Hamilton, Bermuda (June 17, 2024) — Member companies of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR) are hosting a record number of 108 paid interns this summer, opening valuable work experience opportunities for Bermudian students.

ABIR kicked off the summer internship programme by hosting a reception at O’Hara House, attended by David Burt, JP, MP, the Premier of Bermuda; Karen Grissette, U.S. Consul General to Bermuda; Tom Oppenheim, the Deputy Governor of Bermuda; numerous leaders from the island’s global re/insurance industry and the interns who will spend the summer working with Bermuda’s leading international re/insurers.

The interns will also benefit from professional development, networking and industry learning opportunities through events and initiatives organised by the ABIR Intern Steering Group, made up of past interns who now work in full-time roles with ABIR member companies.

Pina Albo, Chair of ABIR and CEO of Hamilton, said: “By providing more than 100 students with a taste of working life in Bermuda’s global re/insurance market, ABIR and our member companies are building awareness of the range of opportunities in the industry among Bermuda’s leaders of the future, and building relationships that could lead to careers. Internships are part of our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

John Huff, President and CEO of ABIR, said: “We are proud that ABIR continues to provide the largest, private-sector student internship programme in Bermuda. With approximately 70% of the workforce of ABIR member companies made up of Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians and permanent residency certificate holders, we are committed to keeping the pipeline of local talent flowing.”

The members of the ABIR Intern Steering Group are: Malini Romeo (Ascot), Nicholas Pell (Ascot), Camille Chin-Gurrett (Aspen), Dakota Lamb (Convex), Leah Smith (Chubb), Trae Smith (Chubb), Isabella Boonstra (Guy Carpenter) and Shantori Fox (Hamilton).

This year’s programme includes: 

• A quiz night ice breaker – a kick-off event for the interns to mingle and network with one another in the 2024 Intern Working Group

• Lorene Phillips, executive leadership coach and founder of Clarendon Wallace, will lead the interns in an ‘Interviewing Skills’ workshop, a hands-on interactive workshop designed to help interns prepare for and excel in job interviews

• ABIR will gift each intern a professional headshot for their LinkedIn profile, resume or work biography

• Arch Capital Group and Hiscox Re & ILS will host the interns for a two-session ‘Career Roundtable Series’, featuring young professionals with 3-5 years’ industry experience, representing a cross-section of roles, to learn more about entry-level jobs

• Dr. Crystal Clay, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, leadership coach and founder of Olive Branch Consulting, will provide social-media coaching to the interns, with a focus on creating and optimising a compelling LinkedIn profile

• Sustainability and Resilience Volunteer Day

• A social and networking event for the interns to close the programme

Intern positions were offered to Bermudian students by: ABIR, Aeolus, AIG, Aon, Arch Capital Group, Argo, Ariel Re, Ascot Group, Aspen, Chubb, Conduit Re, Convex, Fidelis, Fortitude Re, Hamilton, Hannover Re, Hiscox Re & ILS, Marsh McLennan/Guy Carpenter, Mosaic, MS Reinsurance, PartnerRe, RenaissanceRe, Sompo Holdings and Willis Towers Watson.

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About ABIR: The Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR), which represents Bermuda’s major property and casualty insurers and reinsurers doing business in 150 countries, was founded in 1993. For three decades, the Bermuda market’s risk-bearing capacity has played a key role in enabling insurance to be accessible and affordable, to the benefit of consumers around the world. Bermuda is an internationally recognized center of global expertise on underwriting for catastrophe, climate, cyber, mortgage & credit risk transfer products, along with other specialty insurance and reinsurance. For more information, please visit www.abir.bm or follow us on X @ABIR_Bermuda.   

Note:  Additional photos from the Summer Intern Reception are available.