Nassau, The Bahamas. GrahamThompson Partner Katherine Elza was a featured speaker at this year’s Nassau Conference event. Katherine spoke on the subject “Strengthening The Bahamas’ Presence in Major Markets”, under the Conference’s wider theme, “Blueprint for Broadening Global Reach”.

Among the key factors that she spoke about, Katherine underscored an urgency for “re-establishing and re-imagining a Ministry of Financial Services”. Doing so she asserted would ensure the development of domestic policies “designed with an understanding of how financial services underpins the diversification of our economy”.

She also addressed other critical factors. Notably, immigration. Highlighting in particular, that financial services “an industry that by its very definition demands expertise which a country with our small population cannot be expected to have, in all instances, and in abundance, or even at all”. Growing a global industry she emphasised requires people and institutions from all over the world. She called for “an efficient user friendly and fast-moving permitting system”.

Katherine also discussed issues associated with the construction industry and the domestic tax regime, underlining aspects of these areas considered critically important to shoring up the strength of the nation’s financial services sector. Read her full speech here, "Strengthening The Bahamas' Presence in Major Markets", 2025 Nassau Conference Speech by GT Partner Katherine Elza.

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