The capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), the threat to cyber security and confidentiality, and how political instability is driving business to safe harbours, were among the major themes to emerge from Jersey Finance’s London conferences this week.
The two events showcased Jersey Finance’s strengths as an international finance centre, while bringing together leading figures from the private equity, real estate, private wealth and investment world.
Keynote speaker, professor Nicholas Bostrom, director of Future of Humanity Institute, delivered a presentation exploring the strides taken in less than a decade in machine learning.
Bostrom described the impact of advances in the near future as certain to be more profound than the Industrial Revolution.
Former MI5 director general, Lord Jonathan Evans of Weardale KCB DL, alerted delegates of the growing threat of cyber security at Jersey Finance’s Annual Private Wealth conference, entitled ‘ An Open World’ (25 April).
Jersey Finance highlighted Jersey’s financial technology credentials in a video that showed how Al solutions are already being harnessed by a number of finance and digital businesses in Jersey.
Further panel sessions delved into the growth of ‘emotive’ asset classes such as classic cars, wine, residential property and art, and examined the evolving strategies of family offices.
Meanwhile, on 24 April, at Jersey Finance’s Annual Funds Conference, two panels of fund practitioners, moderated by Amy Bryant and Michael Collins, CEO Invest Europe, confirmed the importance of infrastructure and debt finance funds across the alternative space.
They highlighted concern about the pace and complexity of regulatory change being a particular barrier to entry for smaller sponsors.
There was both uncertainty and optimism at the conference about the outcome of Brexit. But there was longer-term concern that difficulties would arise without the UK sitting at the EU table influencing debates on future financial regulation.
In a session hosted by Geoff Cook, Mike Jones, director of policy, Jersey Financial Services Commission, discussed the role of the regulator in the virtual currency market.
Cook commented: “For the first time we staged our two flagship London conferences back-to-back and I believe it has helped create really focused, impactful events for the finance and legal communities in London, with a record number of more than 750 delegates across the two events.”
Cook added: “Overall, this was an opportunity to demonstrate Jersey’s willingness to work with the international community on key issues and showcase Jersey’s credentials as a safe harbour, a robust pathway to the European market for alternative funds, and an innovative high-quality IFC for international investors seeking future certainty.”
