Real Estate lawyer Tom Peeters has been appointed partner with VANEPS as per 1 July. Tom joined the Dutch Caribbean firm in 2013 and heads the Bonaire office. Under his wing, the branch has steadily grown and managed to achieve a permanent position as market leader on the island, with clients such as the (Central) Government, utility companies, the airport, and various international hotels.
To that end, Tom has invested a lot in know-how of and insight in the business community in Bonaire and the other Dutch Caribbean islands since his arrival. He regularly publishes, speaks and provides workshops, and is board member and supervisory director of various organizations, including BONHATA (the trade organization for tourism in Bonaire). For instance, Tom will host a seminar on procurement and contracting in Curaçao on 7 July, to be repeated in St. Maarten in August. He also raised questions and stressed the importance of the practical feasibility of the Electricity and Drinking Water Act BES with the government, resulting in important modifications in the final version of the law that was introduced on 1 July.
Tom responds as follows: “I am glad and proud to be part of the team (of partners) of VANEPS and to be involved in the challenging real estate developments in the Caribbean. The growth of our office in Bonaire is symbolic for the increase in business activity on this island, where the need for practical, practicable, and creative advice increases.”
Managing partner Focco Lunsingh Scheurleer adds: “Our firm has offices on all islands and invests in local know-how and commitment. The BES Islands get more and more regulations of their own. Local incorporation hereof provides a new dynamic. This requires advice with an understanding of local circumstances. In recent years, we have shown to be able to anticipate and advise in this respect, and Tom has had an important role in it, beside his role as branch manager in Bonaire.”
