This year's Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) 2008 conference in San Diego proved to be a big success all round for Bermuda's participants.

The Bermuda booth was the focal point for much of the activity that went on throughout the five days, with the likes of insurers such as Ace and XL represented and brokers of the ilk of Aon and HSBC Insurance Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd. there, as well as the Bermuda Monetary Authority flying the flag for regulators. Furthermore, the Bermuda Insurance Development Council in the form of its chairman Roger Gillett and chairman of the RIMS sub-committee on hand to offer their expert advice.

In addition, most of the Island's companies worth their salt in the risk management industry had their own booths, and even Bermuda's rival jurisdictions including the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Barbados knew that anyone who was anyone had to be seen at the event.

The popularity of the Bermuda beach bag was a key feature, with numerous sightings of the lime green hold-all being made around the convention centre.

Equally impressive was the head count of visitors to the booth itself, with a staggering 3,500 plus finding themselves drawn towards to the inviting exterior of the Bermuda house design.

The main talking points at the sessions centred around such hot topics as sustainability, climate change and global warming, while there were a number of innovative new products on the market ranging from hurricane catastrophe models to e-mail authentication.

There was no shortage of special events to attend either, from keynote speaker breakfasts and luncheons, press briefings and meet-and-greet sessions to receptions, parties and shows in the evening.

For the avid reader there was also plenty of literature on offer from trade publications to RIMS' very own bookshop to select titles from.

But the highlight of the week was the Finance Minister Paul Cox's walkabout, attracting almost as much attention from other onlooking stall holders and visitors as from the Bermuda contingent itself as she paced the red carpet, meeting and greeting some of the Island's finest risk managers and even going the extra mile to drop in and say hello to rival jurisdictions and Caribbean neighbours.

Proving that old traditions die hard, Ms Cox also took the time out to visit the Lloyd's of London booth for what has turned into a very civilised cup of coffee with its members in recent years.

But she saved her champagne moment for last with a rousing and entertaining speech to all those assembled at the Bermuda Reception that evening.

Many good memories will certainly be taken from RIMS 2008, as well as deals sealed and contacts made, and it is hoped Orlando will live up to the same billing next year.