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Giving away sums of wealth to benefit worthy causes is more popular than ever and specialist financial services centres such as Guernsey are pivotal to facilitating this. There are a range of versatile and innovative structures available via Guernsey providers for modern day philanthropists supported by highly knowledgeable service providers. To demonstrate this, Guernsey Finance, the promotional agency for Guernsey’s financial services sector, is hosting a seminar on 28 April in London.

Guernsey’s Private Investment Fund (PIF) regime was originally introduced at the end of 2016 as a simple and cost-efficient route to market for managers with close relationships to smaller numbers of sophisticated investors. They have increased in popularity each year since and at the end of last year more than £14bn was invested in Guernsey PIFs. In this article, Henry Freeman, Strategic Adviser to We Are Guernsey and a non-executive director to investment funds, looks at what they are, how they are used and recent rule changes which have increased their popularity further.

The international finance centre of Guernsey this year celebrates a centenary of captive insurance. In June 1922, the Commercial Insurance Company Limited (CICL) was established and listed with the Guernsey Registry as the island’s first ever captive vehicle. Since then, Guernsey has grown into Europe’s number one captive insurance domicile, with more than 300 structures based in the island.

The impacts of sustainability and technology on the future of funds will form the key discussions around the 2022 Guernsey Funds Forum. ‘Endless Opportunities’ will explore the regulatory landscape, such as new requirements introduced by global standards bodies, the strategies that fund managers have adapted in response, and Guernsey as a centre of innovation. Jo Peacegood, Chair of the Guernsey Investment & Funds Association, said the event takes place at an opportune moment to share the island’s strengths in the funds sector.

What lies ahead for the investment funds industry over the next year? Jo Peacegood and Stephen Rouxel, Chair and Vice Chair of the Guernsey Investment & Funds Association respectively, share a few predictions, and what it will mean for Guernsey. Jo Peacegood There is a significant amount of global capital available for investment which means the funds market continues to grow globally. We have seen the statistics from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) in 2021 and the sector continues to thrive.