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Executives love the lifestyle
WELCOME BAHAMAS - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - 2004
Executives love the lifestyle
A little work, a little play, it all adds up to doing business in The Bahamas
Imagine ? negotiating business deals from a conference room with panoramic views of the Atlantic, or power lunches just minutes away from some of the best beaches in the world. From offshore bank presidents to power players on the international investment scene, executives are finding that moving to The Bahamas is more than a matter of practical business sense ? it?s about embracing a lifestyle that does both business and the body good.
While The Bahamas stands by its reputation as a haven for tourists seeking the ultimate getaway, Nassau and Grand Bahama have always been a hub for business conferences and seminars. Ideal conditions, including ease of access (by plane less than an hour from the US, by leisurely boat ride no more than four hours), reliable communications systems (DSL internet access and new GSM cellular phone technology) and luxurious amenities are all factors that contribute to the growth of business travel to The Bahamas. The experience has also opened companies up to the idea of setting up shop in paradise.
"The tax advantage is certainly a big plus," says Martin Tremblay, a Montreal native who moved to The Bahamas ten years ago and started Dominion Investments, an asset management firm. "Add that with the weather, the ocean, great golf courses and being so close to Canada, it all makes being here a positive experience. The Bahamas is less remote than, say, Bermuda or Barbados. It doesn't take forever to get here."
Top-notch workforce
In addition to jet-lag-free travel, managers also find another advantage in being able to select from top-notch Bahamian employees. As the second-largest industry, the financial sector employs more than 4,000, giving offshore banking facilities, global financial management firms and investors a large pool of trained professionals from which to choose.
A chartered accountant by trade, Tremblay worked at Deloitte and Touche's Montreal branch before relocating to Nassau. He found that the Bahamian workforce produced at the same level as their North American counterparts. "The level of service is comparable to what you would find in Canada or anywhere for that matter. That was another big selling point."
The fact that The Bahamas boasts several world-class golf courses only helps to make the avid golfer's choice easier. Tremblay can spend the weekend on the greens in Exuma or Grand Bahama or schedule an early morning game at a local course in Nassau.
An enviable lifestyle
It's been seven years since business executive Miguel Coello traded in a life in Spain for a top post as general manager at Banco Atlantico Bank & Trust Ltd in Nassau. For Coello, the advantages of stable government, an educated workforce, investor friendly laws and proximity to North America could only be topped by the natural beauty of the islands.
"In Europe, there's always something to do but not enough time to enjoy it or things were too far away. Here there is so much to do. If I want to scuba dive or go horseback riding, the islands are so small and close together that I can get to places quicker and enjoy life," says Coello, a newlywed married to a Bahamian.
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