Cayman Finance virtually attended a seminar for Chinese fund managers on how to navigate global opportunities for fund formations. Ogier, DBS and Dentons organised the ‘Offshore Fund Formations Insights’ event in Shanghai on Oct 29.
The seminar attracted more than 100 fund managers and industry professionals based in China aiming to explore strategies for offshore fund formation and global market opportunities.
Samantha Widmer, Associate Director – Funds & Capital Markets at Cayman Finance, led the video segment “Cayman Islands: The Premier Funds Jurisdiction.”
Having recently returned to the Cayman Islands after eight years in Hong Kong’s financial services sector, Widmer is familiar with the needs of Asian clients.
Her presentation emphasised the strengths of the Cayman Islands funds sector. With more than 30,000 funds registered by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority in 2024, Cayman is the leading fund domicile and popular among Chinese and Asia-Pacific-based investors and investment managers.
In 2023, Cayman investment vehicles managed more than $300 billion in portfolio investments in mainland China, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Conversely, mainland China held $96.6 billion in equity and debt securities in Cayman Islands entities at the end of 2023, IMF data shows, although this still pales compared to the $454 billion invested through Cayman via Hong Kong.
The discussion covered the advantages of choosing the Cayman Islands, including its robust regulatory framework and the crucial role its top service providers play in successful fund operations.
The seminar featured keynote addresses from industry experts, including representatives from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, who provided insights on Hong Kong fund structures.
Attendees further engaged in discussions on licensing in Hong Kong and the UAE, as well as a panel addressing key factors influencing US dollar fund formation and overseas expansion.
“Overall, this event was an excellent opportunity to engage with Chinese-based investment managers to help them better understand the offshore investment landscape where the Cayman Islands is considered favorable” Widmer said. “Cayman Finance thanks the Ogier team, and in particular David Lin, Group Partner at Ogier Hong Kong, for the opportunity to speak at the event. It’s with these types of collaborations that we can continue to promote the benefits of the Cayman Islands as a premier jurisdiction for offshore investment and foster stronger relationships within the global financial community.”
