MBA appoints new Assistant Secretary-General

The Malta Bankers’ Association (MBA) has named Rita Sammut Buontempo as its new Assistant Secretary-General, taking effect on 23 September, according to a press statement sent to Business Malta.

“I have worked closely with Rita in the past, and I have full confidence in her capacity to enhance and support the work carried out by the association in these increasingly challenging times for the banking industry,” said MBA Secretary-General Karol Gabarretta.

Ms Sammut Buontempo holds an Honours and a Masters degree, both in accountancy, as well as she is a Certified Public Accountant and Fellow of the Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA). Beyond having worked in the banking industry, she also has experience in the field of property management where she worked as a finance manager.

After joining Mid-Med Bank Ltd in 1984, she worked in regulatory, finance, credit and retail banking. In 1999 — the same year when HSBC bought 70.03% of Mid-Med Bank in June and changed the name to HSBC Bank Malta — Ms Sammut Buontempo became a senior manager with HSBC Bank Malta Plc, specialising chiefly in regulatory and finance, until 2014 when she took early retirement from the bank.

In 1998, Ms Sammut Buontempo headed the technical delegation, representing Mid-Med Bank Plc, on the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) Technical Working Group, which implemented the Capital Requirements Directive BD08. From 2005-2006 she headed the technical delegation representing HSBC Bank Malta Plc on the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) Technical Working Group, which implemented the Basel II regime (EU Directive – Recast 2000/12).

Subsequent to her banking career, Ms Sammut Buontempo also worked in the field of banking advisory services in senior managerial positions with KPMG Malta and Deloitte Malta, respectively.