The Bermuda Insurance Institute has named the four recipients of its 9th Annual Insurance Industry Awards, to be presented at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess on May 12. They are:

Lifetime Achievement Award — Brian Duperreault

Reinsurance Person of 2006 — Henry Keeling

Young Reinsurance Person of 2006 — (joint) Theresa Dunlop and Laurie Orchard

Brian Duperreault was born in Bermuda and raised and educated in the US. He returned to the Island in 1994 to take the helm of Ace as chairman, president and chief executive officer, overseeing the growth of the small Bermuda-based insurer into one of the largest and most profitable property casualty insurers in the world.

He was an actuary with American International Group from 1973, and gave more than 20 years’ service to AIG and its affiliates.

His leadership and vision has made him recognised as one of the giants of the insurance industry.

At Ace he directed a growth and diversification strategy marked by numerous acquisitions. He oversaw ACE’s consolidation of Tempest Reinsurance Co. Ltd. and Lloyd’s managing agencies Methuen and Ockham in 1996; Westchester Specialty, Cat Ltd. and Tarquin plc in 1998; and CIGNA P&C and Capital Re Corp. in 1999.

In May 2004, Mr. Duperreault stepped down as CEO of Ace, remaining chairman until his retirement last June. He steps down as non executive chairman this year.

But he is keeping busy. He becomes chairman of the Bank of Butterfield in April, is chairman of the Centre on Philanthropy, chairman of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and a director of Tyco International Ltd.

A noted philanthropist, he has given generously on a personal and professional level to the communities in which he lives and does business.

Henry Keeling, is executive vice-president and chief operating officer of XL Capital Ltd. The BII is honouring him for his staunch advocacy of the Bermuda market and his contributions to the advancement of the insurance industry.

Mr. Keeling is a prolific speaker at industry events both locally and abroad. In New Orleans in three weeks’ time, he will present at a session at this year’s Risk and Insurance Management Society’s annual conference.

He participated in the Fox-Pitt, Kelton First Annual Bermuda in Boston 2005 Conference and Standard & Poor’s Bermuda Insurance 2006 Conference. And he wrote a regular column, from 2003 through 2005, for Reinsurance magazine on the state of the industry and related topics.

Mr. Keeling began his career in 1974 with the Mercantile & General, in London, and also spent six years in the broking fraternity, including three-and-a-half years as a resident representative for Leslie & Godwin Limited in Tokyo, Japan.

After a spell with Lloyd’s Syndicate 51 he joined Mid Ocean Reinsurance Company Ltd in 1993, as its senior underwriter and ultimately became president, chief operating and chief underwriting officer in September 1997.

Following the merger of Mid Ocean with XL Capital Ltd in 1998 Mr. Keeling was Chief Executive for XL’s Reinsurance Operations until January 2006. In 2005 he was additionally named Global Head of Business Services for XL Capital Ltd.

Mr. Keeling became chief operating officer for XL Capital Ltd, last July with broad strategic responsibility for XL’s underwriting risk assumption businesses

Therese Dunlop entered the Bermuda Insurance industry in 1996 when she joined American International Ltd. as an account administrator in their Risk Management Division; and worked her way up to insurance officer. From AIG, Theresa made her way to Heddington Insurance Limited in 2000 where she quickly progressed to the assistant underwriter level. She joined Oil Insurance Ltd. in 2001.

Ms Dunlop began her insurance studies at the Bermuda Insurance Institute (BII) whilst at AIG and continued to work, study and raise a young family. She obtained her Associate in Reinsurance (ARe) in 1999 and her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters’ designation (CPCU) in 2003.

After completing her designations, Theresa elected to contribute to the development of Bermudians by teaching insurance classes at the BII. She has also served on BII’s Education Committee and currently sits on OIL’s Scholarship and Education committees.

She currently is a senior underwriter and team manager at Oil Insurance Limited.

BII said Ms Dunlop’s “whole life has been about hard work, dedication, achievement and overcoming significant obstacles. Her commitment to professionalism and education has been the driving force behind her rise in the insurance industry.”

As assistant vice-president of operations at XL Re Ltd., Laurie Orchard’s work includes acting as a liaison with XL Re’s strategic ceded partners, ensuring operational efficiency of XL Re’s reinsurance business operations, relationship management, acting as a business lead on key company projects, and implementing new strategies and methodologies to improve business and support issues as they arise. Laurie is a mentor to several of her colleagues at XL and others in the industry.

She has significantly contributed to promoting education, conduct and ethics within the Bermuda market through her volunteer activities.

She has been actively involved with the Bermuda Insurance Institute (“BII”) for six years. She currently serves as the Vice President of the BII, Chairperson of the BII Education Committee, and Chairperson of the Bermuda Insurance Market Exam Committee. Ms Orchard helps shape the activities of the BII to ensure the provision of educational seminars and courses that reflect the needs of the current marketplace.

She has volunteered as a career day speaker at Somersfield Academy. She was also the keynote speaker at the BII’s 2006 Annual Education Awards Luncheon, addressing the issues around sustaining the development of Bermudians to support the growing international business sector.

According to the BII, Ms Orchard is “very passionate about finding ways to encourage Bermudians and members of our industry to pursue further insurance education, and to function at very high ethical and technical standards”.