Europe, has just opened offices in Bermuda, their 15th international division.

Winterthur, a $40-billion full service insurance company now has a physical presence in the Corner House on Parliament Street, Hamilton.

The company has been registered here since 1982, and in 1989 formed Winterthur International Services Ltd., whose managing director is Ms Windsor Ironside.

The offices were officially opened by Tourism Minister, the Hon. C.V.

Woolridge and the executive vice president of Winterthur Swiss Insurance Company, Mr. Willi Suter, flew to Bermuda for the opening.

Mr. Suter, in describing Bermuda as an ideal location to set up base, said: "Our company has experienced significant growth in the past five years and that, together with the confidence we have in Bermuda's ability and its infrastructure, we decided that we needed our representative office.'' The Winterthur Group, founded in 1875, employs 20,000 people worldwide in offices in Europe, North America and the Far East.

Also present at the opening were Mayor of Hamilton, the Rt. Wor. William Boyle; and Mr. Hans Gmuender, senior vice president of Winterthur.