Cayman Islands

A leading international finance centre recognised globally for its ease of doing business.

Meet the team

Why the Cayman Islands?

Over more than 50 years, the Cayman Islands – a British Overseas Territory – has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading jurisdictions in the provision of funds, banking, accountancy, advisory, fiduciary and corporate services.

It is the world’s largest fund domicile after the US, with more than 30,000 open-ended and private funds, managing in excess of US$8trn.

With a robust political and economic environment, a proven regulatory and legal framework, and a mature legal system based on English common law, the Cayman Islands provides stability and has been recognised as the least complex country to do business on numerous occasions.

Our professional team knows the Cayman Islands inside out. Highly qualified, with in-depth industry knowledge, they have more than 20 years’ average experience with complementary skill sets that cover all aspects of the industry spectrum.

In the Cayman Islands, we are fully licensed and regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (no. 1373094).

 

 

The services we offer in the Cayman Islands

We provide an extensive range of governance and fiduciary services from our Cayman office.

Whether you are a well-established or first time fund manager, you will have direct access to a management team and staff with broad industry experience, years of technical expertise and a hands-on approach to support the day-to-day running of your fund.


Detailed service breakdown

Independent director services

Hawksford directors provide complementary skillsets ranging across all aspects of the alternative investment industry, including risk management, legal, regulatory, audit, administration, compliance, valuation, hedge fund operations, trading and recovery. This experience benefits all stakeholders of our clients’ structures as they face ever-evolving challenges. We are at the forefront engaging with lawyers, auditors, regulators along with other service providers for the benefit of clients and underlying investors.

Outsourced accounting services

We assist with both private and institutional clients with accounting, administration and financial reporting solutions, utilising our extensive background in this area. Using our understanding of the financial services industry, we assist clients in building strong financial and control structures that minimise risk, while maximising efficiency. Services include budgeting, financial analysis, management accounts, fund accounting and administration, as well as consulting.

Anti-money laundering services

We provide suitably qualified and experienced professionals to be appointed to the roles of Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (AMLCO), Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), and Deputy Money Laundering Reporting Officer (DMLRO) in accordance with the Cayman Islands AML Regulations.

AML training services

Our experienced AML and Compliance professionals can deliver bespoke training programs on topics such as AML/CTF/PF legislation to keep you updated on the ever-evolving updates in the AML regulatory landscape.

AML audit services

We provide independent audit and assessment against local legislation and regulatory requirements.

Economic substance services

The breadth and depth of our team’s skillsets allows us to provide tailored solutions for client businesses to meet Cayman’s ever-evolving economic substance requirements. Our approach is to customise services which satisfy requisite economic substance tests and provide value-added governance and operational business functions to meet client needs.

Ancillary services

We can also offer bespoke services tailored to client requirements including but not limited to registered office, corporate secretarial and board support services.

Cayman Islands

Suite A, 4th Floor, Century Yard, Cricket Square, Grand Cayman. P.O. Box 677, Grand Cayman KY1-9006, Cayman Islands

T: +1 345 769 4150

E: enquiries@hawksford.com

Contact us

Key dates with the competent authorities

Date Requirement Add to calendar
15 January Deadline for payment of annual CIMA fees which, from January 2026, includes the Fund Annual Return filing fee.
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30 June Audited financial statements of mutual and private funds and Fund Annual Returns (FAR form) due to CIMA for registered entities with a 31 December 2026 FYE.
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31 July CRS and FATCA annual returns for all financial institutions due to the DITC (Department for International Tax Cooperation) Access to DITC Portal.
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15 September CRS Compliance form due to the DITC for the year ending 31 December 2025 DITC Legislation & Resources.
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Regulatory updates

Date Requirement Add to calendar
18 September 2026 Implementation of CIMA’s Rule on an Effective Compliance Programme for the Prevention and Detection of Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing for Financial Services Providers (FSPs).

This introduces enforceable requirements for regulated FSPs conducting relevant financial business to maintain an effective, proportionate, and risk-based AML/CFT/CPF compliance programme, including appropriate governance and oversight, AML Officer arrangements, documented policies, procedures and risk assessments, training, monitoring, and audit.
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18 September 2026 Implementation of CIMA’s Rule on Compliance with Financial Sanctions and Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS).

This introduces enforceable requirements for all regulated persons, supervised by CIMA to comply with applicable financial sanctions and TFS obligations, including maintaining appropriate sanctions policies, procedures and controls covering reporting, screening, monitoring, governance, record keeping, training and awareness programmes.
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Regulatory compliance updates

Date Requirement Add to calendar
30 June Audited financial statements of mutual and private funds and Fund Annual Returns (FAR form) due to CIMA for registered entities with a 31 December 2025 FYE.
Remind me
31 July CRS and FATCA annual returns for all financial institutions due to the DITC (Department for International Tax Cooperation) Access to DITC Portal.
Remind me
1 September Date by which strike off applications must be submitted for an entity to be dissolved on 31 December 2026.
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15 September CRS Compliance form due to the DITC for the year ending 31 December 2025 DITC Legislation & Resources.
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