Among the panellists and speakers at sixth annual (Re) insurance Conference, sponsored by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and PwC, will be Validus Holdings chairman and CEO Ed Noonan, Alterra Capital CEO Marty Becker, Axis Capital chairman Michael Butt, Hiscox Bermuda CEO Charles Dupplin, Ironshore CEO Kevin Kelley and Haverford (Bermuda) chairman Mark Byrne.The event is titled “At The Intersection of Risk and Value”. Ongoing global economic uncertainty and the continued challenges of the soft market have raised questions about value and the traditional reinsurance business model.How reinsurers seek to address this challenge in part through redefining their value proposition while they respond to the ever changing financial markets’ world is the central focus of the conference.The event, which at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel, will be opened by David Law, PwC’s Global Insurance Leader.Re/insurance industry leaders will be joining senior credit analysts from Standard & Poor’s New York and London offices, and senior partners from PwC’s re/insurance practice.“The reinsurance industry is facing a challenging economic environment in 2011 and that is set to continue until at least 2012,” said Caroline Foulger, Insurance and Reinsurance Leader, PwC Bermuda. “Ongoing uncertainty and a continuing soft market are limiting growth opportunities and investment returns for many companies, however, there is an opportunity for forward-thinking insurers and reinsurers to look beyond ‘managing the cycle’, and redefine their value proposition.“Many companies are revising their strategies, and focusing on transforming their business and operating models, to respond to new market opportunities created from dislocation. The most successful among them will be those with a clear strategy that creates robust and sustainable value for stakeholders in the near- and long-term.”The panel discussions will feature the following themes.l Chairmen’s View: Industry chairmen have a unique perspective on how (re) insurers can respond in this unpredictable economic environment. This panel will discuss how to balance stakeholder interests within a strategy that addresses the challenges of operating in an increasingly regulated environment.l Catastrophe Models and Volatility: This discussion among industry leaders will look at the catastrophe pricing trends and overall catastrophe risk management in area that has seen increased activity in recent years.l Current Global Economics & Impact on the Industry: Whilst in general reinsurers weathered the 2008 financial crisis well, more recent economic developments offer both new challenges, and potentially, new opportunities. This panel will look at upcoming trends as well as current events and discuss strategies to survive and drive business growth for this industry within it.l Cycle Management: A look at the strategies companies are employing to address challenges, such as pricing, earnings, reserving and catastrophe risk as part of cycle management.l Mergers & Acquisitions: This examination of the current M&A environment will seek to identify the key drivers and deterrents that are likely to influence the pace and shape of future consolidation activity in the global (re) insurance sector, and what this means for Bermuda market players.l Reinsurance Value Proposition: As we reach a potential inflection point within the industry, this panel will discuss the insurance and reinsurance industry value proposition. Topics will include differentiation, transparency, stakeholder management, growth, future global capital flows, and regulation.“In our view, the ongoing soft market presents management with the not-so-small task of positioning their organisation in a manner that allows them to achieve profitability over the coming quarter while setting them up to prosper in the coming years,” said Damien Magarelli, senior director, Standard & Poor’s Insurance Ratings Services.“Our annual conference serves as a forum in which we can discuss the challenges that property/casualty and reinsurance industry executives will face, as they strive to continuously deliver stakeholder value while addressing fundamental, industry-wide challenges with far-reaching implications.”Registration opens at 1.30pm today and Mr Law will deliver his opening remarks from 2.30pm.A full agenda and registration form are available at www.bermudareinsurance2011.com.