Vaduz, Liechtenstein, 11/24/2011 — The 2nd Liechtenstein Fund Day, an international conference on the new Alternative Investment Fund Directive, was attended in Liechtenstein by a renowned group of seventy experts from more than twelve countries who discussed the potential implications and implementation of this controversial piece of legislation.
The conference was organized by the University of Liechtenstein’s Institute for Financial Services and touched upon a wide range of topics ranging from white collar crime to depository requirements and systemic risk considerations.
The conference opened with a discussion on the Directive’s potential policy considerations by Professor Dirk Zetzsche, Propter Homines Chair at the University of Liechtenstein. A group of experts from Luxembourg, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and several other jurisdictions followed and provided for thought provoking presentations while regulators, lawyers, fund managers and academics in attendance were the source of lively debates. Some highlights included Paul Bodard, Vice President at BNY Mellon, who shared his views on the AIFMD’s depository provisions. Professor Erik P. M. Vermeulen of Tilburg Law School spoke on the fate of private equity and the European venture capital industry in light of the AIFMD. Paulo Câmara, Partner at Sérvulo & Associados and Associate Professor at the Catholic University of Lisbon, provided insightful advice on the AIFMD and its impact on institutional investors and corporate governance. The AIFMD’s impact on white collar crime, money laundering and taxation was carefully dissected by Shelley Horan, Barrister of the Irish bar and Adjunct Lecturer at Trinity College. Daniel Litwin, Research Associate at the University of Liechtenstein and McGill BCL/LLB candidate, scrutinized the AIFMD’s controversial third country provisions. Finally, David Eckner, Research Associate at the University of Liechtenstein pointed out inconsistencies in regulating investor protection across EU Directives.
Participants came out of the conference with not only answers but many new avenues for discussion. Thus, this event is surely the beginning of what is to be numerous international financial conferences in Vaduz, Liechtenstein.