Premier to join industry leaders at BDA London forum

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Nov. 23, 2017 -- Premier David Burt will join more than two-dozen Bermuda executives in a multi-industry forum being held in London next week to showcase the breadth of expertise and advantages offered by the island’s global business market.

Participants in next week’s BDA London Forum include, from left: (top) Premier David Burt, Siân Hill, Jeremy Cox, Grainne Richmond, Ross Webber; (bottom) Arthur Wightman, Brad Kading, Robert Childs, Jessel Mendes, Greg Wojciechowski

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78c5ac53-07f7-4dd8-83e0-753ea5b4c80b

Organised by the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), the one-day event Tuesday, November 28 at ME London has attracted over 200 registrants. It will feature top regulatory and industry leaders in moderated discussion panels covering re/insurance, captive insurance, insurance-linked securities, asset management, family offices, and trust and private-client business. A networking reception will wrap the event in the evening.

“The government supports the Bermuda Business Development Agency in this awareness-raising event that offers such great prospects for business executives to engage with our market’s regulatory and industry leaders,” said the Premier. “Bermuda is an excellent place to do business, with a respected record on transparency. That is our message as we seek to grow our economy and build careers for the Bermudian people.”

Premier Burt will officially open the forum that will see morning panels debate risk-industry topics—from insurance trends and the outlook for 2018 to why Bermuda remains “the World’s Risk Capital.” Afternoon sessions will focus on the rapidly-growing convergence of re/insurance and asset management, then move to examine high-net-worth services, family governance and charitable trust structuring.

“This forum is an educational opportunity that demonstrates the strength of Bermuda as a centre of excellence across industry sectors,” said BDA CEO Ross Webber, who will moderate the opening panel on Brexit and Solvency II. “The support we have received from our industry partners is impressive, and we’re confident the event will help promote and differentiate Bermuda well in the key London market.”

The day’s line-up features 25 Bermuda executives, including Bermuda Monetary Authority CEO Jeremy Cox; Bermuda Stock Exchange CEO Greg Wojciechowski; Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers President Brad Kading; Grainne Richmond, President of the Bermuda Insurance Management Association (BIMA); and Keith Robinson, Chairman of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP) Bermuda. Deputy Chair of Lloyd’s and Hiscox Chair Robert Childs is the event’s keynote speaker.

Other Bermuda-based executive participants include Mark Allitt of KPMG Bermuda; Sarah Demerling of Estera; BDA former chair and Hiscox Director Caroline Foulger; David Gibbons of PwC Bermuda; Ed Granski for Meritus Trust; Randall Krebs of Harbour International Trust Company; BDA Board member Jessel Mendes, of EY Bermuda; Michael Neff of Butterfield Bank; Michael Parrish of Marsh Bermuda; Peter Pearman of Conyers Dill & Pearman; Brian Quinn of Granite Management; Fozeia Rana-Fahy of MJM; Aon CEO Joe Rego; Andrew Smith of Qatar Re; Ariane West of Taylors in association with Walkers; Arthur Wightman of PwC Bermuda; Kim Willey of ASW Law; and Akilah Wilson of the BMA.

Overseas presenters include Richard Hay of Stikeman Elliott, London; Siân Hill of KPMG UK; and Samantha Morgan of RMW Law.

“The timing of our event, following the recent Paradise Papers coverage and leading up to European Union code-of-conduct decisions next month, provides a great opportunity for Bermuda to tell our story,” noted Webber. “Our top-tier regulation, our market’s substantive global companies, our robust legislation, our respected record on international compliance, cooperation and tax transparency—all these advantages set Bermuda apart. Highlighting those facts through our world-class industry experts can only have a positive impact.”

The following day, the ILS Bermuda group is hosting a complementary morning session at the same venue focused solely on insurance-linked securities. “Beyond Convergence” will provide a more detailed look at Bermuda’s success in attracting capital, expertise and clients to the ILS sphere, as well as the rapid evolution of alternative reinsurance and the management of risk capital. Two sessions, moderated by ILS Bermuda Chair Greg Wojciechowski, will feature some of the same industry experts, including the BMA’s Cox, ABIR’s Kading, and BDA’s Webber.

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