FinanceMalta, the public-private partnership established to promote Malta’s financial services sector, is holding an educational clinic on Thursday, 21 June at the Malta Stock Exchange entitled Regulatory Compliance Considerations within the Asset Management Industry.

The current regulatory environment has investment management firms grappling with a growing number of requirements and expectations from both regulators and investors. The consequences of non-compliance with those requirements and expectations are regularly in the news and key stakeholders, such as investors, boards of directors, regulators and the public in general, are increasingly questioning the effectiveness of existing compliance programmes.

This FinanceMalta education clinic, another in the series of clinics aimed at supporting the local financial services industry, takes as its starting point that a sound system of compliance controls is essential to protect firms from business, regulatory and reputational risks. A robust compliance function is a factor of increasing importance that will define the jurisdiction and set apart those firms within it from their competitors.

As the international financial press has documented, hedge fund managers are moving their operations to Malta in response to both the rising costs of business and the growing regulatory burden in their domicile. Malta is emerging as an onshore European location for fund managers keen to maintain flexible operating arrangements and benefit from the jurisdiction’s efficient structures. Solid regulatory procedures ensure that Malta is well-placed to build further on its reputation in the funds industry.

Prudent regulation has played an important part in Malta’s past achievements in the financial services sector, and evolving regulatory procedures contribute to the island’s continuing competitive stance. Malta has a reputation for taking regulation seriously, and sees it as an opportunity for business growth. The island has been subject to EU regulation since it became a full member state in 2004.

Malta provides transparency, rigour and a dedicated approach to solid regulation. There is a deep respect for regulation in Malta, and the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), established by law in July 2002, actively encourages a culture of openness between regulators and businesses. This approach is proving more important than ever in the current market conditions.

With Malta rapidly emerging as one of the fastest growing international financial centres in the world, this education clinic on Regulatory Compliance considerations within the Asset Management Industry is very timely. The country is winning ever-increasing international attention from global companies and advisors, particularly in quality financial services.

Speakers at the clinic are James Farrugia from Ganado & Associates, Adam de Domenico from Zodiac Advisory Services and veteran Anthony Farrell from Temple Asset Management. Further information is available from the events calendar on www.financemalta.org.

Registration begins at 3:30pm, and the educational clinic will end at 5:30pm. In addition, and for the first time, the clinic will be turned into a podcast which will be available through the FinanceMalta website for those who are unable to attend in person.