Guernsey appoints its first finance sector concierge to support business growth
- Peter Deacon appointed as Guernsey's first finance sector concierge following competitive selection process
- Role creates single point of contact for businesses, government, regulator and promotional agencies
- Position stems from key recommendation in Finance Sector Growth Strategy 2035 published in March
- Service will assist fund managers, family offices, wealth businesses and digital finance founders
- Mr Deacon brings nearly 30 years' experience including roles at J.P. Morgan and as co-founder of Bloom & Grow Group
Guernsey has appointed Peter Deacon as its first finance sector concierge, creating a single point of contact for businesses considering establishing themselves on the island.
The new role will enable firms to reach the government, regulator and Guernsey's promotional agencies through one contact point.
Mr Deacon's appointment follows a key recommendation in the island's Finance Sector Growth Strategy 2035, which was published in March. The position was filled after an open and competitive selection process.
Reporting to the States of Guernsey, the role forms part of Economic Development's work on the finance sector. Mr Deacon will work in partnership with Guernsey Finance, Locate Guernsey and the Guernsey Financial Services Commission, as well as with the island's professional firms.
The concierge service is designed to assist businesses that are looking at Guernsey without an established connection to the island. It will work alongside local firms and agencies where relationships already exist.
Target sectors include fund managers and their promoters, family offices, private wealth and fiduciary businesses, together with the advisers who represent them. The role will also focus on founders in digital finance, an area identified for growth in the Strategy.
The intention is that enquirers can engage with the Bailiwick's finance sector as a whole from the outset and receive a consistent message about Guernsey regardless of where the conversation begins.
Much of the work will be practical in nature, helping prospective businesses and their advisers understand requirements ranging from legal and regulatory matters to immigration and employment permits. Where individuals and families are relocating, the concierge will work alongside Locate Guernsey.
The role aims to bring prospects to the island's law firms, fiduciaries, administrators and managers earlier in their decision-making process and with better preparation. How enquiries and introductions are handled will be developed with industry over the first year.
Mr Deacon brings nearly thirty years of experience at the intersection of people, policy, capital and technology. He has maintained a personal and professional connection with the Bailiwick from an early age.
His career includes serving as a vice president at J.P. Morgan in Hong Kong and co-founding Bloom & Grow Group, a consumer and digital business operating in seven countries. More recently, he has advised boards and founders on capital, digital platforms and the governance of artificial intelligence in financial services.
Deputy Rhona Humphreys, Finance Sector Lead for Economic Development, said: "This appointment is an important step in delivering the ambitions set out in the Finance Sector Growth Strategy 2035.
"We welcome the fresh approach that this role brings, creating a clear and accessible route for businesses, investors and advisers who are considering Guernsey.
"By providing a single point of contact and helping firms navigate the practical, regulatory and commercial aspects of establishing themselves here, we can make it easier for them to access our market and understand the opportunities available.
"This approach also supports our efforts to encourage greater collaboration within the sector, helping to broaden international business opportunities and strengthen Guernsey's position as a competitive and forward-looking finance centre."
Mr Deacon said: "Guernsey is committed to a serious growth strategy, and much of the groundwork is done. Winning new business is the work of the island's firms and its promotional agencies.
"What I add sits on the public side of it: making sure the right conversations happen in the right order, and that a business arriving here is prepared for what will be asked of it.
"A business moving jurisdiction is choosing a place to be for the long term, and people it expects still to be dealing with in ten years. I am looking forward to spending time with industry, on island and in London, over the coming months."
Alice Joy, Director of External Affairs at the Guernsey Financial Services Commission, said: "The best conversations about regulation often happen before an application is written in stone.
"With his broad mix of commercial, digital and policy experience, Peter as concierge can help businesses understand Guernsey earlier and arrive at the Commission with well-formed plans and realistic expectations. That is good for them, good for the Bailiwick and good for sound regulation."
Barnaby Molloy, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance, said: "Peter's appointment is a clear signal that we are working together to advance Guernsey's growth strategy from ambition to delivery.
"He will be an excellent first point of contact for businesses looking to explore Guernsey and will provide quicker connections to the right people, firms and resources, which is vital in a competitive international landscape. Guernsey Finance is looking forward to working with Peter to bring new business to the island."
The concierge can be contacted by emailing [email protected].
Q&A
Q: What is the finance sector concierge role?
A: The finance sector concierge is a single point of contact for businesses considering Guernsey, helping them navigate government, regulatory and commercial requirements. The role assists with practical matters from legal and regulatory issues to immigration and employment permits.
Q: Who can use the concierge service?
A: The service is available to fund managers and promoters, family offices, private wealth and fiduciary businesses, their advisers, and founders in digital finance. It particularly targets businesses without an established connection to Guernsey.
Q: What is Peter Deacon's background?
A: Peter Deacon has nearly thirty years of experience in people, policy, capital and technology. He was a vice president at J.P. Morgan in Hong Kong, co-founded Bloom & Grow Group operating in seven countries, and has recently advised on capital, digital platforms and AI governance in financial services.
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