Just two years after becoming the 20th chapter of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), the Bermuda branch has been invited to host the organisation's 7th annual conference.

Next week, the local branch will welcome over 100 movers and shakers of the international business world at the three-day meeting at the Sonesta Beach Hotel. An impressive line-up of speakers from around the world will be taking part. Entitled `Hemispheric Integration: Global Business Meets in Bermuda', the conference represents an honour for Bermuda's business women, says Jean Wolosiuk, vice president of Sedgwick Management Services. "We are the newest chapter and were only approved for membership last year. This was quite an ambitious thing for a new chapter to deal with -- but I think it may have been the lure of Bermuda itself that did it!'' Ms Wolosiuk says that OWIT, founded in 1989 as a vehicle to enhance the increasingly important role of women in the global economy, does not restrict its membership to women. "There will be male speakers, including the Premier of Bermuda and we expect and hope that men will also attend the conference.'' Emphasising that the workshop will be "meaty'' in content, Colette Lundy (treasurer/manager at Skandia International Risk Management Ltd.) explains that the conference will cover such issues as Trade, Technology, Culture, Professional Development and Bermuda as the Premier International Business Centre. Through talks, discussion groups and workshops, attendees will tackle such topics as International Arbitration, the `Paperless' Office, Workplace 2000, Transcultural Negotiations and Stress Management -- International Survival of the Fittest. OWIT Director Carolyn Hall (managing director of Gulfstream Financial) promises that "this forum will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our young women as we don't believe the conference will come to Bermuda again.'' Noting that although OWIT membership is confined to women who own their own businesses, and executives at management level, or "well up the corporate ladder'', Ms Hall says that younger women who are interested, may apply for associated (non-voting) membership.

"We would really like to encourage all women to attend this conference, if at all possible. If they can't manage all the sessions, we would be happy to see them at just one or two.'' Bermuda's women have good chance to make important contacts Ms Hall says that a substantial number of women are being sponsored by employers who, besides the content of the conference itself, appreciate the unique opportunity offered for making important business contacts, and "I would also like to point out there's not often a chance to sit down and talk to people like this!'' Heading the list of keynote speakers is Kathleen Brown, who became a household name in the US as daughter and sister of two former Governors of California (Pat, and then controversial Jerry). Now the senior vice president of Bank of America, Ms Brown was also the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of the State and, until 1994, served as California's Treasurer, where she managed a budget of $16 million and oversaw a $26 billion investment portfolio. Ms Brown will be the speaker at the gala, black tie dinner on Saturday, November 9 and her topic will be, `Women, Money and Power'.

Other speakers include Jane Applegate, a familiar face on TV's Bloomberg Small Business and author of two best-selling books, `Succeeding in Small Business and Jane Applegate's `Strategies for Small Business Success'. Her syndicated newspaper columns reach around ten million readers each week and she is one of the most popular speakers on the US business circuit. She will give the keynote address at the Saturday luncheon session on `The Power of Passion: Six Steps to Success'.

Sally Helgesen, also a successful author and speaker, has just published `The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture to Building Great Organizations' which explores how innovative companies utilise the strengths of people at all levels. Author of the best seller, `The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership', Ms Helgesen will speak on `The Web of Inclusion: Building Organisational Strength from Grass Roots'.

Hea-Kyung Joo, director of Samsung Data Systems, will address `Global Quality Management -- Korean Style', and Kerstin Trone, deputy executive director of the United Nations Population Fund will give the keynote address on Sunday, November 10 (after a champagne reception and Bermuda codfish breakfast) on `What's Next after Beijing -- Women's Reproductive Health and Empowerment'.

On the local front, the Hon. Lynda Milligan-Whyte, JP, will be the keynote speaker on `Corporate Ethics and International Trade'.

OWIT was formed in the US in 1989 to enhance the status and interests of women in international business, to encourage exchanges of view concerning foreign commerce, to establish educational programmes and conventions to promote the employment of women in international trade and to promote professional growth, education and leadership among women employed worldwide both in the private and public sectors.

The four principal sponsors of this year's conference are the Bank of America, Bank of Bermuda Ltd., Bacardi International Ltd. and Sun Micro Systems.

The conference takes place at Sonesta Beach Hotel from Thursday, November 7 through Saturday, November 10. Non-members may register for $200 ($100 for one full day). Other events requiring separate registration include a Golf Tournament, Friday Dinner, Saturday Gala Dinner and Sunday Tennis Tournament.

For further details on registration for the entire conference or separate events, please contact conference planner Starla Williams at 292-9741 or Fax 292-2270.