Chairman Paul Winder and CEO Aliya Allen have announced that plans are well underway for the Bahamas Financial Services Board’s [International Business & Finance Summit](http://www.ibfs-bahamas.com) (IBFS) 2013, scheduled to be held at the Bimini Bay Resort, February 1-3.
Mr. Winder says, *“IBFS, as had been foreshadowed with the precursor Bahamas Financial Services Retreat, indeed has become the annual meeting place for leading stakeholders in the Bahamian financial services industry – for both business development and networking in an off-site location.”* Over the years, this number has included an impressive number of leading international players who regularly attend the event to engage in dialogue about the global industry and implications for The Bahamas.
IBFS 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the event, and Ms. Allen points out that it presents an ideal opportunity to build on the many and varied accomplishments that have created “The Bahamas Advantage”, but also will be a platform to reinforce the imperative of remaining “ahead of the game”. The theme for the February event in fact is “The Bahamas Advantage: Staying Ahead of the Game.” Ms. Allen says, “*Without a doubt, embracing change has been a part of the industry’s mantra for more than 80 years and the overriding element that has driven developments in the last decade. BFSB firmly supports the view that all those with a vested interest in sustaining the industry must grasp and buy into the evolving dynamics across financial services to remain relevant and sustain The Bahamas’ competitive profile over the next 10 years and, indeed, in the years beyond.”*
Through joint deliberations with local stakeholders as well as international partners, IBFS 2013 will examine changes that drive The Bahamas Advantage and the resources that must be brought to bear to maintain and enhance the industry’s strategic edge. Already, BFSB has been able to confirm an exciting array of international and domestic speakers, with the website – [www.ibfs-bahamas.com](http://www.ibfs-bahamas.com) – being updated on an ongoing basis. Agenda Topics include: New Markets: Discrete Growth and Best Practices for Business Development and Access to the Ultra-Wealthy; Steadfast in Tradition…Open Arms to Innovation; Taxation Policies & Strategies: Development Tools; Bahamian Financial Services – Truly Global?; Succession Planning for International Families; Finding Client Solutions – The Alternative Investments Approach; International Arbitration – Prospects for New Arbitration Centres; Legal Hot Topics in Wealth Management; Public Private Partnership in Action – Downtown Nassau Partnership (DNP) Case Study; Talent Development Strategies: FSI Employee 2020; Insurance & Annuities – Flexible Strategies as Tax, Asset Protection & Investment Hedge. Importantly, too, the Hon. L. Ryan Pinder, Minister of Financial Services, has agreed to utilise IBFS 2013 to launch the Government’s Strategic Plan for the Bahamas Financial Services Industry.
IBFS is a member-driven event with [registration](http://www.ibfs-bahamas.com/attending2) now open to the 150+ firms within the financial services industry that comprise BFSB membership. Participation also is extended to the Professional Industry Associations that partner with BFSB through the Industry Association Working Group (PIAWG), the Bahamas Government, and Industry Regulators.