Isle of Man Cements Position as 'AIM 100' Jurisdiction of Choice
Cains is top law firm as island forges ahead of Canada in market capitalisation rankings
The combined value of non-UK companies listed on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and incorporated on the Isle of Man now exceeds any other jurisdiction, according to the second in a series of research reports by Hemscott, commissioned by Cains.
Examining the top 100 non-UK companies listed currently on AIM (AIM 100), the report reveals that Isle of Man incorporated companies in this particular group have a combined market capitalisation of £6,240.04 million, propelling the Isle of Man into first place, ahead of Canada.
The latest figure signifies an increase of 16% on April 2007's total of £5,221.89 million and also exceeds the combined value of companies listed in Canada (£2,268.19 million), the British Virgin Islands (£1,926.04 million) and Australia (£1,671.09 million), which rank second, third and fourth respectively.
Cains currently ranks as the Isle of Man's top law firm based upon the market capitalisation of AIM clients, advising companies valued at an aggregate of £4,734 million. The firm also sits fourth in the overall UK rankings.
Meanwhile, the Isle of Man continues to lead the way in terms of the number of AIM 100 listed companies incorporated within its boundaries, the Island's total of 15 keeping it in first place ahead of Bermuda (6) and more than Channel Islands Guernsey (5) and Jersey (4) combined.
Andrew Corlett, managing director of Cains, said: "These figures reflect the continued evolution of the Isle of Man as one of the world's most respected international finance centres. The Island's agility and responsiveness in creating a fiscal, legal and investment environment which meets the needs of global businesses is successfully positioning it as the preferred access point to London, the world's premier commerce centre.
"At Cains, we're continuing to experience this first hand, advising on listings involving companies from key emerging markets including India and China. We’re also anticipating significant opportunities to do business of this kind in Central and Eastern Europe and the Far East, all in the context of the consistent growth of the Isle of Man."
The research also reveals when looking at the AIM as a whole, the Isle of Man has now joined Guernsey as the jurisdiction most preferred by non-UK companies. Both islands now have 57 companies listed, although the Isle of Man is enjoying a more rapid pace of growth, rising from 46 in April, compared with 49 in Guernsey.
A similar picture emerges when AIM is assessed in its entirety in terms of market capitalisation, with the Isle of Man again leaping ahead of Canada into first place, the combined value of companies increasing 17% from April to £9,043.65 million.
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