FinanceMalta, the public-private partnership set up to promote Malta’s financial services sector, has seen strong demand from sponsors looking to support the organisation’s showcase annual conference on 18 May. FinanceMalta’s Annual Conference has become an established part of the international financial services calendar and acts as part of the organisation’s remit to build greater visibility and credibility for Malta as a European Financial Centre (EFC), with this year’s Conference including a number of workshops and panel discussions, building on the positive response to their introduction in previous conferences.
Leading figures including, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, Central Bank of Malta Chairman Professor Josef Bonnici, Chairman of FinanceMalta Kenneth Farrugia, regulators and senior business executives will highlight Malta’s international business development through regulatory excellence, economic strength, the knowledge economy, innovation in legislation and professional services. As a result of this high-quality line-up, sponsors read as a ‘who’s who’ guide to financial services with blue-chip players including Bank of Valletta as lead sponsor, supported by HSBC Bank Malta, Ganado & Associates, Mamo TCV Advocates, Fenech & Fenech Advocates, Castille Staffing Ltd, Regus Malta Management, Eurex Zurich AG, LineData Limited and Ascent Software. The robust interest in the 2012 Conference underpins the continuing growth of the jurisdiction and its establishment as an EFC.
FinanceMalta’s Head of Business Development Bruno L’ecuyer says, “Sponsoring is a friendly way of marketing. It’s much friendlier than advertising, and a great way to target a rich environment containing young and promising professionals, established names in the field, plus up-and-coming members of the community.” FinanceMalta attribute the multidisciplinary nature of the conference in contributing to a much more varied cross-section of those involved in financial services and opportunities to connect to it. The day-long annual conference is a unique opportunity for over 200 international and local financial services practitioners as well as industry, government and regulators to discuss developments in international financial regulation, new business opportunities for Malta’s practitioners and the industry’s increasing potential for growth as part of Malta’s new-found status as a financial services jurisdiction.
“The opportunity to get in touch with and be a part of the cutting edge hot topics in finance are second to none,” according to L’ecuyer and it is for this reason that an increasing number of firms both in Malta and overseas are recognising the conference as the must attend event in the calendar”.
“As a major financial services provider in Malta, we view this partnership with FinanceMalta as collaboration with leading industry figures on the Island,” said Charles Borg, CEO at Bank of Valletta. “This partnership is focused on ensuring an environment conducive to business and on promoting greater awareness of the Maltese islands’ strengths as an international financial and business centre.”
Joseph Saliba, partner at MamoTCV Advocates, spoke about his firm’s involvement with the conference: “MamoTCV Advocates has been an active participant of the fast-growing financial services industry in Malta for considerable years now and it has pleasantly witnessed and contributed to the on-going refinement and upward re-sizing of this industry and the infrastructure behind it. We can only share FinanceMalta’s mission to make this known to more and more business promoters, investors and interested parties. It is therefore our pleasure to sponsor FinanceMalta’s 5th Annual Conference”.
Having won international respect for the excellence of its financial services industry and establishing itself as one of the safest and best run financial centres in Europe, Malta’s legal and regulatory framework now holds major appeal. Amongst other things the 5th Annual Conference will be highlighting the key benefits Malta offers to international investors, such as a strong and diversified economy, a motivated, trained and highly-skilled workforce, top class ICT infrastructure, market access, stable social and political environments and a balanced financial regulatory regime. Recent statistics released by the National Statistics Office show Malta has had substantial growth in this growing part of the financial services sector which helps contribute over €1 billion of revenue to the economy and accounts for almost 15% of GDP as one of the key pillars of the Maltese economy along with tourism, manufacturing and business services.
Event chair Kenneth Farrugia, also Chairman of FinanceMalta adds, “Without the support of the finance community we would not be able to deliver such a rich event year after year, with the greatest stature of global thought leaders taking part from the main stage and in workshop sessions; as ever, FinanceMalta is thankful to its sponsors for making it possible and for the faith they have in our goals and objectives.”
The broad range of appeal to sponsors is exemplified by Simon Azzopardi, Marketing Manager at Ascent Software who says: “Ascent Software is proud to sponsor FinanceMalta’s 5th Annual Conference. The financial industry is an industry that demands the highest levels of IT services and support, and these are synonymous with Ascent Software’s overall offering. Through the broad range of services we offer and our experience in this vertical, both locally and overseas, we are perfectly aligned with FinanceMalta’s initiative to complete the loop, making Malta a winning destination.”
FinanceMalta’s 5th Annual Conference will incorporate a prestigious social event on 17 May, which will give FinanceMalta members and sponsors an opportunity to mix with delegates ahead of the main event. For more information, including the full schedule of panel sessions, and to register for the conference, www.financemalta.org