Bermuda College To Host International Mathematical Conference

Hamilton Bermuda, 1 April 1999 - For the three day period October 20th through October 22nd 1999, The Bermuda College will be hosting an international conference in the mathematical sciences entitled "The Future of Mathematics in Business". The emphasis will be on applications to Insurance, Reinsurance and the Financial Services Industry. The main objectives of the conference are to provide an insight and overview of how mathematical models are being used in business, highlighting the benefits and successes of mathematical modeling as well pointing out its limitations. This is to be done through a series of lectures, workshops and panel discussions. Throughout the conference, technical ideas will be communicated in a form accessible to non-mathematicians.

The conference is thus particularly suited to Managers and Practitioners, such as Actuaries, Underwriters, Portfolio Managers, Research and Business Development Personnel, Financial Analysts, Risk Managers, Financial Engineering Researchers, Quantitative Analysts, Software Developers, CFOs and CEOs seeking an accessible introductory survey of the use of mathematical models in business. The intended audience consists precisely of such groupings from Bermuda, North America and Europe.

The list of invited speakers consists of a number of distinguished academics and practioners from North America and Europe as well as influential representatives of International Business in Bermuda. Among them is the distinguished Professor of Finance, Robert A. Jarrow of Cornell University, renowned for several outstanding contributions to Mathematical Finance Theory. Another distinguished speaker representing Insurance and Reinsurance is the world renowned Professor Hans Buhlmann, Emeritus and former President of the ETH in Zurich, Switzerland.

Presentations at the conference will be directed at issues emanating from the following list of topics;

Insurance/Reinsurance Risk Assessment, Insurance/Reinsurance Portfolio Analysis and Optimization, Insurance/Reinsurance Pricing, Alternative Risk Transfer, Dynamic Financial Analysis, Asset Pricing, Asset/Liability Management, Financial Investment Strategies, Risk Management, Portfolio Performance, Fixed Income Securities, Derivative Securities, Numerical Methods in Finance, Event Studies,

Arbitrage Theory, Market Structure Models, Interest Rate Models, Risk Neutral Valuation.

Another objective of this particular conference is to create, a perhaps unique, environment for dialogue between policy makers, practitioners and academics, wherein these three groups can openly share and discuss the benefits and limitations of mathematical modeling in business. Answers will be sought to important questions such as; What can be done to narrow the gap between practical applications and academic research? What can be done to improve the relationship and interaction between the industry and the academic environment? Also, looking to the future, what type of research would be most beneficial to the industry, as opposed to what might be simply "fashionable" in academia? And naturally, how might this research be structured so as to be of optimal use.

The Conference is being sponsored by Bermuda College in collaboration with the business community in Bermuda. For information/Registration contact Executive Choice Ltd., Suite 900, 48 Par-la-Ville Rd., Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda: tel (441)292-3170, fax (441)292-1046, email: execuchoice@northrock.bm.

LIST OF CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

 Hans Buhlmann - ETH Zurich

 David Heath, Carneige Mellon University

 Robert Jarrow - Cornell University

 Ronald Lyard-Liesching - Pareto Partners

 Jens Nonnenmacher - Dresdner Bank

 Steve Ross - Massachuessetts Institute of Technology

 Paul Wimott - Oxford UnIversity