The Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA) will be flying the flag for the Island when it hosts a top conference in New York at the end of this month.

BIBA will be staging the annual Bermuda Financial Services Conference at the Harvard Club of New York on September 30 in a bid to get out the message that Bermuda is a quality jurisdiction with high standards of regulation, intellectual capital and experienced, and highly-qualified service providers.

The Association believes its efforts and points will hit home with US businesses and individuals – particularly given the challenges of 2008 and early 2009.

BIBA, which has built up a list of more than 10,000 individuals who visited its booth at a series of events across the world and expressed an interest in Bermuda over the past 15 years, will be holding a delegates' dinner hosted by different member companies, including Endurance Specialty Insurance and Canopius Underwriting Bermuda Ltd., the evening prior to the main event.

Finance Minister Paula Cox, who will be in attendance at the event as a keynote speaker, said: "I am looking forward to attending and speaking at this year's conference, especially in light of all the new developments this year. We have maintained our standards of excellence in the global arena and the recognition has been given.

"We were placed on the OECD white list in June. Then, on September 2, Bermuda was elected vice-chair of the steering group of the new Global Forum consolidating our blue chip reputation. I look forward to telling the Bermuda story and supporting the efforts of the Bermuda International Business Association in promoting Bermuda as the financial jurisdiction of choice. "

Cheryl Packwood, CEO of BIBA, said: "Bermuda is already playing a significant role across our entire financial services industry as a part of the transformation and reigniting of capital markets and the global economy.

"As our economic impact research validated, Bermuda is an important part of the US economy and we are hopeful that our message of appropriate regulatory oversight and sophistication and innovation will resonate with the US market and drive additional international business. We appreciate the support and participation of Minister Cox and Mr. Elderfield along with all of the international business delegation. We have received a record number of RSVP's and are optimistic that we will be reaching many new clients and reconnecting with long time partners."

The event will kick off with a breakfast and keynote speech by Casey Reckman, sovereign wealth analyst at Fitch Ratings, before a panel discussion on 'Choosing Bermuda' moderated by Ron Geffner, partner at Sadis Goldberg, and featuring Chris Gauk from Ernst & Young, Jonathan Kim of Montpelier Re, Tammy Richardson of Appleby, and Stephen Lowe of the Registrar of Companies.

This session will run concurrently with a debate on 'Infrastructure and Energy', moderated by Linda Smith of Belco, and including Sheila Lines of Keytech, William Francis of the Ministry of Energy and Telecommunication, and John Kyle of Gateway Systems.

The focus will then switch to funds and fund administration, looking at 'A Stakeholder's Value – A Discussion of Lessons Learned and the Way Forward', moderated by Michael Tannenbaum, managing partner at Tannenbaum, Helpern, Syracuse, Hirschtritt LLP, with the panel comprising Dawn Griffiths of Conyers Dill & Pearman, Ede Conyers of ISIS Fund Services, Craig Bridgewater of KPMG and Rod White from Equinoxe AIS Trusts, while trusts will be topic up for discussion for moderator Randall Krebs of Appleby, and panellists Ronald Schmalcel of Butterfield Group, David Sussman of Conyers Dill & Pearman, and Rajah Abusrewil of Trott & Duncan.

The afternoon's schedule will start with lunch and a keynote speech by Minister Cox, after which 'Convergence in 2009 and beyond – The Impact of Financial Crisis, Market Cycle and investor Appetite on Risk Linked Investments' will be moderated by Kathleen Faries of Tokio Millennium Re, and debated by a line-up of Jonathan Kim of Montpelier Re, and David Cash of Endurance.

At the same time, private wealth management will be the subject for moderator Cole Simons of HSBC Bank of Bermuda, and a panel of Nir Sadah from Butterfield Bank, Bob Richards of Bermuda Asset Management Ltd., and Wendell Hollis of HCS Group Ltd.

The day will be rounded off with a discussion on capital markets: listings, mergers and acquisitions, and stock exchange, featuring moderator Greg Wojciechowski of the Bermuda Stock Exchange, Tod Ackerly of Covington & Burling LLP, and Jeff Conyers of First Bermuda Securities Ltd., and a concurrent session on re/insurance and captives, moderated by Jonathan Reiss of Ernst & Young, Mr. Cash of Endurance Specialty Insurance, Colm Homan of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Brad Adderley of Appleby and Susan Patschak of Canopius Underwriting Bermuda Ltd., all wrapped up by closing remarks from Matthew Elderfield, CEO of the Bermuda Monetary Authority.