London calling as Bermudan firm targets insurers

Bermudan firm Appleby Spurling & Kempe is opening in London to service banking and insurance clients.

The move follows a flood of insurance industry interest in Bermuda in the wake of 11 September terrorist attacks in the US last year.The 22-partner firm will open in the City with head of insurance Warren Cabral and finance partner Hiren Patel.Mr Cabral said interest in the Bermudan reinsurance market was high at the moment, with six major reinsurance companies springing up on the island since 11 September.The firm already has close connections with Lloyd's of London.Appleby is the second Bermudan firm to open in London, following Conyers Dill & Pearman in 1998.Conyers partner Martin Lane welcomed Appleby's arrival, saying it would boost the profile of Bermuda, which he said had attracted $10 billion of foreign investments since 11 September, more than half of which had gone into new ventures.Appleby's senior partner is English barrister Dianna Kempe, who is president of the International Bar Association.Jeremy Fleming