Bermuda Risk Summit 2026 Concludes
The fifth annual Bermuda Risk Summit 2026 has concluded, having welcomed 460 delegates, including 172 international attendees.
A spokesperson said, “The fifth annual Bermuda Risk Summit 2026, hosted by the Bermuda Business Development Agency [BDA], brought together senior leaders for three days of high-level dialogue, market insight and strategic engagement that reinforced Bermuda’s position as a leading jurisdiction at the intersection of risk, capital and innovation.
“Held at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club under the theme “Building What’s Next,” the Summit convened senior leaders from across reinsurance, insurance, long-term risk, capital markets, regulation and adjacent sectors to examine the forces reshaping the market and the frameworks needed to respond.
“This year’s Summit welcomed 460 delegates, including 172 international attendees, representing 37% of total participants. In total, 217 companies were represented, spanning 18 headquartered jurisdictions.
“Participants travelled from key markets including the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, alongside representation from Australia, the Cayman Islands, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and European jurisdictions. That breadth of participation reflects Bermuda’s continued draw as a global convening point for decision-makers in risk and reinsurance.
“Across three days, the Summit explored the strategic issues shaping the market, including the balance between risk, returns and resilience; the growing significance of wildfire and conflagration risk; the role of AI in both productivity and emerging exposures; the continued evolution of insurance-linked securities; the application of parametric solutions in complex environments; and the outlook for long-term and life reinsurance markets.
“The programme reflected not only the breadth of today’s risk environment, but the need for integrated solutions across underwriting, capital, technology and regulation. Throughout the week, Bermuda’s value proposition was clear: a jurisdiction with regulatory credibility, market depth and a unique ability to bring industry, government and regulator together around practical, market-relevant solutions.
“Building what’s next also means building the pipeline. A defining feature of this year’s Summit was the Future Leaders Forum, held on 11 March and designed to connect students, graduates and career-shifters with opportunities across Bermuda’s risk ecosystem.
“The Forum welcomed 106 students and career-shifters from Bermuda’s public and private schools, Bermuda College and the Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning, alongside 21 university students from Canada and the United States. They engaged directly with 39 speakers and professionals from across the [re]insurance market, service providers and recruitment industry.
“Far from being a side programme, the Forum gave real expression to the Summit’s theme. If Bermuda is to keep building what’s next, it must continue investing not only in new ideas and new capital, but in the people who will sustain the market over time. The scale of participation from both students and industry reflected a strong shared commitment to that goal.
“Jason Hayward, Minister of Economy and Labour, delivered welcoming remarks at the Forum, encouraging attendees to see Bermuda’s risk and insurance market not simply as a legacy industry, but as a dynamic global sector with evolving opportunities.
“For the BDA, the Bermuda Risk Summit is designed to do more than host conversation. It is a strategic platform for relationship-building, market positioning and conversion.
“The longer-term impact of the Summit is becoming increasingly clear. Companies that first engaged through earlier editions have since established or expanded operations in Bermuda, while this year’s event generated new connections that are already progressing into active opportunities.”
Kendaree Burgess, Managing Director, Bermuda Business Development Agency, said: “What we saw over these three days was not just conversation, but alignment around where the market is going and how Bermuda is positioned within it. In a period defined by volatility and recalibration, the message from global leaders was clear: the market is seeking quality jurisdictions that offer clarity, credibility, and the ability to execute.
“The strength of our jurisdiction lies in how closely industry, regulators and government work together to remove friction and enable solutions that are fit for purpose. That was evident not only in the dialogue on stage, but in the level of engagement and decision-making happening in the room.
“Each year, we are seeing the tangible impact of this summit. Companies that first engaged here are returning, establishing and expanding in Bermuda, and this year’s connections are already progressing into new opportunities. These are the outcomes we are focused on — sustained investment, high-quality growth, and a jurisdiction that continues to lead with substance.
“The Future Leaders Forum was also an important part of that story. Building what’s next is not only about structures and solutions, but about ensuring the next generation can see a place for themselves in Bermuda’s future.”
A spokesperson added, “Initial analysis using the BDA’s economic impact tool estimates that Bermuda Risk Summit 2026 generated $480,000 in gross value added [GVA] to Bermuda’s economy, including visitor expenditure associated with business travel to the island for the event. The Summit also supported strong visitor activity and on-island business engagement across the week.
Craig Recliffe, EY Bermuda Partner and Insurance Leader for the EY Region of The Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands, said: “The strength of Bermuda Risk Summit lies in the quality of the dialogue it enables. The 2026 programme brought together a highly relevant mix of perspectives across industry, government and advisory, reflecting both the complexity of the current market and the importance of jurisdictions that can respond with clarity and credibility. Bermuda continues to play an important role in those conversations, and for EY, supporting the Summit is a meaningful way to contribute to the exchange of ideas, insight and relationships that help move the market forward.”
