Editorially Curated
By
Vishal Bhidu
Nikhel Chung Sam Wan is an entrepreneur, wealth practitioner and relocation specialist, while also serving as the Executive Director of Magellan, a Mauritius-based expat relocation, investors, and business advisory platform, in particular tapping French-speaking entrepreneurs. In this interview with Platform Africa, Nikhel Chung Sam Wan, who is also the Director in charge of Business Development at StraFin Corporate Services Ltd, discusses the mission and values of Magellan, role of EDB as an accessible gateway, the recent guide on streamlining of permits, as well as the jurisdiction acting as a bridge between Europe and Africa.
- Having served for more than 18 years in the financial services sector and in close collaboration with the expat community, what is your assessment of the Economic Development Board (EDB) initiatives in streamlining both occupational and residence permits to help facilitate entry for investors, professionals, and self-employed?
Over the past 18 years, one thing has become very clear to me: Mauritius has genuinely evolved in the way it approaches investors, professionals and expatriates. And, credit must be given where it is due.
The Economic Development Board (EDB) has played a major role in making Mauritius significantly more accessible than it was years ago. The reality is that today, an investor can structure a project, apply for permits, and relocate to Mauritius with far more clarity and efficiency than before.
Compared to many, the jurisdiction remains relatively agile, approachable, and human in the way it handles relocation and investment-related matters. This is of huge significance to a reputed financial services centre. Because investors do not only compare tax systems anymore. They compare experiences. They compare how difficult it is to move their family, the ease to obtain permits, how responsive institutions are, and whether they feel welcomed… or simply tolerated. In that respect, the jurisdiction still performs relatively well.
The EDB has clearly helped position the country as an accessible gateway for entrepreneurs, retirees, professionals and international families looking for stability and quality of life.
At the same time, I think it is important to remain honest and balanced. The global environment has changed dramatically. Expectations are no longer the same as they were even five years ago.
Today, investors are used to ultra-fluid digital onboarding, near-instant banking solutions and highly integrated immigration ecosystems. This is where Mauritius still has room for significant improvement.
The biggest challenge is no longer necessarily the permit itself. Very often, the real friction starts afterwards. Banking delays, compliance procedures, administrative inconsistencies between institutions, onboarding timelines and access to certain services can still become unnecessarily heavy for international clients. And sometimes, that creates a dangerous gap between the Mauritius we market… and the Mauritius investors actually experience.
In today’s world, speed is no longer a luxury. Speed is part of credibility. An investor who can open a structure in days but waits months for operational banking starts questioning the entire ecosystem. We must also be honest about another reality: the competition has intensified enormously.
Dubai moves fast. Rwanda is positioning itself intelligently. Portugal still attracts despite regulatory changes. Other jurisdictions are becoming extremely aggressive in attracting global talent, entrepreneurs and wealthy families. Mauritius, therefore, cannot afford to operate with a “we are still better than others” mentality.
That is often the first step toward decline. One area where I believe the country should accelerate significantly is digitalisation and institutional integration. Investors should not feel like they are navigating separate administrative silos. The process should become far more seamless, connected and predictable from permit application all the way to banking, taxation, healthcare, as well as family integration.
Because ultimately, the investor journey does not stop when the permit is approved. That is where the real experience actually begins. Mauritius should also focus less on attracting volume and more on attracting quality. The goal should not simply be to issue more permits. The goal should be to attract entrepreneurs, innovators, wealth creators, and international families who genuinely contribute to the ecosystem long term. Because the most successful jurisdictions are not those attracting the most people. They are the ones attracting the right people.
Despite the challenges, Mauritius still has something extremely valuable that many countries are slowly losing: balance. Political stability relative to the region, multiculturalism, safety, climate, bilingualism, international schools, and quality of life continue to make the local shores deeply attractive not only for investors, but for their families as well.
In today’s geopolitical environment, it has become far more powerful than many people realise. And that is probably the country’s strongest advantage today. A reputation is like a bank account: if you keep withdrawing without reinvesting, eventually you run out of credibility. Mauritius still has a very powerful story to tell. The question now is whether we are ready to evolve fast enough to remain part of the global conversation tomorrow.
2. You are also behind the Magellan, a company involved in the incorporation of more than 300 companies on the island. Can you share Magellan’s target countries and specialization that make it distinct from its competitors, as well as its African perspective?
Magellan was built around a very simple vision: making Mauritius understandable, accessible, and operational for international entrepreneurs, investors and families who genuinely want to establish themselves on the island or use the country as a strategic platform.
From the beginning, our positioning was never limited to a simple company incorporation. We mainly assist clients in relocation, business setup, residence permits, investment structuring, and operational establishment in the jurisdiction.
In many cases, we are not simply helping someone open a company. We are helping them reorganise a life project, relocate a family, structure regional operations, or prepare an African expansion strategy. That completely changes the nature of our relationship with clients.
Today, Magellan has accompanied the incorporation and setup of more than 300 structures in Mauritius, where it has developed an integrated ecosystem around expatriation, company formation, and corporate support services. What clearly differentiates Magellan from many competitors is also its very strong francophone orientation.
Our core market remains largely French-speaking clients, particularly France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and other francophone regions. This is not accidental. Mauritius naturally attracts many French-speaking entrepreneurs and families because of the bilingual environment, legal system, lifestyle, and cultural proximity.
Over the years, Magellan has, therefore, positioned itself as a bridge between the francophone world, Mauritius, and increasingly Africa. That cultural understanding makes a huge difference. Many international clients are not simply looking for technical expertise. They are looking for clarity, trust, and advisors who understand how they think, communicate, and structure business.
Relocation is often presented as an administrative process. In reality, it is usually a deeply personal and strategic decision. People are moving capital, businesses, spouses, children, and sometimes their entire future. They do not want a transactional service provider. They want guidance. They want transparency. They want someone capable of understanding both the technical side and the human side of the journey.
That is exactly how Magellan has positioned itself over the years. Another major area of development for us has been Africa. We assist many French and European companies looking to expand toward African markets or structure African-related activities through Mauritius. This is where we believe Mauritius still has enormous untapped potential.
Africa is becoming one of the most important growth stories globally, but it is also a continent that requires nuance, patience and local understanding. Many foreign groups underestimate the operational, regulatory and cultural complexity of entering African markets.
Mauritius can, therefore, play a very intelligent role as a bridge between Europe and Africa — not only fiscally, but strategically, operationally and culturally. But again, this requires honesty. Africa is not a single market. It is dozens of different realities.
One of the mistakes we still see sometimes is the tendency to oversell Mauritius as a “magic gateway to Africa” without enough operational depth behind the message. The gateway narrative only works if there is real expertise, execution, and regional understanding behind it. Otherwise, it becomes marketing. And sophisticated investors see the difference immediately.
Over the years, Magellan has tried to position itself less as a “seller of structures” and more as a long-term strategic advisor. Sometimes, Mauritius is the right solution. Sometimes it is not. Sometimes clients need a domestic company. Sometimes a Global Business Company. Sometimes, they should relocate immediately. Sometimes they should wait. The role of an advisor should not be to push products. It should be to build sustainable strategies.
3. There are numerous surveys, such as the William Russell, lauding the jurisdiction for its attractiveness in doing business and quality of life. How would you explain the tax advantage offered by the island for expats across financial services, and how Magellan helps advise companies and individuals to set up on the island?
The jurisdiction continues to attract expatriates, entrepreneurs, and international families because it offers something that has become increasingly rare globally: the ability to combine business opportunities with quality of life.
In today’s geopolitical environment, this has become a major advantage. More and more people are no longer relocating purely for tax reasons. They are relocating for stability, security, lifestyle, education, mobility, and peace of mind. They want a place where their children can grow up safely while remaining connected to international business opportunities. This is where Mauritius remains extremely attractive.
The island offers a unique balance between international accessibility, multiculturalism, climate, relatively stable institutions, and a human-sized environment that many investors find increasingly difficult to find elsewhere.
From a tax perspective, Mauritius also remains competitive with no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax, and an internationally recognised financial ecosystem. But honestly, tax is rarely the only trigger anymore. People move for a combination of reasons. Tax may open the conversation. Lifestyle is often what closes it.
At Magellan, this is exactly the reality we deal with daily. Our role is not simply to incorporate companies or process permits. We primarily assist expatriates, investors, and entrepreneurs through the entire relocation process to Mauritius.
Relocation is far more complex than people imagine. Moving country is not an Excel exercise. It is a life transition. Clients arrive with questions that go far beyond business structuring.
Where should they live? Which schools are best for their children? How does the healthcare system work? What type of permit should they apply for? How should they structure their income? How do they integrate operationally and personally once on the island?
Our role is, therefore, to help simplify that transition and make Mauritius operational both professionally and personally. We assist with Occupational Permits, Residence Permits, Investor Permits, company setup, banking coordination, administrative onboarding, and overall settlement support.
In many situations, we become one of the first real points of contact clients have with Mauritius itself. And that creates a responsibility that goes far beyond paperwork. Because when people relocate, they are not only moving capital.
They are moving habits, routines, spouses, children, expectations, and sometimes their entire future. Lifestyle as an element is something Mauritius should never underestimate. At the same time, I think the country must continue improving operationally. Investors today expect fluid digital services, modern banking solutions, administrative efficiency, and predictability.
4. From the standpoint of positioning Mauritius as an attractive hub to do business, to what extent can the EDB guide attract investment by making the differentiation between Pro Pass and Expert Pass in fulfilling objectives such as clarity, accountability, and economic relevance from an AML/CFT perspective to create higher value addition in the sector?
One of the biggest mistakes jurisdictions make today is believing that attracting foreign professionals is simply about opening the doors wider. In reality, sophisticated investors and international businesses are not looking for a system with no controls. They are looking for a system that is clear, predictable and credible.
This is where distinctions such as the Pro Pass and Expert Pass become important. Because beyond immigration policy, what Mauritius is really trying to build is a more structured and higher-quality ecosystem around talent, expertise, and economic contribution.
From an AML/CFT and international credibility perspective, this matters enormously. The global environment has changed. Regulators, banks, and international counterparties increasingly want to understand who is entering a jurisdiction, what value they bring, whether there is genuine economic activity, and whether the system can differentiate between strategic contributors and opportunistic flows. The era where countries could simply compete by being “easy access jurisdictions” is over.
Today, credibility has become part of attractiveness. This is a good evolution for Mauritius.
If structured properly, these types of frameworks can help bring more clarity both for investors and institutions. They create a more transparent narrative around why certain profiles are being attracted to the country and what economic relevance they bring. Attracting a highly skilled professional, a founder building regional operations, an AI specialist, a fintech entrepreneur, or an executive managing African activities does not generate the same impact as simply increasing permit numbers statistically.
The real objective should not be quantity. It should be quality and long-term value addition. Mauritius must increasingly position itself as a jurisdiction attracting competencies, innovation, and strategic capital rather than simply passive structures. And this is where a more differentiated approach can help strengthen the country’s international image. At the same time, I think execution will once again be the key factor. Creating new categories or new terminology is the easy part.
The real challenge is whether the ecosystem behind it is capable of delivering a fluid and credible experience. Because international professionals compare Mauritius with highly digitalised ecosystems elsewhere. They compare processing speed, banking access, digital onboarding, institutional coordination, and long-term predictability.
There is also another important point, which is sometimes underestimated: talent today is mobile. Extremely mobile. High-value professionals and entrepreneurs can relocate to multiple jurisdictions relatively quickly.
So, the jurisdiction is no longer only competing fiscally. It is competing for human capital. And, human capital follows environments where people can operate efficiently, live comfortably, and project themselves long term.
One thing Mauritius should avoid, however, is becoming overly administrative in the way these frameworks are applied. There is always a delicate balance between maintaining strong AML/CFT credibility and creating excessive operational friction. If the system becomes too heavy, too slow or too uncertain, sophisticated investors simply move elsewhere. And in today’s world, they move fast.
Ultimately, I believe initiatives such as the Pro Pass and Expert Pass can contribute positively, if they are part of a broader strategic vision. The real opportunity for Mauritius is not to become the easiest jurisdiction. It is to become one of the most credible, agile and livable international hubs connecting talent, business, and Africa. Because in the future, the jurisdictions that will win are not necessarily those offering the lowest taxes. They will be the ones capable of attracting the right people.
5. Being a wealth practitioner, what role do you think Mauritius can play in terms of cushioning assets and investment from an HNWI perspective to attract family offices and wealth management, looking at the Middle East conflict, where the DIFC saw 500-plus wealth and asset managers?
The current geopolitical environment is changing the way wealthy families think about jurisdictional strategy. For many years, wealth structuring was driven primarily by tax efficiency. Today, the conversation has become much broader.
High-net-worth individuals and family offices are increasingly looking at stability, geopolitical exposure, succession planning, banking diversification, mobility, lifestyle, and long-term asset protection.
In periods of global uncertainty, capital naturally searches for environments perceived as stable, credible, and livable. This is where Mauritius has a real opportunity, if positioned correctly.
The Middle East tensions, the growing fragmentation of the global economy, and increasing political polarisation in several regions are pushing many wealthy families to rethink concentration risk. We are seeing more investors looking for secondary jurisdictions, diversification hubs and family-oriented destinations where they can structure part of their wealth while also creating optionality for future generations.
The success of hubs such as the DIFC, which reportedly attracted more than 500 wealth and asset managers, clearly shows that global wealth is moving toward ecosystems capable of combining regulation, lifestyle, banking sophistication, and international connectivity.
Mauritius may not compete with Dubai on scale, but it does not necessarily need to. It should compete differently. The country has the potential to position itself as a more discreet, lifestyle-oriented, and Africa-connected wealth jurisdiction.
Honestly, if Mauritius truly wants to capture part of this global wealth movement, we need to accelerate significantly, where one of the biggest priorities is talent. We desperately need more high-level international expertise on the island. More private bankers. More wealth advisors. More estate planning specialists. More international tax experts. More family office professionals. More sophisticated banking and investment players. Attracting wealth is not just about creating a legal framework. Wealth follows ecosystems of competence.
If a billionaire family office relocates or structures assets somewhere, they expect immediate access to sophisticated expertise. They expect top-level private banking, investment advisory, succession planning, compliance support, and international structuring capabilities.
In context, Mauritius still needs to deepen this ecosystem considerably. I can already see positive signals emerging. For example, I am currently assisting two very well-known private bankers from Belgium who are looking seriously at Mauritius, including Tara Bendo, who is highly recognised in Brussels, notably through his television presence and reputation within private banking circles.
These are exactly the types of profiles Mauritius should be attracting more aggressively. Because when respected international professionals establish themselves in a jurisdiction, they do not only bring clients. They bring credibility, networks, know-how, and confidence.
6. You launched earlier this year, Kizuna, aiming to tap into prospective investment relocation from Madagascar, Dubai, and France, among your core activities. Can you share the mission and vision behind the group, as well as budget expectations, to help drive foreign investment to the local shores?
Kizuna Ventures was created as a holding and investment vehicle, but behind it lies also a very personal vision of what I believe business and investment should become over the next decade.
The name “Kizuna” hails from Japanese culture, which means “human connection” or “bond”. And honestly, that meaning reflects exactly the philosophy behind the project. We live in a world where too many businesses are built purely around transactions, short-term numbers, and financial extraction.
My vision is different. I believe long-term value is created through relationships, trust, ecosystems, and people who grow together over time.
One of the things I wanted to do through Kizuna was also to support SMEs, entrepreneurs, and talented individuals who may not necessarily have access to strong networks, visibility, or strategic guidance despite having real potential.
Honestly speaking, some of the most brilliant people I have met were not always sitting in large boardrooms. Sometimes they are small entrepreneurs with incredible ideas but without the ecosystem around them to scale properly. One thing I strongly believe: Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.
If Mauritius and our region truly want to evolve economically, we need to stop thinking only about attracting giant corporations while forgetting smaller businesses capable of creating real innovation and long-term value locally.
SMEs remain one of the true engines of economic resilience. They create jobs, they create agility, and very often they create the next generation of serious businesses. My vision behind Kizuna is to build bridges between regions, people, and opportunities — particularly between Mauritius, Madagascar, Dubai, France, and more broadly, Africa.
For instance, Madagascar remains massively underestimated despite its entrepreneurial energy and long-term potential. One of the very first investments made through Kizuna was in Befiana in Madagascar, because I genuinely believe there is enormous untapped potential in the Malagasy market when approached with the right long-term mindset and local understanding.
We also launched SoavaTech, which represents another important strategic direction for us around digital services, technology, and operational support. The name “Soava” hails from the Malagasy expression “Soava Dia”, meaning “good journey”, which again reflects this idea of connection, movement, and building bridges between markets and people.
Dubai has become a magnet for global entrepreneurs and mobile capital. France and the francophone ecosystem remain naturally connected to Mauritius culturally, economically and strategically. I believe there is a real opportunity to create smarter synergies between these regions rather than operating in silos.
7. As we speak about budget expectations, the Finance Act 2025 introduced new provisions such as Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), being eligible for tax exemption along with tax sops for AI investment, with double deduction. How can such AI-related measures boost the financial services in an ever-changing global landscape to make the jurisdiction more competitive?
The introduction of incentives around Virtual Asset Service Providers and artificial intelligence sends an important and positive signal: Mauritius understands that the future of financial services will not look like the past. Because one of the biggest risks for smaller financial centres today is irrelevance.
The world is changing extremely fast. AI is transforming compliance, onboarding, risk analysis, wealth management, customer service, fraud detection, investment research, and even legal structuring.
At the same time, digital assets, tokenisation, and blockchain are slowly reshaping how value itself moves globally.
The jurisdictions that fail to adapt to these changes risk becoming obsolete much faster than they realise. In that sense, the double deduction for AI-related investments and incentives around VASPs are good strategic moves because they show that Mauritius wants to position itself within the next generation of financial and technological ecosystems rather than remaining trapped in traditional structures only.
But again — and this is probably the most important point — incentives alone will never be enough. Tax exemptions attract attention. Ecosystems attract serious players. And there is a major difference between the two. One thing Mauritius must avoid is becoming a jurisdiction that announces modern concepts without building the operational depth behind them.
We cannot simply place “AI”, “Web3” or “digital assets” inside budget speeches and assume innovation will magically appear. Innovation does not happen through vocabulary. It happens through talent, infrastructure, regulation, execution, and market confidence.
If the jurisdiction truly wants to become competitive in these sectors, then we need to think much bigger. We need more specialised talent. More AI engineers. More data scientists. More blockchain experts. More cybersecurity professionals. More venture capital exposure. More digital banking infrastructure. More fintech sandboxes capable of attracting real operators and not just opportunistic structures looking for tax arbitrage. Because the reality is that the global race around AI and digital finance has already started.
Dubai is moving aggressively. Singapore is deeply integrated technologically. Abu Dhabi is building entire ecosystems around digital assets and AI. Even African jurisdictions are accelerating quickly in fintech innovation. We cannot
afford to move slowly. To be honest, speed matters enormously in technology. In traditional sectors, being late by five years may still be manageable. In AI, five years can completely redefine the market.
At the same time, Mauritius actually has a very interesting card to play. Smaller jurisdictions can sometimes adapt faster than larger economies if they are bold enough. The island has the ability to become a niche high-value hub focused on compliant fintech, African digital finance, AI-enhanced compliance services, tokenisation platforms and cross-border digital structuring.
It is difficult to market the jurisdiction as a future AI and digital finance hub while parts of the banking onboarding process still feel heavily outdated. The ecosystem must evolve together. Investors today look at coherence. They want to see a jurisdiction where regulation, banking, technology, talent, and government strategy move in the same direction.
Another major opportunity with AI is productivity itself. Mauritius has historically faced challenges around market size and the availability of specialised labour. AI can partially help bridge that gap by allowing smaller teams to operate at much higher levels of efficiency and sophistication. A small jurisdiction with the right technology can suddenly compete beyond its physical size. And that could become a major strategic advantage for Mauritius if approached intelligently. But once again, execution will determine everything.
