CIFA Hosts Product Development Seminar

The Curaçao International Financial Services Association (CIFA) organized a seminar on Product Development Findings and Recommendations on September 20, 2014. This seminar was a follow up seminar from earlier in the year. Previously, Curaçao’s Minister of Finance, Jose Jardim, took the initiative and established a committee for product development in the international financial sector to improve and further develop the product development of Curaçao. To support this initiative, CIFA established five internal advisory committees composed of industry experts to further analyze the following products: 1. Investment Funds 2. Segregated Cell Companies 3. Aircraft registration 4. Shipping registration and 5. Intellectual Property. Findings and recommendations of these advisory committees were presented at this seminar.

Chairman of CIFA, Anuschka Cova, opened the seminar. During her speech, she made sure to point out that, while these areas were highlighted here, there are other areas that are equally important, “I would like to explain that product development is one important area on which CIFA is focusing, but there are other areas of focus that are equally important. The legislative, regulatory and infrastructural areas are just as important in order to make sure that Curaçao becomes and remains competitive.

“ After Ms. Cova’s opening comments, Minister Jardim spoke about the importance of the industry and the government working together; the ideas for the future should come from the sector and the government needs to act as a facilitator. The more the two entities work together, the greater the success for the island as a whole.

Eric Andersen launched the presentations to the sold out ballroom by sharing his expertise on investment funds. Rob Ellis presented his findings on segregated cell companies. Michiel Noordhoek and Ton Van Doremalen spoke about how to re-invigorate intellectual property in Curaçao. Peter Govers discussed shipping registration and how to attract the shipping business to Curaçao. Dinesh Mishre rounded off the presentations with a presentation on the offshore aircraft registration business in Curaçao. Distinguished Member of Parliament, Mr. Alex Rosaria, concluded the seminar by giving an update on the approval of the investor’s permit; something that the sector has been anticipating for a long time.

For more information, you can visit the CIFA website at www.CIFA-Curacao.com