As part of its new development strategy, Guernsey Finance has published a funds distribution strategy statement entitled ‘connecting to the parts of the world managers want to reach’.
The strategy statement sets out the aim by which Guernsey intends to become the global jurisdictional platform supporting managers to reach global markets, and outlines the route by which Guernsey Finance intends to ensure that managers and investors best appreciate Guernsey’s current “four corners of the globe” distribution capability.
Dr Andy Sloan, Acting Director of Strategy at the promotional agency, says: “Guernsey’s proven, smarter, faster route to market supports managers connect to the global markets they want to reach – through Guernsey global managers can currently reach more than 80 per cent of global wealth. We intend to build on that position to become the global jurisdictional platform supporting managers to connect to global markets.”
The statement sets out an approach to enhance the island’s competitive position through a series of collaborative actions which includes alignment with the UK asset management industry as it pivots to a ‘rest-of-the-world’ business model, and endorsement of mutual regulatory recognition as the global model for investment fund distribution.
“With increasing global regulatory costs and a low-return investment environment, we believe it particularly important to push for a global template for funds’ regulatory regimes to drive down the costs of global investing,” Sloan adds.
Earlier this year a number of senior industry figures were supportive of Guernsey’s strategy and acknowledged the opportunity the island offers in enabling London-based managers to launch funds with certainty before the UK leaves the European Union.