Bermuda will soon be home to a regional branch of the 100 Women in Hedge Funds (100WHF) organisation. It has taken only three months for the fledgling Bermuda group to attract 100 members — the minimum requirement to create a regional location of the global organisation.

“We are delighted to hear that 100WHF has reached its initial target membership and can now officially establish in Bermuda,” said Caroline Foulger, chairwomen of the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA).

“The fact this took just three months to achieve is a remarkable statement about the energy and motivation of Bermuda’s business women to be part of this powerful leadership association.”

She added: “100WHF will be a phenomenal way for local women to join a dynamic global network. And it provides a new avenue for the Bermuda message, which will add an additional pillar to our international business communications strategy.”

The 100 Women in Hedge Funds is a global organisation linking more than 13,000 professional women in the alternative investment, asset management, investor and broader financial services industry. It offers networking, educational and philanthropic opportunities in more than 19 locations around the world.

Since it was set up in 2001, it has hosted around 500 industry education events and raised more than $36 million for philanthropic causes in the areas of women’s health, education and mentoring.

In December, the New York-based group’s chief executive officer Amanda Pullinger visited Bermuda, meeting with Premier Michael Dunkley and the BDA. That led to a group of senior professional women on the Island organising a dinner to drive forward a plan to create 100WHF Bermuda.

Having achieved the 100 members milestone, it is anticipated that a 100WHF Bermuda group will be officially launched in June.

Alison Morrison, managing director of Oyster Consulting and a member of the BDA’s Asset Management Industry Focus Group, who has led the push to set up a Bermuda location for 100WHF, said: “We’ve met the 100-women mark — now the real work begins.”

Another member of the BDA industry group, Elizabeth Denman, who is a partner with Conyers, Dill & Pearman, said: “We are very proud to be a part of the changing landscape in the asset management industry in Bermuda.

“Launching 100WHF Bermuda is another step towards supporting future women leaders in our industry and community.”

The 100WHF’s mandate is to advance the role of women in the alternative hedge funds investment industry and also make a difference in the lives of women globally.

Local women interested in becoming a member of can register at https://www.100womeninhedgefunds.org/pages/register_new.php.

Further information is available from Alison Morrison at 505-5036, or alison.morrison@oysterllc.com, or by visiting the website www.bda.bm.