The 40th annual Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) conference got off to a swinging start in New Orleans on Sunday evening with a reception featuring live alligators, a live band and acrobats to entertain delegates from around the world.

More than 8,000 people are attending this year's conference which is themed "Managing Risk Worldwide." A Bermuda delegation of more than 100 people is attending the conference, including Premier Jennifer Smith, Finance Minister Eugene Cox and Registrar of companies Jeremy Cox. The RIMS organising committee has said that the September 11 terrorist attacks highlighted the increasingly important role risk management and insurance issues play in the global economic agenda, which will be a hot topic at the conference.

The agenda for the conference was changed following September 11 and the Enron scandal with new sessions included designed to examine the impact of the tragedy. David Hale, chief economist for the Zurich Group, will speak at a luncheon on Thursday April 18 on the impact of war and terrorism on the insurance industry.

Other new sessions include Security and Terrorism Issues for Risk Managers, Enron - Lessons Learned and Industry Impact, and Silence is Not Golden - The Art of dealing with a Crisis. Bermuda will also be a prominent part of this year's conference after the influx of 12 new major insurance and reinsurance companies. The efforts of US Senators to enact legislation to close Bermuda's "tax loophole" will also be a hot topic. The conference begins in earnest this morning and ends on Thursday with almost 200 sessions covering nearly every aspect of risk management. The Bermuda booth, a replica of City Hall will make its third appearance at a RIMS conference having been to San Francisco in 2000 and Atlanta in 2001.

There will also be the Bermuda reception on Wednesday night for about 500 people held at the Ritz Carlton with Bermuda singer Gita Blakeney performing for the second year in a row.