Outstanding entrepreneurs lauded at the Malta Businesswoman of the Year Awards

Claire Pisani has won the third edition of the Malta Businesswoman of the Year Awards, in appreciation of her exceptional role in supporting Finance EU and Solids Manufacturing & Supply Operations (SMSO) for TEVA (Malta) as Vice President. Her tenacity and determination were vital in supporting site operational leaders in 26 different sites by developing strategic and operational plans, ensuring delivery of short and long-term goals and conducting comprehensive analytical reviews to connect operational excellence with sites’ financial performance.  The designated sites produce 60 billion tablets supplying markets all over the globe, within the EU, USA and Asia, with a revenue of USD$5 billion.

Krystle Penza has been awarded the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2020 for the inspirational leadership that she has demonstrated during her 15 years of experience in fashion brands, brand management, distribution, wholesale, retail and franchising. When she first started her business Mvintage, she was the acting salesperson, accountant, operations and product manager, striving to ensure that her product line, which is inspired by local cultural values, meets the highest standards.

As a new category to the awards, the Sustainability Role Model Award 2020 has been presented to Dr Roberta Lepre for her contributions to the community.  Established in 2007, her boutique firm Weave Consulting, has been built on the pillars of equality and diversity. Over the years, and following successful completion of various projects, Weave Consulting has evolved to offer corporate service responsibility (CSR) services. Today, under her leadership, the company offers fully fledged services in the area of corporate sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) consulting.                 

The Company Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Women in Business 2020 was given to Grant Thornton Malta for the firm’s outstanding commitment towards empowering women in business. More than 58% of the 120-strong team at Grant Thornton Malta is made up of women and the company carries a firm commitment towards building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace, where everyone is valued and respected. Judges noted the firm’s organisational culture where people feel they belong, their uniqueness is valued, and they can voice their opinions.      

HSBC Bank launched the “Malta Businesswoman of the Year Awards” in 2018 to help promote and recognise the excellence of women who have achieved significant success in business. The awards, which are also supported by Farsons Group and Nestlé Malta, aim to emphasise how these successful women can serve as an inspiration and encouragement for other women to achieve gender equality within the private sector. The awards are once again taking place under the patronage of His Excellency George Vella, President of Malta.

Winner Claire Pisani said: “No doubt, it is an immense honour for me to be the winner of this prestigious national award. But beyond the honour, this award comes with a sense of responsibility too. It is up to us to strive to set a good example for young women, encouraging them to embrace their competences and capabilities so they can break through their glass ceiling and successfully progress their career ambitions.”

Dr Joseph Sammut, HSBC Malta General Counsel, who chaired the panel, said: “Empowering women in the business environment does not only mean that they can have more control of their lives but it also means that their strengths, abilities and expertise are acknowledged. Today, the benefits of increasing the ratio of women leaders are proven by research and empirical evidence.”