10th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference

Registration has opened for the 10^th. Global Residence and Citizenship Conference, which will take place at the iconic Savoy Hotel in London from 9 to 11 November. Hosted by the leading international citizenship and residence advisory firm, Henley & Partners, this annual event has become the world’s most important investment migration conference, bringing together presidents, prime ministers, senior government officials, leading academics and industry professionals, as well as top tier financial and business media.

Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, says this year’s conference provides delegates with an unrivalled opportunity to engage with the leading minds and ideas driving the current global trend towards greater mobility and global citizenship. “Alternative residence and citizenship programs offer many exciting opportunities and have become a significant aspect of international private client planning. In many respects, citizenship has become a valuable and strategic asset for talented and wealthy individuals and their families who want to operate globally, reduce their exposure to risk, increase their international flexibility and open up new opportunities for growth,” explains Dr. Kälin.

Highlights of the two-day conference program include several special events such as an opening cocktail reception at the National Gallery; a Caribbean evening which features a roundtable with Caribbean Heads of Government; and a gala UNHCR fundraising dinner aboard the Silver Sturgeon Yacht featuring a special private jazz performance by internationally acclaimed operatic soprano Barbara Hendricks. She will be joined Alek Wek, the celebrated South Sudanese British supermodel and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, who will present the 2016 Global Citizens Award to an inspirational individual who has made extraordinary achievements that improve our global community.

Some 400 delegates from around the world are expected to attend the conference, including government officials from 11 different countries as well as the Presidents of Cyprus and Malta, the Prime Ministers of Saint Lucia as well as Antigua and Barbuda. Keynote speakers include the likes of Michael Portillo, journalist and former member of the UK Parliament; UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner, Kelly T. Clements; Founder of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) in Washington D.C. and President of MPI Europe, Dr. Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Philosopher Alain de Botton, internationally acclaimed private client lawyer and author Philip Marcovici, and independent policy advisor and founder of the Good Country Index Simon Anholt, among many others.

Anholt, who has worked with over 53 Heads of State and Government to develop and implement strategies for enhanced economic, political and cultural engagement, says the idea of global citizenship and shared responsibility are fundamental to growing a strong international community. “Problems like climate change, pandemics, migration, human trafficking, terrorism and economic chaos are multiplying because of globalisation. These problems are too big and connected for any one country to fix them. We need to co-operate and collaborate much more closely if we’re going to make the world work,” insists Anholt.

Bruno L’ecuyer, Chief Executive of the Investment Migration Council, says the exceptional line up of speakers at the conference is a clear indication of the growing importance of the investor migration sector. “In the last twelve months, we have launched the industry’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct policy, aimed at improving standards, transparency and elevating client confidence in a rapidly expanding market,” explains L’ecuyer.

Dr. Kälin says the need to develop a diverse citizenship portfolio alongside the traditional investment portfolio is being seen as an increasingly important part of the growth and sustainability strategies of wealthy families and individuals. “At the same time, the number of investor migration programs available has steadily increased over the last five years and is expected to continue to do so. More and more governments are seeing these programs as an innovative way of driving economic growth, securing much-needed foreign investment as well as enriching their own nation by attracting people to their shores that have proven business success, many talents and valuable networks. For the world’s elite, they provide something that is less tangible and more desirable than any material object – ensuring personal mobility and security,” concludes Dr. Kälin.