The Bermuda International Business Association -- founded to represent the interests of Bermuda companies servicing international business -- was on the verge of extinction three years ago. Now, as chairman Mr. Richard Butterfield prepares to step down, BIBA has defined its role and is preparing to market the Island as an international business centre.

Mr. Richard Butterfield, outgoing chairman of Bermuda International Business Association, has succeeded in turning the organisation from a lame duck into a warhorse.

At the end of 1990, a rumour was circulating that the 21-year-old BIBA was to be taken over and a new ruling council established.

"BIBA had become so ineffective that a group of senior people in the organisation had started to meet separately. It was recognised that would not work so the meetings were abandoned,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

"It was shortly after that BIBA undertook an examination of the international business industry. Out of that has arisen a major revitalisation of BIBA.'' The events which triggered the metamorphosis of BIBA began in 1990, when the Premier and the Ministry of Finance formed the International Business Forum.

The forum decided the international business industry should be put under the microscope and examined for ways to make it more competitive and user-friendly. BIBA was asked to take on the assignment.

BIBA appointed a steering committee and Mr. Butterfield was named its chairman -- while he was off the Island.

"It was just exactly what we ought to have been doing,'' said Mr.

Butterfield, who is a partner at accountants Coopers & Lines.

Later in December 1991, he was named chairman of BIBA. At that time, he said BIBA had a council that met once a month for lunch.

"It was not particularly pro-active, in the sense that it was not particularly active at all.'' Now, as Mr. Butterfield prepares to hands over the chairmanship to bank executive Mr. Cummings Zuill, the association is successfully rejuvenated.

"BIBA is unrecognisably different, except all members are the same, but in every respect there is no resemblance at all to the BIBA of the past,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

He stands down from his position next Wednesday, having stamped out a blueprint for the future, which includes a stronger emphasis on marketing Bermuda overseas. In addition, the association, that consists of Bermudian-owned companies, which provide services to the international business industry, has decided to incorporate BIBA.

A significant result will be a more democratic structure. Less than two years ago, the only staffing support that BIBA had was a couple of hours work supplied by the secretariat of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

BIBA's infrastructure is now in place, with a permanent office since early 1992, and two permanent staff, including marketing manager Ms Wendy Davis -- who described as a "super'', "a great plus''.

The association no longer operates on a shoestring budget, but boasts a sum in excess of six figures.

Plans are afoot to make contractual arrangements with public relations consultancies and market research consultants, abroad and possibly in Bermuda.

"It is important to get the message out to community about how international business benefits the community. We want students, teachers and parents to know about opportunities for young people so they can be correctly prepared,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

By the end of 1991, about 25 task forces, each with an area of international business to examine and report on, had been set up.

Beginning in January 1992, the new council agreed to meet twice a week and the chairman's committee met afterwards.

BIBA still had no general management function so the steering committee fulfilled the role of general manager, said Mr. Butterfield.

By the end of 1992, 24 task forces had presented progress reports and this year, recommendations were made, assembled in a database and parcelled into action area or "buckets'', said Mr. Butterfield. Each action area appointed a action team to sift through recommendations.

The results of this labour are coming to fruit now. "There is a good deal to be done, but a good deal that has been accomplished,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

One of the action teams concluded in spring 1992 that the generic marketing of Bermuda had never been properly coordinated or adequately done.

"There are influential journalists that need to be identified because they are people that our potential customers read. We need to cultivate them and supply them with information,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

"The recent Financial Times report on Bermuda was unmanaged. No one had planned it. The FT used an old picture of Sir John Swan and they spell his name wrong.

"None of these things would happen if this had been managed. This is the role that BIBA wants to play for international business.'' Wendy Davis has prepared the outline of a marketing plan for the next three years, which is now being discussed with Government. "We believe it will go ahead,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

The Minister of Finance has pledged funding for generic marketing of Bermuda as an international business jurisdiction.

BIBA is clearly no longer an informal association so we needed to become incorporated, said Mr. Butterfield.

BIBA is now a non-shareholder corporation, with a board of directors. BIBA's byelaws -- its internal rules for running itself -- will give members more say about what is done in Bermuda.

Under the new incorporated BIBA, the 30 members are individual companies, which appoint individual to represent them.

The first responsibility of each new board of directors will be to develop a business and working plan, and budget for the following year. The four classes of professionals involved in BIBA -- lawyers, accountants, management firms, and bankers -- each has to approve the plan by a 80 percent majority before it is implemented.

"Since they are providing the funding, they will have a great deal of say in what happens to it. That has not happened before,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

"Previously, the council did everything.'' What will Mr. Butterfield do with the hours he previously dedicated to BIBA, when steps down? "There is still plenty to do, but it will be a change as it has been very much part of my life for three to four years,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

The Bermuda International Business Association -- founded to represent the interests of Bermuda companies servicing international business -- was on the verge of extinction three years ago. Now, as chairman Mr. Richard Butterfield prepares to step down, BIBA has defined its role and is preparing to market the Island as an international business centre.

PLANNING TO KEEP BUSY -- Mr. Richard Butterfield.