this weekend for the American Bankers Association (ABA) annual security, audit and risk management conference, the Bermuda Insurance Institute said.

Bermuda-based brokers and underwriters have attended the conference but this is the first time the Bermuda market will participate as an official exhibitor.

ACE Ltd. executive vice president, underwriting, Dominic Frederico and XL Reinsurance Company, Ltd. senior vice president William Thornhill are slated to speak at the conference.

Mr. Frederico will discuss balance sheet protection while Mr. Thornhill will review ways to tackle new liabilities and risk that expose financial institutions' balance sheets and income statements to catastrophic loss.

Price Waterhouse partner Richard Patching, a member of the Insurance Advisory Committee's marketing team, will be managing the Bermuda booth.

The three-day conference, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, will attract about 600 risk managers, insurers, brokers and regarded as the premier gathering of US bank insurance, security and audit professionals.