The local office of Swiss Re is to donate $50,000 to the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies to help Bermudians achieve their goals.

And the five-year gift materialised after the recent Foundation fundraising dinner which was aimed at increasing the insurance community's awareness of the charity's aims.

Swiss Re senior management member David Whiting explained what prompted the company to get involved.

"I was particularly impressed with academic achievements of the various award recipients. Their accomplishments are certainly a fitting testament to the value and success of the Foundation,'' he said.

The Bermuda branch of Swiss Reinsurance Company specialises in the underwriting of alternative risk transfer and risk financing programs for insurers and large corporations.

BFIS chairman Brian Hall said the pledge from Swiss Re was a "wonderful start to the second phase of the fundraising drive''.

"And we are delighted to welcome them as members of BFIS. It clearly demonstrates the importance companies in Bermuda's expanding insurance market give to the education and training of Bermudians.'' A BFIS spokesman said more than $4.3 million had already been raised to assist Bermudians get the right qualifications to tackle the insurance industry.

But to maintain a fully funded ongoing endowment programme, $3.2 million still needed to be raised.

This would make sure Bermuda's insurance companies have a "pool of well-educated and prepared Bermudian staff to draw from''.

Making the pledge: Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies chairman Brian Hall thanks Swiss Re's David Whiting and Scott Bradley.

AWARDS AWD