Oliver Cherry has received this year’s Axa XL scholarship, a full award for undergraduate students pursuing subjects related to the insurance and reinsurance industry.

Mr Cherry, a Bermudian, studies business and political economy at Tulane University in New Orleans, with a concentration in economics and public policy. He expects to graduate in 2029 and hopes to build a career in Bermuda’s insurance and reinsurance sector focused on risk, climate and public policy.

“Olly’s intellectual curiosity, ingenuity and maturity stood out during the interviews with shortlisted candidates,” said Carol Parker Trott, chair of the scholarship committee. “He embodies the characteristics of a scholar. We look forward to supporting him as he navigates his educational journey and career choices in the insurance industry.”

Mr Cherry graduated from Suffield Academy in Connecticut with honours, and previously attended Somersfield Academy. He has also held community service and leadership roles. At Somersfield, he helped to start a community garden and fundraisers for local and international charities. At Suffield, he co-led the school’s environmental activism group, initiating programmes that cut single-use plastics.

He is also an entrepreneur, launching Bermuda Your Way, a tourism website designed to help small businesses to stand out through curated itineraries.

Mr Cherry has represented Bermuda internationally, serving as a youth delegate at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, also known as COP28, and competing in the World Schools Debate Championship in Vietnam, where he earned the Best Overall Speaker prize from the Bermuda Debate Society.

Among his honours are the Youth Climate Ambassador award from the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute and Teen Services’ award for Most Outstanding Teen in the Hospitality category.