of Texas for the 37th annual Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc.

conference which begins today at the Dallas Convention Centre.

Behind the schmoozing there's serious business afoot. Their mission for the week is to market their services and the Island to American risk managers at one of the largest conferences of its type in the world.

A diverse group of captive managers, bankers, accountants, investment analysts, lawyers, insurance brokers, politicians and civil servants will attempt to make Bermuda's presence felt among an estimated 9,000 delegates.

International business brings in the largest chunk of revenue to the Island and the focus is on keeping Bermuda firmly in the sights of those who pay the bills. But Tourism Minister David Allen will also be on hand to ensure the business crowd don't forget the pink beaches and blue skies.

Bermuda traditionally lays out a lavish spread for the RIMS event, competing with the delegations from the Cayman Islands and Barbados, other offshore centres attempting to emulate the Island's reputation.

The Bank of Butterfield's cocktail party tonight at the Adam's Mark Hotel is one of the many corporate events being held to get closer to the client.

But the main event for Bermuda as an Island occurs on Wednesday. The Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA) begins the day with a breakfast round-table at which Premier Jennifer Smith and Finance Minister Eugene Cox will speak.

The event is being held at the swank 1,620-room Wyndham Anatole Hotel. It will be the first chance for many in the room to meet Bermuda's new Government and hear about their plans to foster international business.

BIBA is aiming the Bermuda message at senior finance, banking, accounting, legal and management executives in the area.

Then Ms Smith and the delegation are slated to visit the Dallas Convention Centre, where about 900 booths will be set up by various vendors of insurance services. She will stop off at the Bermuda booth, made up to look like a traditional cottage.

They will wander over to visit booths set up by the Bank of Butterfield, Bermuda Commercial Bank, ACE USA, XL America, Stirling Cooke, and PartnerRe's new acquisition Winterthur International.

Bermuda reception a hot ticket at Dallas convention Later that evening they will also host the Bermuda reception at the Dallas Museum of Art at which about 600 to 700 people are expected to attend. The reception is one of the hottest tickets at RIMS.

"Many Goals, One Direction'' is the stated theme of the conference, one meant to embody the way the risk management profession is evolving, according to RIMS publicity material.

Bermuda will be marketing itself as a jurisdiction that has moved with the times, continuing to be the largest captive insurance domicile in the world, and with companies that have taken the world by storm.

While traditional insurance continues to play a significant role in reducing business risk exposures, risk management has evolved into a broader area, according to RIMS. Beyond buying insurance, risk management has become a broader part of the corporate business process, balancing risk with financial resources. A large percentage of risk managers in Dallas for the conference work for large multinationals with overseas operations, or for companies looking at international expansion.

Speakers at the 150 sessions being held during the conference will be talking about the risks associated with expansion, including business, pollution liability and workers' compensation issues, global insurance programmes, protection for overseas employees.

Other discussions will focus on the broadening of risk analysis into the area of financial exposures. Coverage of currency, exchange, interest rate risk and the use of derivatives, hedges and options are hot topics these days among risk managers and insurance professionals.

And of course, the impact of technology, the Internet and the Year 2000 computer problem will be at the forefront of the debates.

Bermuda's delegation will be hoping to assure delegates that the Island's businesses is primed to fulfil their needs before the conference ends Friday.

BUSINESS BUC