Currently accounting for over 10% of GDP, financial services are on the way to becoming a major pillar of the Mauritian economy, as a broader and more sophisticated range of services is offered in both the domestic and international arenas. Having started modestly in the 1990’s as an offshore centre, Mauritius is today a recognised International Financial Centre with over 34,000 business entities comprising some 600 global funds and over a hundred licensed Management Companies. Mauritius extensive tax treaty network coupled with a low domestic tax regime has so far provided the basis for tax-efficient asset holding, investment structuring and cross-border financial engineering across several emerging markets, more importantly India and China to a lesser degree. Going forward, Mauritius is set to emerge as a bridge between Africa and Asia with regard to private equity fund management and a sophisticated financial centre with a diversified portfolio including private banking and wealth management services, treasury management and infrastructure financing as well as Sharia compliant financial products.

For the Private Equity Mauritius 2009 Conference, log on to
http://www.private-equity.mu