Maples and Calder is pleased to announce the appointment of its Global Managing Partner, Henry Smith, to the global Council of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) following a membership vote at the association’s AGM in London on 20 September 2012. Mr. Smith will be one of two representatives for the Americas region on the Council.

Mr. Smith has extensive experience in all aspects of offshore transactions, focusing particularly on private equity funds, hedge funds and structured finance transactions. He has advised on the formation of hedge funds and private equity funds in the Cayman Islands for some of the world’s largest and most recognised alternative investment fund managers.

“I am honoured to have been elected to represent the Americas region on the AIMA Council,” said Mr. Smith. “The prevalence of the use of the Cayman Islands and the BVI as a domicile for both hedge funds and private equity funds means that significant numbers of industry participants in the Americas region are currently managing, administering or invested in Cayman Islands or BVI investment funds.

“I think it is extremely important for all these stakeholders in Cayman Islands and BVI based funds that the AIMA Board has the benefit of input from an experienced member of the Cayman Islands funds industry. At Maples and Calder, we have spent many years forming alternative investment funds of all descriptions for clients across the Americas region and globally. We also have significant experience dealing with legislative changes, regulators and the industry press in Cayman, BVI and Ireland, as well as in the Americas region and in Europe.

“Just as our firm benefits from a global network of offices, including our Irish expertise and access to our affiliate, MaplesFS, we feel that we are in the precise position to offer AIMA members a global perspective, as we see, first hand, issues affecting them in different jurisdictions and from different angles. This is particularly important, given the ever-changing regulatory environment.”

Founded in 1990, AIMA is the global representative of the hedge fund industry. They represent all practitioners in the alternative investment management industry – including hedge fund managers, fund of hedge funds managers, prime brokers, legal and accounting firms, investors, fund administrators and independent fund directors.

About Maples and Calder

Maples and Calder is a leading international law firm advising financial, institutional and business clients around the world on the laws of the Cayman Islands, Ireland and the British Virgin Islands. Maples and Calder has offices in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Singapore.

Since establishing in Ireland in 2006, the Dublin office has grown to over 175 people and has advised on many high profile and complex transactions in Ireland in the last number of years. The tremendous growth in the formation of Irish vehicles has enabled the Dublin office to quickly become one of the leading financial law firms in Ireland and has been independently ranked by Lipper as the number one advisor to new funds for each of the last two years.

With a reputation as an innovative, entrepreneurial firm, Maples and Calder is known worldwide as a market leader with highly qualified lawyers who are specialists in their respective practice areas.

About MaplesFS

MaplesFS is a leading specialised fiduciary and fund services provider. MaplesFS has offices in the Cayman Islands, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Montreal and New York.

MaplesFS is led by a team of experienced professionals and is committed to providing a high level of service tailored to specific client requirements.