Joanne Bondin is re-elected MEA president

Joanne Bondin was reconfirmed as President of the Malta Employers’ Association (MEA) for another two-year term during the first Council meeting taking place after the association’s annual general meeting.

Bondin’s leadership of the MEA over the past two years cemented her experience in driving the Association’s role as an established social partner at a national level as well as in providing guidance, direction and value to the business community, particularly in the area of industrial and employment relations.

Upon her re-election, Bondin thanked her fellow Council members for their confidence and support and pledged her full commitment to reciprocate their trust. She expressed her belief in inclusive leadership and that she would also seek the widest possible participation of Officer and Council members in leading and representing the organisation.

In line with the above, the MEA President assigned specific duties to each member of the Officer group elected at the same meeting. The outcome of this election was as follows:

• Michael Mifsud was elected to the post of Deputy President and will support Bondin in the Marketing of the Association;

• Similarly, Ivan Refalo was also elected Deputy President and will provide support on Membership Engagement;

• Stephen L. Muscat was elected as Treasurer;

• Jackie Montalto will occupy the role of MEA Hon Secretary and will assist in the Association’s digitalisation project;

• Claire Briffa, Norman Mifsud and Mr Martin Vella were elected to Officer positions and will also assist the Association in specific tasks.

• Doris Sammut Bonnici and Arthur Muscat retained their roles as Senior Vice- President and Honorary President respectively.

During her brief speech to her colleagues of the Officer Group and Council, Bondin referred to the MEA’s forthcoming 60th Anniversary which underlines how the Association has successfully overcome fierce head-winds in the form of wars, pandemics, crises, global recessions and uncertainties of every kind. She reminded that despite this prestigious milestone, the MEA consistently retained a forward-looking approach which she said she was aiming to consolidate during her second term with the support of all her colleagues. She said, “I am confident that we can leverage on the strengths, resources and influence which our Association has built for itself throughout these years to consolidate our central position to act as an agent of change for business in the years to come.”

Bondin concluded by saying that during the term of this Council, she would seek to inspire a recalibration process to ensure that employers and entrepreneurs will continue to receive the MEA’s unrelenting support, services and representation that they require now, more than ever before.