women list in the US publication Business Insurance.

The list marks the most influential women in the industry to date, and includes four women from XL, the late MP Madeleine Joell and Overseas Partners Ltd.'s chief executive officer.

Former Miss Bermuda Ms Joell, who passed away last year, is honoured as "an advocate for the industry and Bermuda''.

It said in the 1980s Ms Joell worked as an insurance broker in Hamilton for firms now owned by Marsh Inc and Aon Corp. In the mid 1990s she moved to ACE Ltd where she became a vice president and director of marketing.

"In addition to her achievements in the insurance industry, Ms Joell was a celebrated community figure in Bermuda. In 1978 she was named Miss Bermuda and represented her country in the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants.'' The article also hailed her as an exceptional amateur golfer, who won the Bermuda Amateur Championship in 1987.

It added that shortly before her death of a brain aneurysm in February 1999, Ms Joell had been elected to Parliament.

It said ACE had established the Madeleine Joell Nest Egg Fund to promote excellence in primary schools.

Fiona Luck, Executive Vice President of Group Operations at XL Capital Ltd in Hamilton is also named. She has been in the insurance industry since 1983.

Other XL women include Ellen Thrower, director of XL Capital Ltd, Martha Bannerman, EVP, NAC Reinsurance and Elizabeth Eiss, EVP, XL Specialty Insurance.

Mary Hennessy, president and chief executive officer of Bermuda-based Overseas Partners Ltd, was also included in the group of international women.

Honoured: Madeleine Joell BUSINESS BUC