**Wealth Management: Expanding Our Competitive Edge** is the theme for the fourth annual Nassau Conference to be held February 26, 2008 at Atlantis Paradise Island.

The event, which has grown steadily over the years, attracting nearly 200 delegates last year, is designed to provide the professional service community in The Bahamas with an affordable, world-class learning and networking experience.

Created by Founding Partner AIBT (Association of International Banks and Trust Companies in The Bahamas), The Nassau Conference will bring a number of specialized professionals to address a broad range of issues and opportunities facing the jurisdiction and its financial services industry, including:

***“Trust Administration: How Does It Compare Elsewhere?”***
with **Joe Field, Principal, Withers Bergman**

***“The Benefits and Constraints of Trust Administration in Switzerland”***
with **Richard Pease, Solicitor, Lenz & Staehelin **

***“Business Opportunities in the EU”***
with **Markus Heidinger, Senior Partner, Wolf Theiss**

This year’s Conference also incorporates two **Panel Discussions** allowing more in-depth consideration of various issues with an exciting and engaging mix of speakers:-

***“The Changing Landscape: Competition Among Trust Jurisdictions and the Drivers for the Selection of Jurisdictions”*** panel discussion will feature:

* **Philip Marcovici, Partner, Baker & McKenzie;
* Jeremy Arnold, Barclays Capital;** and
* **Michael Paton from Lennox Paton** who will moderate the discussion.

***“The Effect of Exchange Controls on Capital Markets”*** panel discussion features:

* **Anthony Ferguson, Principal, CFAL** who will act as the moderator;
* **James Smith, former Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Chairman CFAL;
* Tim Donaldson, Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United States of America, and Chairman, Commonwealth Bank of The Bahamas;** and,
* **Wendell Mottley, Senior Advisor, Credit Suisse First Boston**

*“We have an exciting line-up of presenters for the Conference,”* said Conference Chairman Andrew Law. *“The Nassau Conference has established a track record as an excellent forum for an exchange of ideas and we anticipate the panel discussions will encourage animated interaction between speakers and the floor.”*

An early bird registration fee of $650 is available for registrations before February 7, 2008. The registration fee after February 7 is $800. Interested persons may register online *(see link below)* or by calling AIBT at 356-3898.

More than 20 students from the College of The Bahamas will also be attending the Conference courtesy of the corporate sponsors for the event. *“We introduced student participation at last year’s Conference,”*said AIBT Chairman Jan Mezulanik.

*“AIBT recognizes that our future and growth and development are very much dependent on attracting more and younger Bahamians to consider careers in the sector,”* he said. *“As a result we structured our sponsorship packages to allow our corporate sponsors to cover the cost of one of or more students to attend the event.*

AIBT as Founding Partner will sponsor five students; The Central Bank of the Bahamas as the Presenting sponsor will host four students; Pictet Bank & Trust as Platinum sponsor will host three students; Silver sponsor Graham Thompson will host two students; and Bronze sponsors – Butterfield Bank (Bahamas) Ltd., Lennox Paton and SG Hambros Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Limited will each host one student.

*“We continue to receive tremendous government and corporate support for the Conference,”*said Mr. Law. *“We very much appreciate this support and would like to thank our sponsors for making this annual event possible.”*

The Conference Steering Committee includes Conference Chairman Andrew Law from International Protector Group: Jan Mezulanik, Pictet Bank & Trust; Lindsey Cancino, The Kattegat Trust Company; Wendy Warren, Bahamas Financial Services Board; Ian Fair, Butterfield Bank (Bahamas) Limited; Bruno Roberts, The Private Trust Corporation; Michael Paton, Lennox Paton; and Anastacia Johnson, AIBT.

The AIBT was established in 1976 to represent the International Banks and Trust Companies operating from The Bahamas. The Association is funded by its members and works with them to promote professional standards in the industry and continued success and understanding of the banking sector.