2015 Bermuda:Re/insurance+ILS 39


What has been the highlight of your career so far?


Opening Oyster Consulting (Bermuda) back in March 2012 was without a doubt a very exciting moment for me, but it was scary, too. I think in life fear often holds us back from taking that leap into the unknown. I try not to let that happen. Instead of wondering “what if”, I jumped in with both feet and have enjoyed the ride ever since!


Opening your own firm is very hard work. You want to make


sure that you are always available to your clients when they need you; if you are looking for a 9 to 5 job with weekends off this would not be a good career choice. For me, it is what I love to do.


What has been the biggest challenge you have encountered? Alison Morrison


Job: Managing director Company: Oyster Consulting Bermuda Career path


2012—Managing director, Oyster Consulting Bermuda 1998—Senior vice president, risk & compliance, Citi Hedge Fund Services


Alison Morrison has been involved in the financial services industry in Bermuda, Cayman and the British Virgin Islands for more than 25 years. She has worked as a part of multinational firms and has extensive experience in anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, risk management, policy development, corporate governance, training, and operational compliance. She has developed and implemented policies and procedures to meet operational and regulatory requirements for multiple firms.


Morrison is a member of the BDA asset management focus group


and was a founder of 100 Women in Hedge Funds Bermuda, which held its official launch event in June this year.


Why did you choose to work in this industry initially?


I am a problem solver by nature and serving as a consultant allows me to help my clients with not only operational issues but all regulatory issues which may arise. In my previous risk and compliance roles I was able to work in an operational capacity, so I understand the day- to-day issues which arise and can offer practical solutions.


In addition, my strong compliance background and involvement


for many years in the fund administration business naturally led to my desire to become an independent consultant. I was fortunate that when I first considered setting up my own consultancy company, I met my future partners at Oyster Consultancy in Richmond, Virginia. They had opened the Oyster home office two years earlier, and it was an easy decision to combine our knowledge and experience.


“Instead of wondering ‘what if’, I jumped in with both feet and have enjoyed the ride ever since!”


As a problem solver I tend to take on many challenges, for not only my clients but within my own business. As a consultant, dealing with regulatory compliance is one of the biggest challenges. You must ensure that you are up to date and on top of the constantly changing regulatory landscape in multiple jurisdictions. With clients who do business in multinational jurisdictions I need to make sure I have a good handle on what is happening both locally in Bermuda, and in the US, Europe and other offshore domiciles.


I may not know all the answers, but I always tell my clients that


if I don’t know the answer I will find someone who does. This is the great thing about being part of a group—I can reach out to my US colleagues for assistance on the regulatory environment there, and we will soon be opening an Oyster office in Luxembourg. The opportunity the new office presents to help clients navigate the EU regulatory regime will be invaluable.


If you had chosen a different profession/career path, what would it have been?


I love this question! Being a mother of three grown children, I often thought when they were young what profession would work for me that would allow me to spend more time with them. So, I did consider at one point that a teaching position would have been an interesting career path. I do enjoy the training aspect of my job, and in all my previous jobs I have provided some type of training to staff. I’ve always enjoyed helping others learn something new, but after being in the financial services industry for almost 30 years I appreciate that everything I have learned along the way and all the knowledge I have gained have led me to this point in my life. I can’t imagine doing anything else now. ■


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