Aliya G. Allen

Aliya Allen is a Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Services, Private Client, Trusts and Estates Practice Groups. Aliya re-joined Graham Thompson in February 2016, following four years as CEO and Executive Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board.

Aliya’s practice is primarily focused in banking, investment funds, securities, securitisation and capital markets, technology, FinTech, blockchain and digital assets and regulatory matters such as FATCA, CRS, AML/CFT. She has played a leading role in the development and revision of industry defining legislation including the Investment Funds Act, 2019, the Investment Condominium (ICON) Act and in crafting and promoting policy initiatives on FinTech, Blockchain and digital assets.

Recent engagements  include:

• Advising a global investment manager on the impact of economic substance requirements on its operations.
• Acting for a global bank in a large-scale independent AML/CFT compliance audit.
• Acting for a global bank with AUM in excess of $300 million undertaking a significant regulatory and compliance audit for the purposes of a global compliance project.
• Acting for a syndicate of lenders in a $100 million facility to a utility company taking security over assets and revenue streams.
• Acting for a major global bank as lead arranger in a billion-dollar facility to a company with global oil and gas assets taking security over local assets.
• Advising one of the largest technology investment companies in the world valued at over 100 billion in connection with Bahamas cross border securities issues.
• Advising a banking conglomerate in connection with the issuance via its Bahamas holding company of over 100 million in debt securities.
• Structuring a crypto-focused investment fund for a significant asset manager.
• Advising one of the major operating companies of one of the largest shipping and logistics companies in the world on the Bahamas’ economic substance requirements.