Suzanne Williams-Charles, the director of policy and regulation at the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, is to be a featured panellist at Insurance Europe’s 13th International Conference in Paris.

Ms Williams-Charles will speak about Abir members’ leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion in a panel discussion entitled “Why DEI in insurance matters”.

The conference in June is the flagship annual event of Insurance Europe, the European insurance and reinsurance federation.

Through its 37 member associations, Insurance Europe represents more than 4,900 companies.

Abir said its members played an important role in backing Europe’s insurance market.

Bermuda re/insurers have paid more than $65 billion to EU policyholders and ceding companies, mainly for large catastrophes and property and specialty claims, since 1997.

The Bermuda market writes approximately 20 per cent of broker-placed European property catastrophe reinsurance and would pay an estimated 40 per cent of claims from a European wind storm.

Abir members employ more than 14,000 people in the European Union and the UK.

“Abir and our member companies are committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce,” Ms Williams-Charles said.

“In Bermuda, our DEI efforts are centred on attracting and developing the next generation of Bermudian leaders, through educational support, work experience opportunities and professional development.

“I look forward to briefing the delegates on our DEI initiatives in Bermuda in what should be a compelling discussion.”

Abir partnered with Bermuda College and St John’s University to offer a 14-week foundational insurance course for a third successive year in 2023, seeking to provide a basic knowledge of the industry to Bermudians from all backgrounds.

Last year, two of the course participants were awarded the inaugural Abir scholarships that will support them through undergraduate programmes at St John’s.

Abir members also hosted a record number of 91 paid interns in their Bermuda offices last year.