The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Nassau Conference, the annual professional development summit for the Bahamian international financial services sector, has announced this year's version will be held on Thursday, September 28, at Baha Mar.

Set to be held under the theme, “The way forward: Crafting a new vision and enhancing expertise for the financial services sector', the conference's key speaker will be attorney general and minister of legal affairs, Senator Ryan Pinder KC. He will speak on the topic 'Policy action for a sustainable financial services sector.'

Attendees will also learn about 'Developing specialised skills for the financial services sector' through a panel including Andrew Scales of Scales & Associates and Patrice Taylor of Hepzibah human resources training and development. This will be followed by a discussion on 'Crafting a National Development Plan for The Bahamas’ with Felix Stubbs of Doctors Hospital Health System; Gowon Bowe of Fidelity Bank (Bahamas); and Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle of the Lyford Cay Foundation.

Olivia Espley-Ault, a senior manager in EY Bermuda's tax practice, will present on the topic 'Corporate income tax and The Bahamas' tax structure', which will be followed by a session on 'Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)' by Begoña Ramos Justo of KPMG.

The afternoon sessions will explore topics including “AI & financial services – Threat and opportunity?” with Rose LeJiste of Alliance One Management Consulting, followed by a panel discussion on 'The future of regulation in the financial services sector' with Christina Rolle, the Securities Commission's executive director, and John Rolle, the Central Bank of The Bahamas governor.

The half-day Financial Services Bootcamp, a practical workshop for individuals working in financial services, will be held the day before the Nassau Conference to provide updates on key products and services. The event also serves as an introduction for new entrants to the sector and those considering careers in financial services, including university students.

The Bootcamp will explore various topics, including 'Trust, compliance and governance Issues' with Theo Burrows of STEP Bahamas, 'The future of The Bahamas as a digital assets hub' with Ianthé Tynes of OKX Bahamas, and Mechelle Martinborough of the Securities Commission, and a session on 'Effective networking” led by Keshelle Davis of The Training Authority. Both events are organised by the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies (AIBT).