Dr. Robert Anderson Mathavious, for many years, was at the helm of the BVI’s financial services industry, serving in roles such as Financial Secretary, Director of Financial Services, and Managing Director and CEO of the BVI Financial Services Commission. The BVI financial services programs, policies, practices, and protocols fell largely on him.
When we think of Dr. Robert Anderson Mathavious and what to say, there are no words truly fitting to commemorate or recognise the enormity of his legacy: the shoes too large to fill, the shoulders so broad that the entire BVI stands upon them.
So, here at BVI Finance, in remembrance, we bring you his own words:
“It was a responsibility that I cherish and executed with commitment, diligence, determination, and passion. Recognising that I did not possess all the answers to the myriad of challenges that confronted us.
“I sought as far as possible to involve industry stakeholders in the decision-making process, along with relevant government officials and substantively minded individuals. This was accomplished through the workings of various consultations and liaison groups.
“The aim was to afford the industry a voice in the formulation of relevant industry programs, policies, and rules. And, to inculcate throughout the BVI a culture that valued caution with creativity, compliance, and competence. The partnership and trust forged between the various stakeholders have served the territory well. In the face of constantly evolving and intense scrutiny. Scrutiny of the probity of our financial industry-related programs, scrutiny of their compatibility with international standards, which it sought to benchmark. And not least, scrutiny of the industry's compliance with regulatory and supervisory requirements. This partnership has not only helped demonstrate the BVI’s commitment to getting its rules and tools right and fit for purpose. Even more so, it has helped to establish and maintain a culture of zero tolerance for illicit and nefarious activities within the industry
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“It has enabled us to send a clear signal that the BVI is resolute, that its industry, institutions and structures will not provide safe harbour to the ethically challenged, the tax fraudster, the money launderer, or the conman. Together, we have punched well above our weight and size in the international arena in defending our right to compete with all in this global industry.
“Together, we have created an innovation lab here in the British Virgin Islands, which devises concepts of corporate status that meet international business and commercial needs, sometimes in advance of those concepts and statuses being developed in the wider world. Yes, together we have crafted a sector that is a key driver of growth, jobs and government revenue here in the BVI.
“In the process, we have demonstrated how together we can move mountains and stand on our own against giants. This, my industry friends, is not only possible, it is inevitable when we work together with a collective determination to build a financial services sector which is more compliant, more mature, more competitive, more robust, and more resilient. Together, we have faced these and overcome many challenges and pressures of the international community.
“Together, we have crafted a safe and internationally trusted financial sector that is the envy of many. Yes, my friends, all of this we did together. Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth to be recognised and honoured for the work that I was specifically trained for, paid for, lived for, cherished, and passionately enjoy.
“It simply does not get better than this, but you do not get to a position like this alone. Many, many people in both the public and private sectors, far too numerous to mention, have contributed to any success I may have had or I may have been credited for, and I will forever be indebted to them. My ideas stand on the shoulders of the staff I have been privileged to work with over the years in the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Investigation Agency, the Financial Services Institute, and the Financial Services Commission -- they are, and have been, the unsung heroes and stewards of the success. They, too, must share in any accolades, honours and rewards I receive. In truth and in fact, it is they who have been the wind beneath my wings. It is they who have raised me up far more than I ever thought I could be. They who bear the burdens of the deed while offering me the opportunity to get the glory. So, it is in a representative capacity that I, on their behalf, accept your generous sentiments. The one thing that I can boast is that I was the lucky captain of an extraordinary team that produced extraordinary results for the BVI.
“Today, I can proudly stand before you and say that I have tried to fight a good fight. I have run the course, I have completed my leg of the race and have willingly handed off to a new generation of well-prepared, well-trained, extremely competent and battle-tested leaders.”