They meet with company executives, they will rework a CEO's speech, they will even offer cultural advice -- like what to where to a business meeting in Moscow.

They help bosses tackle what may be the greatest fear on the planet -- public speaking.

Alastair Grant, a partner with the London-based consulting firm of Grant Pearson Brown & Co. and Ian McDougall, a consultant with the firm, said as well as honing top executives' skills, the firm consults with clients on relationship skills.

Mr. Grant, a presentation skills expert, has travelled to Bermuda several times over the past six years to meet with banking, legal, insurance and reinsurance company executives.

Mr. McDougall focuses on consulting with executives and underwriters on client relationships skills.

"One of our goals is to get people to speak directly without waffling or rambling and look at the intellectual content of what they are saying,'' Mr.

Grant said.

"Oftentimes people attend seminars and come away with nothing. We try to make sure the speaker leaves the audience with two or three key points. And it is important that the integrity of the person comes across.'' Over the course of this week they have met with representatives of 14 Bermuda companies. They have also given their time to at least one philanthropic endeavour.

In future, they are looking to set up an open session through the Bermuda Insurance Institute.

"We also get involved with companies floating (stock) issues. If something is company sensitive we make sure it is worded correctly,'' Mr. Grant said.

He described Bermuda executives as "deeply interested in how they can look at their organisations and make sure systems match world centres.

"There's very very little complacency.'' Mr. McDougall, former vice president in charge of management development at Citibank in London, and most recently with stock broking firm Cazenove & Co., said that "ultimately it is about getting people to learn how to deal with people as people, no matter what their nationality.

"That's not just in Bermuda, that's everywhere.'' From a cultural angle, Bermuda looks not only stateside but also at other international jurisdictions as it grows as an international business centre, he said.

As an example of the worst case scenario, Mr. McDougall recounted the story of jeweller Gerald Ratner.

Mr. Ratner made disparaging comments about the quality of his stores' products.

He was later forced to leave the company he founded.

The company's share price fell, stores were closed and people lost jobs, Mr.

McDougall said.

The comments were so devastating to the company that it had to change its name to Signet.

Some refer to the indiscretion as a "Ratner'', Mr. McDougall said.

EXPERT ADVICE -- Alastair Grant, left, and Ian McDougall, of the London firm Grant Pearson Brown & Co., have spent the past five days working with Bermuda company executives on presentation and client relationship skills.