Employment opportunities that could emerge as a result of Bermuda's growing technology sector should not be underestimated, a leading lawyer said today.

Steven Rees Davies, a partner at Carey Olsen Bermuda Limited and an adviser to clients in the technology space, said that there was a misconception that job creation would be limited and only available in highly specialised technical roles.

But Mr Rees Davies said: "I feel there is a perception that jobs in this fast-growing sector only exist in a finite number of areas, whereas the truth is that employment opportunities in this industry are, and will be, extremely similar to those that exist in any other.

"Whether they be in legal, compliance and accounting roles or in office support, coding and engineering, the exact same network of jobs will be created that you already see in finance and other well-established industries in Bermuda.

“Sectors ancillary to a thriving technology industry would also see a notable uptick in on-island demand and opportunities as they would naturally need to grow to support it, which would be great news for the economy generally."

Mr Rees Davies is chairing a virtual breakout session, “Living, Employed and Deployed in Tech Central”, at the Bermuda Virtual Tech Summit hosted by the Bermuda Business Development Agency, which opens on Wednesday.

Panellists for the session, to be held on Thursday from 12.30pm until 1pm, include Jeff Baron, head of compliance at Bittrex; Stephanie Shih, general counsel at XBTO Offshore Group; and Tasha Jones, compliance officer at Stablehouse.

Mr Rees Davies encouraged those keen to learn about what a successful technology sector means and looks like for Bermuda to attend the session.

Carey Olsen said that Mr Rees Davies worked with the Government and other stakeholders in the introduction and development of the island's digital asset legal and regulatory regime, and represents a significant number of technology companies headquartered, or with operations, in Bermuda.

Mr Rees Davies said: "It's a really exciting time for anyone interested in being part of the global technology space and more specifically those businesses that Bermuda has already legislated for.

“Bermuda has already become a destination of choice for those businesses looking for legal and regulatory credibility and certainty and so it is an ideal time for Bermuda residents to consider the growing number of options that are becoming available in this sector."

Mr Rees Davies will also appear as a panellist for a discussion around Bermuda's future digital infrastructure at the summit, while counsel Sheba Raza will moderate a panel session on tech investment trends and the private wealth sector, Carey Olsen said.

The firm is a silver sponsor of the event.

Register for event sessions by visiting the summit website at https://hopin.com/events/bermuda-tech-summit-2021#schedule.