Deepening the BVI Footprint as a Global Corporate Domicile – Gerard St.C. Farara Q.C.

In May at the graduation of the New York University’s Stern School of Business, Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of GE told graduates that they are“entering a volatile global economy, the most uncertain I have ever seen. This is a world that needs better leaders, with new skill sets. The playbook from the past won’t cut it today. My advice for you as you enter this world is to be flexible, be bold, and don’t fear criticism. Today, I want to discuss how these lessons can be used to navigate the seismic transformation underway in globalization.” Immelt’s advice isas applicable to the BVI as it is to the graduating class at NYU. Ifthe BVI, which has built an economy based on the facilitation of global commerce, is to thrive, we must be flexible, innovative and bold. We must implement initiatives in every sphere that strengthen our brand and competitive posture globally. In this regard, constitutional advancement must also be viewed as an opportunity to move this agenda progressively forward. Gerard Farara QCis eminently qualified to lead an informed discussion on this matter. He is one of the territory’s leading legal minds and a practicing lawyer for in excess of 37 years and is the Senior Partner and Head of Litigation at FARARA KERINS.He was also the Chairman of the 2003 Constitutional Review Commission and served as a member of the 2007 Constitutional Negotiating Team for the BVI. More recently, he served as a High Court Judge for the Commercial Division (the Commercial Court) of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court here in the BVI.