Mauritius is at an important inflection point, according to Shamima Mallam-Hassan, MD of Trident Trust in Mauritius, who says the island nation is combining economic resilience with forward-looking reforms designed to strengthen competitiveness, attract investment, and prepare for long-term growth. In this exclusive interview, she outlines a country that is actively modernizing its business environment while leaning into the strengths that have long defined its role as a regional financial and investment hub.
“2025, Mauritius is navigating with a blend of economic resilience, strategic and forward-looking policies that are coming into place,” she says, setting the tone for a wider conversation about reform, infrastructure, and opportunity. She points to the new government’s first budget as a decisive moment, one that introduced “bold and difficult measures” aimed at reviving the economy, stimulating growth, and enhancing competitiveness. For her, the ambition is clear: Mauritius is not simply managing change, but using it to position itself for the future.
A central part of that future, she explains, is a stronger business climate built on faster, smarter processes. One of the most promising developments, she notes, is the introduction of a unique e-licensing platform linked to the KYC central depository, which should allow applications to be handled in real time and improve transparency for businesses and investors. “It is important that we take those bold measures to enable us to move to the next level,” she says, underscoring the need for practical reforms that make it easier to do business.
Infrastructure also features prominently in her outlook. She describes ports, airports, roads, digital transformation, and renewable energy as essential building blocks for growth, arguing that investment in these areas is inseparable from economic performance. “Without having a good port and airport… you can’t really do business and business will not grow,” she says. That same logic applies to digital infrastructure, where she sees major opportunity in modernization and efficiency.
On the financial sector, Mallam-Hassan is especially emphatic. She describes financial services as one of Mauritius’ largest economic engines, contributing significantly to GDP and employment, while also evolving beyond traditional corporate and fund structuring. “Mauritius has been known as a platform for corporate structuring, but also fund structuring,” she says, adding that this remains “the bread and butter” of the sector. But new products, new structures, and new legislation are broadening the country’s appeal, including variable capital company structures, digital asset regulation, and frameworks for family offices.
She sees this evolution as part of a wider repositioning around wealth management, sustainable finance, trade finance, and fund administration. Sitting between Asia and Africa, Mauritius has a unique advantage, she says, particularly as cross-border trade and intra-African trade gain momentum. “Where Mauritius can play an important role is to act as a platform for the structuring of those investments,” she explains, highlighting the country’s potential to support capital flows across the continent.
“Mauritius is not simply managing change — it is using this moment to position itself for the future.” Shamima Mallam-Hassan, MD, Trident Trust Mauritius
Her remarks also reflect the identity and philosophy of Trident Trust Mauritius, where she highlights independence, responsiveness, attention to detail, and client engagement as core values. With 45 years of global history and operations in around 20 countries, the group’s presence in Mauritius has been closely tied to African growth and the needs of fund managers investing into the continent. “The DNA of Trident is very much Trident Mauritius is very much Africa and will remain Africa,” she says, framing the company’s mission as both regional and long-term.
For investors, her message is direct: Mauritius offers stability, predictability, rule of law, and a well-regulated framework. “We are a tried and tested jurisdiction,” she says, pointing to 30 years of financial services experience as a key advantage. In her view, that track record matters because it gives investors the confidence that Mauritius is not only open for business, but capable of supporting sustainable, compliant, and strategically connected growth.
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