The Offshore Institute is a leading multi-disciplinary international professional body with members in more than 50 countries and has the objective of promoting education and ethics within the international financial industry. Its Annual Conference is a unique international forum for the interchange of information on common issues facing practitioners and governments in offshore jurisdictions, with a special focus on the dynamic forces that are re-shaping and re-defining the offshore services industry.

Considered to be the most prestigious event in the Offshore Industry, it attracts participants from around the world annually to listen to its distinguished line-up of speakers.

For the first time in The Offshore Institute's history, the two-day conference will be held in the Asia-Pacific region in conjunction with the inauguration of Labuan Week. This will also be the first time that such a prestigious and important industry event is held on the beautiful island of Labuan in Malaysia - Asia's best-kept investment secret.

The Asia-Pacific Conference, jointly organized by the Labuan Promotion Fund members, will feature industry luminaries such as:

• Samuel M. Lohman, President of the Offshore Institute;
• Colin Sharp, Worldwide Chairman of Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners;
• Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Managing Director Amanah Finance (HSBC) United Arab Emirates; and
• Edmund Bendelow, President Emeritus Offshore Institute & Chairman of Basel Trust Corporation Group.

The Conference is expected to draw participants from the financial industry, legal practitioners, accountants and financial tax planners from Malaysia the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

In conjunction with the Conference, Labuan Week has been planned as an annual event with the objective of giving offshore practitioners and guests a first-hand look into Labuan's uniqueness as an IOFC and what it has to offer. As the inaugural year, this year's Labuan Week will also feature a Lecture Series that is open to both practitioners and the general public, an Invitational Offshore Golf Tournament and the Annual Offshore Industry Dinner.

Additional flights will be provided during the Labuan Week on Malaysia Airlines, which will be co-sponsoring the Conference together with Bloomberg and The Edge.

The Labuan Promotion Fund members comprise the Labuan Offshore Financial Services Authority (LOFSA) together with the Labuan International Financial Exchange (LFX) and the 3 (three) Industry Associations; Association of Offshore Banks, Labuan (AOB), Labuan International Insurance Association (LIIA), and Association of Labuan Trust Companies (ALTC).

For further information, please visit the LOFSA website at www.lofsa.gov.my or the Offshore Institute e-based magazine at www.financialintermediary.org

Noorazman A Aziz

Director-General
Labuan Offshore Financial Services Authority