Deanna Bidwell Managing Director of RBC Wealth Management, Royal Bank of Canada	Jane Wareham International Legal Consultant with Cay Solutions Ltd., a Canadian affiliate company

Two of Cayman’s services providers have joined forces to host a forum on offshore financial markets in New York later this month.

Stuarts Walker Hersant Attorneys-at-Law and RBC Wealth Management have organised the seminar, which is “intended to deal with the issues and opportunities facing private and institutional investors in today’s challenging economic climate,” said a Stuarts press release.

The two firms “seek to address widespread disenchantment with the financial services industry on the backdrop of a global financial crisis and the subsequent vilification of the offshore industry by powerful political groups as a result,” the press release said.

The seminar is entitled ‘Offshore Financial Markets Post Madoff’, and will be held at the Harvard Club of New York on Tuesday, 30 June.

Jane Wareham, International Legal Consultant with Cay Solutions Ltd., a Canadian affiliate company, is working with Stuarts Walker Hersant to help organise the event.

She said, “We felt that the timing was right for us to host a discussion about the impact of recent events on the financial services industry and in particular the potential impact of governmental and international agency proposals on private and institutional investors.”

Ms Wareham continued, “We have had a great response rate and expect to engage a number of influential industry figures. The event will also provide a useful platform to help communicate the facts about offshore financial services jurisdictions amidst a lot of negative perception.”

Deanna Bidwell, Managing Director of RBC Wealth Management, Royal Bank of Canada’s wealth management division, said, “Clients are increasingly reassessing their banking and investment relationships with their service providers. It has never been more important for the banking industry to review the best ways to serve and protect the interests of its clients and demonstrate its commitment to providing solutions to the issues presented by the current financial crisis.”

She continued, “We are confident that our forum will prove very beneficial to wealthy investors and their advisors alike, and help educate them about the role of offshore financial services centres.”

Some 90 guests are expected to attend the ‘by invitation only’ seminar and can look forward to hearing the views of an impressive array of financial services experts, including Timothy Ridley, former Chairman of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, and Anthony Akiwumi, Head of Litigation at Stuarts Walker Hersant Attorneys.

Other speakers include Professor Andrew P. Morriss of the Institute for Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois; Professor Houman B. Shadab, Associate Professor of Law, New York Law School; Joseph A. Field, Senior International Partner, Withers Bergman LLP, New York; and Margaret R.A. Paradis, Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP, New York.

Presentations will focus on a number of areas including global and international taxation developments; the potential impact of proposed U.S. legislation and regulation on offshore financial centres; US litigation issues and how fund of funds and hedge funds will have to adapt to meet private investors’ expectations.

The agenda will also include discussion on the current global financial crisis, increasing attention on offshore banking centres, and high profile fraud scandals such as those involving Wall Street financier Bernard Madoff and Texas billionaire Allen Stanford.

Stuarts Walker Hersant and RBC Wealth Management will use the event as an opportunity to garner support for Facing Africa, a UK based charity dedicated to helping sufferers of a devastating flesh eating disease, which affects children in sub-Saharan countries. Both companies’ involvement in Facing Africa has already raised considerable funds for the victims of the disease, as well as the children’s ward of George Town Hospital in the Cayman Islands, the Stuarts press release said.

Stuarts Walker Hersant, Attorneys-at-Law was formed in 2002 by several leading Cayman Islands attorneys, and specialises in corporate and commercial law, investment funds, private equity structures, offshore capital market transactions and regulatory matters. The firm’s attorneys offer advice to leading international law firms, insurance companies, banks, trust companies, investment companies and high-net worth individuals. Stuarts is a founding member of The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) Limited.

The international wealth management division of Royal Bank of Canada serves high net worth and niche corporate and institutional clients worldwide. RBC is an international private bank with offices in over 30 key financial centres around the world. RBC provides its clients with expertise in efficient and flexible international wealth management solutions. RBC’s team comprises a wealth of financial expertise, and includes banking specialists, investment advisors, portfolio managers, trust professionals and credit specialists

More information about the seminar, including the event agenda and speaker biographies can be found at www.caymanseminar.ky.