week that focuses on mutual funds.

The International Bar Association's (IBA) Sixth Annual Globalisation of Mutual Funds at the Southampton Princess Hotel, starting Sunday, will attract a record number of mutual fund experts from around the world.

It is the second year in a row that the conference will be sold out to a maximum of 400 delegates.

The luncheon speaker on Monday will be Mr. Timothy Geithner, deputy assistant secretary, international monetary and financial policy, US Department of Treasury.

The Bermuda conference has rapidly become one of the highlights on the international mutual funds calendar.

Vice chairman of the IBA mutual funds committee and local host coordinator for the conference is Mr. Peter Rodger, the Bank of Butterfield's senior vice president and group legal advisor.

Some of the topics to be covered include money laundering regulations, the use of derivatives and cross border marketing. The conference has been a year in the planning.

Another topic involves selecting the best jurisdiction, although the conference will not, this year, allow direct promotion of jurisdictions.

Mr. Rodger said: "We're doing it differently this year. Too often at these conferences we have what we call in the business "beauty parades'' where someone from Bermuda stands up and says, "I'm best'' and someone from the Cayman Islands stands up and says "I'm best''.

"What we're having this year is a session on Monday afternoon, where the people who will be discussing this are not from the jurisdictions, but whose business it is in London, New York and Boston to advise other people on which is the best jurisdiction.

"In keeping the conference down to 400, instead of a thousand or two thousand, it is small enough to have roving microphones in the Mid Ocean amphitheatre of the hotel. Anyone who disagrees with what is said, can raise a question. There is a strong turn out from all of the offshore jurisdictions.'' Mr. Rodger will speak on the operational impact on service providers of money laundering regulations.

Speaking of the conference in general, Mr. Rodger said: "This is the perfect form of combining international business and tourism. Here we have a major hotel that will be filled with business people, all here for an international business purpose. Spouses are also invited if they wish to come.'' Delegates include a large contingent from the US, representatives from Australia, Bahamas, England, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Mauritius, the Netherland Antilles, Taiwan and Spain.