Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 May, 2023 at 9:32 am by Andre Camilleri
The IFSP’s Annual Conference will be held this Friday, 19 May 2023 in the Hilton Malta’s Portomaso Suite. Under the banner “Transforming Financial Services: The Time is Now!”, the conference programme covers a number of topics and takes the 10 Year Strategy for Financial Services, which was recently launched by the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council, as its starting point.
Joseph Zammit Tabona will address the conference explaining in a nutshell the manner in which the Strategy for Financial Services will be put into practice.
Financial services in Malta are at a critical crossroads. Indeed, the entire economy is in flux. Speakers at the conference are set to examine a range of the issues that need to be addressed in order to ensure continued prosperity and growth for Malta. Panel discussion sessions will look at the role of bureaucracy, asking at what point it shifts from an enabler of business to a drag on the economy. This should be interesting: moderated by Wayne Pisani, the panel includes the Minister for Finance and Employment, the Hon Clyde Caruana, the newly appointed CEO of the MFSA Kenneth Farrugia, Prof Michael Mainelli, Tonio Zarb, IFPS President and Marthese Portelli, CEO of the Malta Chamber.
Prof Mainelli, who heads Z/Yen a leading think tank and venture firm in London known for its Global Financial Centres Index, will also be addressing the conference.
This is but one of the panels during the conference. Juanita Bencini will be leading a discussion titled “Malta at an Economic Crossroads: Where do we go from here?” Participants in the discussion will include Vincent Rizzo, Mark Micallef, Stefano Mallia and Nick Xuereb. Gordon Cordina, a leading economist and Chair of Bank of Valletta, will also be participating and giving an address on the “Economic Myths in our Path”.
The conference will close with a discussion on “Malta’s banking situation – lifeline or stifler to business?” with Chris Curmi leading proceedings among Kenneth Farrugia (BOV), David Delicata (MIA), Etienne Borg Cardona, Alfred Zammit (FIAU) and Henry Schmeltzer (Me Direct).
Two of the now regular items on IFSP conference agendas also promise to be of interest. Stephen Attard will have a chat with Geraldine Spiteri Lucas on developments at the Malta Business Registry, while, Neville Gatt, Robert Attard, Conrad Cassar Torregiani and Andre Zarb, four of Malta’s leading tax experts, will engage in a free-wheeling – and often exciting – exchange about the trends they see in taxation and the impact these may have on practitioners and indeed the economy as a whole.
The three breakout sessions will look at developments in tax, in particular two EU Directives (DAC7 and the Unshell Directive), at what is to be expected with funds and capital markets, and finally the impact and potential of AI and Fintech.
All in all, this year’s conference promises to be an interesting one. It has been made possible through the support of the IFSP’s sponsors. The IFSP would like to thank the Malta Stock Exchange and KPMG Malta, our Platinum sponsors. The Institute also thanks its Gold sponsors RSM, PKF, Ganado Advocates and Camilleri Preziosi Advocates. Their valued support has enabled the creation of this exciting programme.
To register for the conference, or for further information, visit www.ifsp.org.mt/conference.
