The Minister with responsibility for Financial Services, the Hon Albert Isola MP, hosted a funds and asset management breakfast seminar at the Maritime Museum in the Central district of Hong Kong on Tuesday 12th April.

Approximately 150 professionals attended the event including representatives from Gibraltar private sector firms. Minister Isola was also accompanied by the Finance Centre Director James Tipping as well as the senior executive for the development of funds and asset management Philip Canessa. The Gibraltar Government Hong Kong office, headed by Jason Cruz, played a key role in organizing the seminar and attracting key players.

Minister Isola gave an opening address and was followed by technical contributions from a private sector panel; consisting of, in sequence, Jay Gomez - Triay & Triay, James Lasry - Hassans, Adrian Hogg - Grant Thornton, Joey Garcia - Isolas, Andreas Woelfl - Argentarius and Nick Cowan - GSX. The panel session was moderated by Philip Tye, President of the Hong Kong Alternative Investment Management Association.

In addition to the breakfast seminar and a media interview, Minister Isola attended a series of meetings in Hong Kong with representatives from a variety of financial services firms including banking, insurance and funds based practices. The Minister was also given a tour of a private sector commercial development constructed in partnership with the Hong Kong Government and had an informal meeting with Hong Kong's Industry and Telecommunications Minister.

Minister Isola returned to Gibraltar on Thursday 14th April saying, "I am confident that we are making strong progress in delivering a new source of business for our private sector and I am especially pleased with the strong support we are receiving from the industry. I remain convinced that we can continue to attract new business from Hong Kong that wishes to use Gibraltar as an EU gateway to the single market."