An eventful night at the residence of Portugal Ambassador sharing the many attractive investment opportunities in Portugal.  Attendees left with a renewed sense of reassurance amid a time of geopolitical uncertainties.

A timely follow-up to Kylin Prime Group’s Portuguese fund, Kylin Plato Fund (FCR) recent prelaunch ceremony in Beijing, we were graciously invited to the residence of the Portuguese Ambassador in London to attend their hosted event “Portugal - Destination for Asset Management Companies” on Monday 10^th December,2018.  Mr. Manuel Lobo Antunes, Ambassador of Portugal to the UK welcomed an exclusive list of top investment management companies with UK presence to the event.  Situated in Belgrave Square, one of the central hubs for foreign embassies based in the UK, the Ambassador’s residence was beautifully decorated in classical Azulejo fashion with hand-painted ceramic tilework and traditional tapestry draping the walls.

A lively reception welcomed guests for the evening, offering a chance to network amongst industry professionals.  Representing Kylin Prime Group, Chief Operating Officer Ms. Lingling Wu and Director of Banking Services Victor Rivera introduced our group structure and outlined the extensive facets of our business. 

Mrs Lingling Wu - Kylin Prime Group Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Victor Rivera - Kylin Prime Group Director of Banking Services

Mr. Manuel Lobo Antunes -  Ambassador of Portugal to the UK

Mr. Manuel Lobo Antunes, the Ambassador of Portugal to UK, offered his welcome remarks to attendees and presented the attractiveness of Portuguese market with well-established financial structures in place as well as migration benefits to the country. 

Mr. Bernardo Trindade - CEO for Portugal In

Following Ambassador’s introduction, Mr. Bernardo Trindade, CEO for Portugal In, detailed the initiatives of his task force created by the government of Portugal for attracting even more Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to Portugal in the wake of Brexit.  The key focuses of the task force is purposed around:

• Working together with industry across the country to work on attracting FDI;
• Promoting and boosting unique selling points of Portugal and Europe and selling them as competitive elements to attract FDI;
• Identifying and monitoring FDI opportunities together with different government bodies already operating in Portugal in this field;
• Identifying the barriers and constraints that are facing key FDI projects in Portugal;
• Presenting to the Government the necessary legislation or procedures to overcome the identified constraints;
• Constructing integrated solutions in a “one stop shop” model for foreign investors who wish to remain in the EU after the Brexit

Key industries presenting opportunities for growth included Technology and Fintech, health, agriculture and tourism.  FDI figures reached a record high in June 2017 with +7.6 billion EUR, +6.9% year on year with GDP growth rate reaching 2.5% in September of the same year, the biggest growth in the past 17 years.  Annual figures include 2 million UK tourists visiting Portugal, also ranking 1^st as the best place to live in Europe according to the Expat Insider survey.  A latest report from PwC and Urban Land Institute (ULI) also ranked Lisbon number 1 as the most investment-worthy city in Europe.  Other key attractions as highlighted within their Investors Guide and Visit Portugal website:
Investors Guide - http://www.portugalin.gov.pt/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Portugal-In_your-place-in-Europe_jan-2018.pdf
Visit Portugal - https://cantskipfacts.com/

Mr. Jose Veiga Sarmento - Chairman of the Portuguese Association of Investment Funds, Pension Funds and Asset Management (APFIPP)

The event continued with a featured presentation from Mr. Jose Veiga Sarmento, Chairman of the Portuguese Association of Investment Funds, Pension Funds and Asset Management (APFIPP).  He started with a brief history of one of the first diplomatic alliance established between Portugal and England with the signing of the Treaty of Windsor in 1386.  Fast-forwarding to present day, this alliance between the 2 countries continues to flourish and one of the key initiatives of the APFIPP is, inline with Portugal In, to promote the competitiveness of the Portuguese Market for FDIs.  From the UK, there are currently €89 million AUM across 376 investments funds, making up over 35% of total European AUM in Portugal.  Some of the key attractiveness for Portugal investments include tax exemptions for non-resident international funds as well as urban property tax rates between 0.7 to 1.3%.     

Mr. Luis Costa Ferriera  - Director of Bank of Portugal (BdP)
Mrs Carla Rodrigues Mãe - Director of Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM)

In the follow up, the audience were treated to a detailed framework walkthrough of the process for authorization and registration in Portugal from Bank of Portugal (BdP) Director, Mr. Luis Costa Ferriera and Director of Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) Mrs Carla Rodrigues Mãe.  Partnering closely, the Bank of Portugal (BdP) acts in a supervisory role with CMVM’s primary focus in the protection of investors, ensuring market integrity, transparency and development. 

To conclude the agenda for the evening, a final panel discussion welcomed industry leaders and was presided by moderator Mr. Rui Roavista Marques, AICEP Portugal Global, Trade and Investment Agency Director.  Graciously invited as one of the panellists, Mrs Lingling Wu outlined the corporate structure of KPG with our global presence highlighted including the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Malta, Luxembourg, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus and China. Our funds structure is hospitality, Real Estate and sustainable SME focused, leveraging global investments from High Net Worth and EEA professional investors through an authorized AIFM and discretionary Investment Management company, Kylin Prime Capital LLP which has obtained FCA’s passport authorization for AIFM in Portugal with the Kylin Plato Fund as a fund investment immigration project for Portugal.    

Mr. Rui Roavista Marques - AICEP Portugal Global, Trade and Investment Agency Director

Mr. Manuel Lobo Antunes -  Ambassador of Portugal to the UK

We wish to extend our gratitude to the Portuguese Ambassador of UK, Mr. Manuel Lobo Antunes and his professional team of staff for welcoming us into his residence.  Presenting the attractive aspects and vast opportunities for investments in Portugal, a strong sense of encouragement and reassurance for UK investors and businesses was presented during this time of geopolitical uncertainty.  The openness of the Portugal In initiatives, supported by the defined mandates for authorization and registration with the CMVM and Bank of Portugal (BdP), restores confidence in the face of Europe’s changing political landscape.  We look forward to continual investment partnerships and success with Portugal.