About

Dr Dax Basdeo oversees strategy, operations, policy, legislation, and administration for the Cayman Islands Ministry of Financial Services and Commerce.Under the Ministry are:

• Departments: Department for International Tax Cooperation; General Registry; Department of Commerce and Investment; Cayman Islands Intellectual Property Office; Cayman Islands Centre for Business Development.

• Government Statutory Authorities: Cayman Islands Monetary Authority; Auditors Oversight Authority; Civil Aviation Authority; Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands; Special Economic Zones Authority; Air Transport and Licensing Authority.

• Government Companies: Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.

• Boards: Trade and Business Licensing Board; Liquor Licensing Board; Film Exhibition (Control) Board.

• Secretariats:National Maritime Affairs Secretariat.

• Tribunals: Copyright Tribunal; Trade Mark Tribunal; Design Rights Tribunal.

• Government’s Overseas Representatives: North America; Asia; and based in the UK Office, the Deputy Representative for Financial Services in the UK and EU.
Dr Basdeo joined the civil service in 1995 as an economist. In 2004 he became the director of the Cayman Islands Investment Bureau (now the Department of Commerce and Investment), leading the team in developing policies and programmes for inward investment, economic diversification and small-business development.

He became a Chief Officer in October 2010. Since then he has continuously overseen financial services, and he also has overseen commerce for most of his tenure.
Dr Basdeo has a Bachelor of Science in finance and statistics from the University of Pennsylvania; an MBA from the University of Manchester; and a PhD in strategic management from the University of Maryland.