Former US Congressman and NBC and MSNBC television news analyst Harold Ford Jr. has been unveiled as the keynote speaker at the Bermuda International Business Association's (BIBA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.

The AGM will be held at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel on March 4 between 12 p.m. and 2.30 p.m.

"We are delighted to have Mr. Ford speak to our members so that we can learn more about the challenges and opportunities that face America and how Bermuda can play a vital role in the US and global economy," said Cheryl Packwood, CEO of BIBA.

"Based on our 2009 economic impact study, we know that Bermuda is a critical provider of insurance and reinsurance in the US and that capital from investment funds here are invested in companies and provide hundreds of thousands of jobs in the US.

"We've been an important ally to the US, value our relationship and would like it to continue in a way that is mutually sustainable and beneficial. Having someone of Mr. Ford's stature and experience speak to our members, even as he contemplates a run for the US Senate in New York, is important and we look forward to hearing his message." Mr. Ford served the state of Tennessee in the US Congress for 10 years. He was described by President Bill Clinton as, "the walking, living embodiment of where America ought to go in the 21st century".

He is now chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, a news analyst for NBC and MSNBC, and a visiting Professor at the NYU Robert F Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

During his five terms in the Congress, Mr. Ford's focus was on results. Having served on both the Financial Services and Budget Committees, his passion for free enterprise and balanced budgets and confidence in American ingenuity bolstered his belief that America's best days are in front of it.

Mr. Ford is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he received his BA in American History, and of the University of Michigan Law School. He serves on the Pentagon's Transformation Advisory Group, an assembly of current and former military commanders, political figures, academics and business leaders who advise on how to modernise the US armed forces. He is also an overseer on the board at the International Rescue Committee and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.