Fund Foundry 2026: Guernsey supporting the next generation of fund managers

The Fund Foundry was created to encourage emerging and first-time fund managers to consider Guernsey as the jurisdiction in which to launch their funds.

As an international professional services firm, Mourant supported the initiative contributing legal expertise and practical guidance.

What is the Fund Foundry?

The Fund Foundry brought together a group of organisations with a shared aim: to introduce new and emerging managers to Guernsey and help them understand what establishing a fund in the island could look like in practice.

It was designed to do more than promote the jurisdiction. By connecting managers directly with experienced service providers, it gave them a clearer view of the support available from the earliest planning stages through to launch and beyond.

“The strength of the initiative was that it tried something different,” says James Cousins, Partner in our Guernsey Corporate practice, and part of the Fund Foundry initiative.

“It created a practical route for fund managers to explore Guernsey, meet the people they could work with and see how joined up the local industry is. For managers already considering the island, it may have helped move their plans forward. For others, it put Guernsey on their radar for the first time.”

How did Mourant support the initiative?

Mourant participated as one of the Fund Foundry’s service provider partners. Aside from financial support for the not-for-profit initiative, Mourant contributed educational content and practical insight. This included an online session, written information and participation in an in-person panel and open question session when the shortlisted managers visited Guernsey.

The aim was to help participants understand the legal and operational considerations involved in establishing a fund, while giving them the opportunity to hear directly from advisers with experience across the fund lifecycle.

The team also looks forward to working with successful applicants who chose to instruct Mourant and access the firm’s funds expertise.

“Our role was to contribute to the wider ecosystem around the managers,” James explains. “The project brought together legal advisers, administrators, banks, auditors, tax specialists and other service providers. That collective approach matters because a new manager needs more than an individual adviser. They need a network that understands what they are trying to achieve and can work together efficiently.”

What stood out about the participating managers?

The initiative attracted a strong level of interest. Twenty shortlisted managers were invited to Guernsey, with five ultimately selected for the final stage of support.

For James, the quality and engagement of the managers were among the most encouraging aspects of the programme.

“I was impressed by the calibre of the people we met and by how developed many of their ideas were,” he says. “They engaged seriously with the process and made good use of the opportunity to understand the jurisdiction, its service providers and the practical steps involved in setting up.”

Why does Guernsey appeal to emerging fund managers?

Guernsey combines a long-established funds industry with a close working community of advisers and service providers. For managers building a new platform, that can translate into direct access to experienced people, efficient decision making and a clear path from concept to launch.

“Guernsey has a substantial funds industry, supported by providers who know one another and are used to working collaboratively,” says James. “That was visible throughout the Fund Foundry. Participants could see the accessibility of the market and how the different parts of the ecosystem connect.”

Choice of jurisdiction will always depend on a manager’s strategy, investor base, distribution plans and wider commercial requirements.

For a lot of emerging managers, however, Guernsey’s combination of proportionate regulation, speed to market, tax neutrality, wide choice of fund vehicles, cost efficiency and access to experienced advisers can be particularly attractive. The island also offers access to investors globally, subject to the marketing requirements that apply in each case, through mechanisms such as the national private placement regime.

What could the Fund Foundry achieve over the longer term?

The immediate value of the project was the opportunity it gave managers to test their plans, build relationships and experience Guernsey’s funds community first hand. Its longer-term impact may extend beyond the five managers selected for the final stage. Connections were also formed with the wider group that visited the island and with applicants whose plans may develop over time.

James adds “Future programmes could build on that foundation by deepening the links between emerging managers, potential investors and other sources of support. Any next phase would need to be developed carefully, but the first Fund Foundry has already demonstrated the value of coordinated action across the industry.”

What could the Fund Foundry achieve over the longer term?

For James, the most important outcome was the way the initiative presented Guernsey as a connected, accessible place to establish a fund.