class domicile.”
The roundtable discussion, chaired by Premier Burt, can be viewed on Facebook Live at facebook.com/BermudaGovernment on Tuesday 23 January at 9:30am Bermuda time.