Former White House chief information officer Theresa Payton will give the keynote speech at next week’s Bermuda Captive Conference.

Ms Payton served under President George W Bush from 2006-08, the first woman to hold the position, and was in charge of information technology oversight for the President and 3,000 staff members.

With previous executive roles in banking technology at Bank of America and Wells Fargo, Payton is a cybersecurity authority and expert on identity theft and the internet of Things (IoT).

She advises organisations on improving their IT systems against cyber threats, through her company Fortalice LLC.

The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), one of the conference sponsors, stated that organisers estimate the event, which will be held at the Fairmont Southampton from June 8 to 10, will draw about 650 delegates.

Ms Payton’s speech, scheduled for noon next Tuesday, is titled “Big Data and the internet of Things: Boon or Bust for your Cyber Security Efforts?” She will discuss marketing databases, customer analytics, and protecting data elements from hackers, as well as how IoT will drive global change.

The conference will be opened by Premier Michael Dunkley at 2.30pm next Monday. Highlights include round-table discussions by expert panellists, information sessions on trends and hot topics in the captive insurance industry, and networking events including a nature walk, golf tournament, and beach barbecue.

Some 138 inductees to a new “Captive Hall of Fame” — honouring companies active in the Island’s captive sector over the past quarter-century — will also be recognised and presented with certificates by Premier Dunkley after his opening remarks.

“The Bermuda Captive Conference recognises the important relationship between captives and Bermuda as a leading domicile,” said Tom McMahon, BCC chairman. “This award is designed to acknowledge the loyalty and commitment of these companies to making Bermuda the world’s number-one domicile for captive insurance.”

Bermuda is the top global captive jurisdiction, home to more than 800 captive insurance companies, supporting primarily Fortune 500 corporations in the US, and generating over $20 billion in annual gross written premiums.

Notably, Bermuda-based captives support an estimated 25 per cent of the American medical insurance and reinsurance market, and a growing number are originating from Canada and Latin America in recent years.

Next Monday’s opening round-table at 2.45pm will feature Robert Paton, president of the Bermuda Insurance Management Association; Robert Vermes, president of the Bermuda Captive Owners Association; Jeremy Cox, CEO, Bermuda Monetary Authority; Bob Richards, Minister of Finance; and Brad Kading, president of the Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers.

Speciality sessions throughout the event will focus on a wide range of industry issues, including restructuring and re-domiciling; inter-company loans between captives and parents; healthcare captives; investment opportunities; group captives; segregated accounts; global fronting; emerging risks; and Bermuda as a domicile for LatAm captives.

The BCC will broadcast updates throughout the conference via its Twitter (@BermudaCaptive) and Facebook feeds. A full conference schedule can be found at www.bermudacaptive.bm. For more information, e-mail info@bermudacaptive.bm or call conference coordinator Rhona Emmerson at 441/295-2626.