About BVI
ideas fest
where ideas
meet opportunities
After an eight-year hiatus following the Hurricanes of 2017, Business BVI is proud to announce the return of one of its most highly anticipated initiatives — the revival and rebranding of the BVI Outlook Conference into what is now known as the BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL.
As the former BVI Chief Minister, the Hon. HL Stoutt was well known for saying, ‘Timing is Everything’. I believe that this year 2025, has the potential to be seen as a tipping point, where the territory begins a serious pivot to adopting a more investor friendly approach to investment be they local or foreign.
This exciting new chapter will take place on 11 & 12 November 2025 at the newly rebuilt Peter Island Resort, setting the stage for an elevated experience of thought leadership and innovation. The BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL will continue its legacy as a flagship gathering — uniting influential global thinkers and dynamic local leaders for two immersive days of dialogue, discovery, and inspiration.
We believe that when people and ideas meet in the right atmosphere, something remarkable happens. The BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL is designed to cultivate that magic, with a curated programme where intimacy meets intellect, and where every connection has the potential to spark meaningful change.
2025 is an ideal opportunity for the rollout of the annual BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL.
our legacy
Since the original launch of the BVI Outlook Conference in 2011, our platform has consistently welcomed a distinguished roster of local, regional and international speakers.
Past presenters have included:
- Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group
- Dr. Robert Mathavious, former Managing Director, BVI FSC
- Elise Donovan, BVI Finance
- Anja Manuel, RiceHadleyGates LLC, USA
- Sir John Swan, former Premier of Bermuda
- Hon. Fabian Picardo, Chief Minister of Gibraltar
- Sharon Flax Brutus, former Director of Tourism BVI
- Allan Chastanet, former Prime Minister of St. Lucia
- David Jessop, The Caribbean Council, London
- Tom Marchant, Co-Founder, The Black Tomato Travel Group, UK
…and many more respected voices from across business, government, and global policy.
The BVI is very much in need of a pro-growth economic agenda, without which we face a future of serious stagnation, a future which past generations would find unbelievable.
As the former chief minister used to say,
"timing is everything."
H. Lavity Stoutt
former Chief Minister of the BVI
As the convener of the Festival, Business BVI is the leading business and investment publication of the Virgin Islands. With nearly two decades of editorial excellence, the magazine serves as a strategic platform to inform, inspire, and influence the BVI’s business landscape.
Locally produced with a global perspective, Business BVI keeps our audience connected to both domestic developments and international trends shaping our future. We aim to contribute to the soft power of the Virgin Islands — promoting it as a forward-thinking and opportunity-rich jurisdiction for international investment and enterprise.
In this issue, Business BVI explores the urgent call for a pro-growth agenda to push the territory beyond economic drift and into a decisive bull run. Like an apex predator, the BVI must move with speed, precision, and strategic focus—marketing its tourism and financial services at the high end of the global market while building the policy muscle to thrive in a volatile, multipolar economy. From the resilience of the U.S. market to shifting global travel trends, we examine the signals, strategies, and bold thinking needed to convert our natural advantages into sustained prosperity and a higher quality of life for all residents.
the pulse and
the purpose
The BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL is a natural extension of Business BVI’s commitment to building bridges across sectors and fostering strategic conversations that move the territory forward. The Festival provides a unique space for business leaders, policy makers, creatives, and curious minds to come together — not just to network, but to challenge assumptions, reimagine possibilities, and shape what’s next.
At the heart of it all is curiosity — the essential ingredient for innovation, collaboration, and growth.
Whether you’re a seasoned investor, an ambitious entrepreneur, a public servant, or a passionate changemaker, the BVI IDEAS FESTIVAL welcomes you to be part of something transformational.
Discover this year’s lineup of thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future.