British Virgin Islands (BVI) Premier and Finance Minister Natalio Wheatley has set his sights on Malaysia as the next major growth market for BVI companies.
Wheatley visited the Law.asia office on 17 February, as he led a delegation embarking on an Asia-Pacific tour stopping in Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Malaysia.
In an exclusive interview with Law.asia in our Hong Kong office, Wheatley emphasised that the trip aimed to reaffirm the BVI’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and seek new partners.
“57% of our business comes from the Asia-Pacific region … It is a great business for us, but we see more potential for more growth in this area, and the primary target that we have in terms of increasing our business in the Asia-Pacific region is Malaysia,” said Wheatley.
Wheatley highlighted Malaysia’s strong potential for expansion, noting that the BVI holds the third-largest percentage of ownership among Labuan Malaysian companies. Seeing this as a key opportunity, he emphasised the importance of strengthening ties with Malaysia.
In the coming days, his delegation will meet with officials to promote the benefits of BVI companies and build on the success already established in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
The BVI government established a Hong Kong representative office in 2013-14, with former deputy premier Lorna Smith acting as its first director. The Hong Kong office celebrated its 10th anniversary in December 2024.
After wrapping up the Greater China leg of the tour, the delegation will depart to meet with officials in Malaysia.
A full interview with Premier Wheatley will be published later.
