BOV Club Bike Challenge – Pedal for a goodcause

One of the highlights was the BOV Club Bike Challenge, held at University of Malta, MCAST, and Higher Secondary. Students cycled a total of 632km, meeting the campaign’s set target and leading to the donation of three bikes to St. Patrick’s School. Nearly 1,051 students took part in this challenge, reinforcing the spirit of giving back while staying fit.

“This initiative encourages students to challenge themselves physically, while also supporting a philanthropic cause,” said Daniel Magrin, Head of Marketing and Product Lifecycle Management at Bank of Valletta. Addressing the Challenge winners, he added, “Congratulations on your achievements. I urge you to stay physically, mentally, and financially healthy, and we look forward to supporting you in reaching your financial goals.”

BOV positions itself as bank of choice for youths

This year’s Freshers’ Week also saw a record number of students choosing BOV for their first bank account, also as a result of the simplified onboarding process introduced for students, thereby improving their customer experience. This reaffirms BOV’s role as the Bank of Choice among young adults in Malta. Almost 2,000 students engaged in the “Boss Up Your Financial Knowledge” financial literacy quiz, with 16 winners awarded a €100 Eurosport voucher each for achieving over 80% accuracy.

People and culture team inspires future talent

BOV’s People & Culture team actively connected with students, promoting the Bank’s Student Programs that provide flexible and paid career experiences at MCAST, Junior College, Higher Secondary, and the University of Malta. These initiatives have become a cornerstone of BOV’s strategy to build a strong talent pipeline, with many students transitioning from part-time roles to full-time positions upon graduation. “At BOV students have a wealth of career opportunities across various functions. “We’re always on the lookout for top talent and eager students ready to make their mark and grow with us,” noted Ray Debattista, Chief People and Culture at the Bank.

Bank of Valletta remains dedicated to supporting young people on their academic and financial journeys, reinforcing the message that financial well-being starts early—and BOV is there to help every step of the way.

The post BOV promotes financial literacy and well-being with students first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

In addition to its role as a sponsor, STL strengthens its involvement in the LifeCycle Challenge, with co-founder and CEO Joe Aquilina participating actively in the event. A dedicated supporter of the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation for several years, Aquilina is currently gearing up for his fifth LifeCycle Challenge.

Commenting on the longstanding partnership between STL and LifeCycle Malta Foundation, Aquilina stated: “At STL, innovation and forward-thinking form the cornerstone of our operations. We inevitably see a profound connection with the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation’s mission to challenge the status quo in healthcare. We find affinity with the Foundation, both in actively improving patients’ lives and instilling hope, and in the focus on raising awareness and supporting medical research.”

Since its inception in 1999, the LifeCycle Malta Foundation has raised nearly €4m, mainly through the LifeCycle Challenge and LifeWalk. The 2024 challenge, themed Journey of good hope, will see 16 participants cycle 2,000 kilometres from Botswana to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa over a 10-day period, with the cyclists and back-up team departing Malta on 25 October.

The 2024 LifeCycle Challenge is supported by the main sponsor Nescafé and other sponsors namely Smart Technologies Ltd, APS Bank, Laferla Insurance, The Web Ally, Agora and JPA.

Donations to the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation can be made via Revolut on 9932 9101, by PayPal on this link: https://buff.ly/35g17CC and via SMS: 5061 7370 for €2.33; 5061 8920 for €6.99; 5061 9229 for €11.65 or via a call to 5160 2020 for €10; 5170 2005 for €15 and 5180 2006 for €25.

Donations can be made also via bank transfers via Swift code VALLMTMT, IBAN MT18VALL22013000000014814521017, with the bank name being Bank of Valletta, and account number 14814521017.

The LifeCycle Foundation is registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations – VO/0529

For more information visit https://lifecyclefoundation.com or https://www.facebook.com/LifeCycleChallenge

The post Smart Technologies Ltd continues partnership with LifeCycle Malta first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Founded in 2013, Crout is a pioneer in the IoT industry, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions that empower businesses to simplify, deploy, and manage their connected devices. Crout provides unparalleled expertise, global reach, and a commitment to accelerating customer success through agile partnerships. Crout operates a dedicated M2M management platform and is renowned for its prowess in solving intricate connectivity challenges within the IoT landscape.

Frank Kiesewetter, Managing Director and shareholder of Crout, said “With this transaction, Crout is poised to merge its inherent agility with the steadfast reliability of a Mobile Network Operator (MNO). Teaming up with Melita, Crout will effectively evolve into an extended MNO, enhancing connectivity solutions across diverse IoT applications”.

Following the deal with Melita, Crout’s connectivity customers will be able to take advantage of the functionality and services offered by melita.io, including roaming and an enhanced IoT management platform. In Germany, Crout’s customers will also be able to access Melita’s LoRaWAN based network to complement their IoT use cases.

Melita CEO, Harald Roesch said: “The acquisition of Crout further strengthens our fast-growing IoT connectivity business whilst also introducing new skill sets and capabilities that enable us to provide a more complete offering to clients.”

“Crout connectivity customers stand to gain a range of benefits, such as improved international coverage, better value connectivity, more flexible data bundle options, and a user-friendly portal with the facility to manage M2M SIMs remotely.”

melita.io is a member of the Melita Group, dedicated exclusively to delivering flexible and competitive IoT connectivity solutions based on mobile or LoRaWAN to clients worldwide. Melita’s approach is digital first and focused on giving customers best-in-class support throughout their lifecycle.

Melita is a member of GSMA™ and an active participant of the LoRa Alliance®. These organisations unite operators from various industries to establish industry standards, fostering cooperation and innovation among their members.

In 2022, Melita achieved carbon neutrality, demonstrating its dedication to sustainability. Melita also committed to emissions reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement goals, as guided by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

For more information about Melita.io please visit www.melita.io, for more information about Crout please visit www.crout.de

The post Melita acquires German IoT operator Crout first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Across jurisdictions, CSPs are particularly vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing risks, mainly due to the nature of their business which entails assisting with the formation of companies and other legal entities.  In this sense, they have an important role to play as they act as gatekeepers to the financial sector, preventing criminals seeking to obfuscate the ownership of criminally derived assets from gaining access to the wider financial system. 

The MFSA publication explains the thinking behind the initial stages of the reform and the process adopted to consider applications received following the legislative changes in 2020 and 2021. It also refers to the analysis and findings of the Authority stemming from the processing of these applications and the queries received in relation to the changes to the regulatory framework. 

As a result of the reform, all professionals and individuals operating as CSPs are now being captured within the MFSA’s licensing and supervisory remit, with the licensed population having grown by 70% over three years. Over 290 CSPs are subject to ongoing scrutiny by the MFSA and are also required to undergo fitness and propriety assessments, which reduces the risk of them being exploited by criminals. “Nonetheless, in the interest of better regulation, the Authority has started reviewing the CSP regime in order to make it more proportionate and robust where possible.”

Commenting on this achievement, MFSA CEO Kenneth Farrugia said: “The results of the National Risk Assessment 2023 prove that the CSP reform was a positive achievement.  It was a major contributing factor to the lowering of the sector’s risk, enabling the sector to become more resilient, adapting well to the changes applied to the regulatory framework. In line with our strategy, the MFSA remains committed to keeping an open dialogue with its stakeholders to further improve its supervisory process and manage the risks tied to the sector effectively.”

The MFSA encourages all authorised CSPs and those considering applying for authorisation to take note of the expectations that it is setting out in this publication. Through this publication the Authority is providing guidance on the governance and compliance culture that is expected of CSPs, the fitness and properness of persons holding approved positions within the entity, and expectations in relation to conflicts of interest and risk.

Chief Officer Supervision Christopher P. Buttigieg commented: “The CSP reform presented a critical challenge to the Authority, whose main objective was to raise the bar for CSPs, while effectively applying the risk-based approach to supervision.  When formulating this new regime, the Authority maintained ongoing consultation with stakeholders and practitioners, giving due attention to their concerns. We are pleased that the result is a well-balanced regulatory framework that also allows the sector to remain agile and open to business.”

The latest volume of “The Nature and Art of Supervision” document is available on the MFSA’s website.

The post MFSA’s Company Service Providers reform reduces sector’s risk levels first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

This article explores the importance of standardisation in the realm of cybersecurity in view of the implementation of the proposed Cyber Resilience Act. Additionally, a call for proposals for EU action grants on Standardisation in the Area of Cybersecurity, under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), is currently open, inviting stakeholders (notably European standardisation bodies and conformity assessment bodies), industry players, and relevant actors that play a role in the European standardisation process and in the implementation of the Cyber Resilience Act and Cybersecurity Act, to secure funding to enhance standardisation efforts which can bolster awareness and engage stakeholders in shaping a secure digital future.
Standardisation plays a crucial role in cybersecurity by providing a common framework and guidelines for organisations and individuals to follow. It establishes a baseline of best practices that ensure consistent protection against cyber threats. Standardised approaches simplify security implementation, improve interoperability, and enhance the overall effectiveness of cybersecurity measures.

The Cyber Resilience Act is a proposed regulation aimed at strengthening cybersecurity across various sectors. Its main purpose is to introduce cybersecurity requirements for the development of secure hardware and software that will be used throughout the product’s entire lifecycle, as well as to obligate manufacturers to maintain the product’s security for at least five years after its market launch. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of standardization to achieve higher levels of cyber resilience. The Act seeks to establish a comprehensive framework that addresses critical aspects of cybersecurity, including risk management, incident response, and information sharing. By outlining standardised practices, the Act aims to promote a proactive and coordinated approach to cybersecurity at both organizational and national levels.

One of the key benefits of standardisation in cybersecurity is the improved awareness it brings. By adopting standardised practices, organisations can gain a deeper understanding of potential vulnerabilities and develop effective countermeasures. Standardisation also facilitates the dissemination of knowledge and best practices among stakeholders, leading to greater awareness of emerging threats and the latest cybersecurity advancements.
Standardisation in cybersecurity requires the active involvement of stakeholders from various sectors. The proposed Cyber Resilience Act seeks to engage stakeholders through consultations, public-private partnerships, and collaboration with industry experts. By involving stakeholders, such as government agencies, industry associations, and cybersecurity professionals, the Act aims to gather diverse perspectives and ensure that the standards developed are practical, relevant, and widely accepted.

Engaging stakeholders in standardisation work fosters a collective commitment to cybersecurity. It allows for the identification of sector-specific challenges, enabling tailored solutions that address unique risks. Stakeholders’ active participation also fosters a sense of ownership, encouraging organizations and individuals to adhere to standardised practices voluntarily. Furthermore, stakeholder engagement ensures that standards are regularly reviewed and updated to keep pace with evolving threats and technological advancements.
Standardisation plays a vital role in enhancing cybersecurity measures and bolstering cyber resilience. The proposed Cyber Resilience Act demonstrates the recognition of standardisation’s significance in combating cyber threats. By promoting awareness and engaging stakeholders, the Act seeks to establish a unified approach to cybersecurity that fosters collaboration, innovation, and a more secure digital environment. Embracing standardised practices empowers organizations and individuals to proactively defend against cyber threats, ultimately safeguarding our interconnected world.

The European Commission, through the Directorate-General for Communication, Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect), on behalf of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) on the 25^th May 2023 has launched a call in accordance with the 2023-2024 Work Programme for DIGITAL, to facilitate the implementation of the CRA, whereby harmonised standards would be developed, by which if followed, would trigger the presumption of conformity with the CRA essential cybersecurity requirements to which they correspond. This will be complementary to actions by the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centres, which will play a key role in reducing negative cross-border spill overs and subsequent costs to society to mitigate the risks associated with non-secure products.

The deadline for proposals is 26^th September 2023, whereby projects under the topic DIGITAL-ECCC-2023-DEPLOY-CYBER-04-STANDARDISATION will be 100% funded by the European Commission with no minimum amount funding requirement. Maximum project length is 36 months. Activities covered by this topic include the organisation of events, workshops, stakeholder consultations, and production of white papers, all fostering the development of harmonised standards and conformity with requirements stemming from above mentioned legislative framework, as well as the support for participation of relevant European experts in European and international cybersecurity standardisation forums.

The National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre for Malta, under the auspices of MITA, aims to promote EU funding opportunities within Maltese territory and provide technical assistance to Maltese entities to apply for EU-funding calls. In this manner, information on this call for proposals is available on the NCC-MT website – https://ncc-mita.gov.mt/funding-calls/.

This article is co-funded by the European Union. 

The post Strengthening cybersecurity through standardisation: The proposed Cyber Resilience Act first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Gross premiums written for financial year 2021 totalled €325.1 million, an increase of 20.6% over the prior year €269.6 million, driven by a strong demand across all lines of business. At the same time, net claims incurred increased by 16.8% to €305.0 million through the year, largely as a result of a continuing trend which sees an increase in maturing medium-term single premium contracts. A large proportion of maturing contracts were subsequently re-invested into new medium-to long- term contracts.

Commenting on these results, the Chief Executive Officer of MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c., Etienne Sciberras, stated that “the economic recovery and increased levels of liquidity together with our value propositions underpinned by strong financial credentials continued to drive the demand for our products. MAPFRE MSV Life continues to be the preferred choice for thousands of policyholders when it comes to their long-term financial needs and aspirations. Our value proposition in the life protection, savings, investments and retirement space continue to offer a solution to the various financial needs associated with the different stages in our customers’ lifecycle.”

MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c.’s total assets increased by 6.2% to €2,721.3 million at the end of 2021, whilst net technical provisions (including investment contracts without DPF) increased by 3.8% to €2,437.6 million. The value of in-force business, which projects future transfers to shareholders arising from policies in force at the end of the year, increased by 12.8% to €87.1 million in 2021. This is attributable to the impact of new business inflows, improved technical margins and improved mortality performance when comparing actual mortality to assumed mortality updated run rates.

The MAPFRE MSV With-Profits Fund stood at €2.25 billion at 31 December 2021, up from €2.18 billion in 2020, with growth driven both by operational cash-flows arising from new business as well as market returns on the differing asset classes held within the portfolios, partially offset by maturity outflows.

Reviewing developments for 2021, the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of MAPFRE MSV Life, Dr Gordon Cordina observed that “the shareholders of MAPFRE MSV Life are wholly committed to ensuring that the Company remains adequately capitalised at all times and well positioned for business growth.”

At the end of 2021, the solvency ratio stood at 226.1%. The increase in the solvency ratio is primarily attributable to the capital increase, increase in the retained earnings and the improvement in the capital markets during the year. The Directors have reviewed the Company’s capital needs over the forthcoming medium term within the framework of Solvency II and recommended a net dividend of €2 million for financial year 2021.

Looking ahead, Mr. Sciberras indicated that, “Notwithstanding the recent challenges stemming from the war in Ukraine, the persistent COVID-19 concerns and the increase in inflation, we continue to maintain a positive outlook for the future. We are fully focused on the implementation of the strategic plan approved by the Board for the next 3 years.  This plan maintains the customer at the centre of our business strategy, builds on our digital transformation and ambition, relies on the strength of our distribution network and the professionalism and dedication of our employees for its timely and effective execution.”   

Mr. Sciberras concluded, “The positive results achieved in 2021 are testament to our resilient and dynamic business model, the strength of our balance sheet and our shareholders’ commitment to ensure that the Company remains adequately capitalised and well positioned for business growth. Our employees remain our greatest asset together with the loyalty of our customers who continue to choose MAPFRE MSV Life, reflecting trust in our brand and in the quality of our service proposition.”

Dr Gordon Cordina reiterated the positive expectations of the shareholders in the Company’s future performance: “We see great potential in the Maltese market, and are aiming for growth in new areas, underpinned by the unique ability of MAPFRE MSV Life to provide the necessary technical infrastructure and distribution network to make it happen”.

The Board of Directors also expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the management and staff for their commitment and contribution to another satisfactory year, to intermediaries for their continued support and to the many loyal customers for placing their trust in MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c.

The post MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c. registers €16.6 million pre-tax profits for 2021 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

With an increasingly aging population, healthcare authorities and organisations continue to deal with the constant demand to assess new emerging therapies and their introduction into the care services they provide. At any one time, there are countless innovative technologies being developed with the aim of better managing challenging diseases such as cancer. These innovations are driving demand for new effective safe treatments as well as preventative therapies.

In the field of cancer, we see that the disease is increasingly becoming a chronic, manageable one, treatable with well-tolerated therapies directed against specific molecular targets. It is no longer considered an acute disease that requires practitioners to always resort cytotoxic therapies, surgery or radiotherapy to treat.

Not surprisingly, with increasing demand for more effective treatments health authorities are faced with the challenge of increased expenditure, especially in cancer treatments, a therapeutic sector where such expenditure is most pronounced. Health care providers as well as regulators and pharmaceutical companies have to navigate the volume and diversity of emerging therapeutic anti-cancer treatments to assess and develop procedures for targeted patient specific therapies.

For new drugs to be licensed by health authorities, manufacturers must prove the quality, effectiveness as well as the safety of their use. While meeting these criteria is essential to the release of drugs to the market, the significant and escalating costs of new product development and other associated expenditures is another major hurdle which health authorities working in a reimbursement system have to consider in deciding to make such treatments available. The main concern is the difficulty in arriving at a “fair” standardised method to evaluate the threshold for an economic decision in favour of releasing such novel drugs which in essence also compromises access to innovative cancer drug therapies.

Ultimately market access decisions by post-regulatory agencies must satisfy answers to forthright legitimate questions of: (a) How much more is the product’s clinical effectiveness in comparison to other products currently in use? and (b) What is the cost-effectiveness in terms of measured health-benefits?

While such push-pull challenges faced by post-regulatory agencies are acutely focused on originator novel product introductions, the generic industry provides patent enforced welcome relief for payers in both the public and private domains. This delivers significant cost reductions when compared to originator drugs and therefore makes such generic products widely accessible to patients.

The problem with this, of course, is the time lag of some 20 years for a generic to emerge as an affordable widespread product. This extended timeframe also impacts the willingness of medical professionals and patients to use a therapy no longer deemed to be cutting edge.

The end result is that the lifecycle of product launches continues to be moderated between the see-saw drivers of innovation at a high cost, which narrows user accessibility on the one hand, and that of social and market pressure to provide widespread patient access to generic equivalents on the other.

The post The challenge of making cancer therapies accessible to all patients first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Human instinct is after all, quite subjective.

Nowadays, most business leaders make decisions that are backed up by data and market research, and therefore psychometric assessments play an important role in helping companies identify the high potential in employees throughout all stages of the employment cycle – be it for an internal promotion, team building, personal development or recruitment. When recruiting, a wrong decision comes at a cost due to lost productivity. In fact, nowadays, the use of psychometric assessments during the selection process is on the rise across different sectors.

Psychometric assessments provide an objective way of measuring a range of attributes including personality traits and competencies. Personality refers to “the characteristics or blend of characteristics that make a person unique” (Weinberg & Gould, 1999). These characteristics distinguish individuals from one another and have been often used to understand individual differences in work performance and career outcomes.

Misco is in partnership with a UK company aiming to offer a range of psychometrics to the local business community.  Profile:Match2™ Assessments are a range of assessments which are easy to use and interpret and cover the whole employee lifecycle. This tool also allows for flexibility in choosing the competencies required for the job and assessing different areas as necessary.

These assessments benchmark candidates in a way that is often difficult to do with other methods, such as interviewing. By scoring candidates on set competencies, it becomes easier to distinguish standout candidates and shortlist the most promising ones more quickly.  Having said this, these tests cannot act by themselves and are usually conducted between the first and second interview as they will allow you to assess further, challenge the candidate and ask more behavioural questions during the second interview.

Different types of assessments are available and can be used for different purposes. A useful tool for hiring managers to identify the competencies required for a particular role is the Job Analysis Survey. This survey will gather which characteristics are necessary and which ones are desirable and these are gathered by people who have experience in the role, supervisors, managers or HR professionals.

Once the competencies have been selected, Profile:Match2™ delivers Sifting and Selection Reports and Interview Guides, all focused on the competencies deemed essential for a particular job. The system is underpinned by a bank of researched, validated and standardised personality items capable of addressing the full panorama of personality. In various combinations and weightings, these elements can be tailored to address the precise requirements of any role.

A more in-depth report is the Personal Development Report which provides both a personality and a competency profile and enables a structured review of the current understanding of strengths and limitations and gives an additional competency-based perspective. This will enable individuals to plan a realistic and attainable path for future personal development and for career planning.

Another report which is used by companies is the 360°Feedback Report. This is specifically designed to help the candidate understand how their behaviour is perceived by others and provide the basis for a re-evaluation of their talents and limitations. This also confirms which behaviour will most likely get results.

Psychometric assessments are designed to provide objective and measurable data to help managers make informed decisions during the recruitment process.  They provide insight into a candidate’s intelligence levels, values, as well as behaviours and motivations. In other words, they look into how and why a candidate might act a certain way and how they will behave during a certain situation at work. They are also very useful in analysing whether the personality traits of different individuals will fit in well within the team they will be working with.

For more information and queries about Misco’s range of Profile:Match2™ Psychometric assessments, feel free to contact Sara Anne Galea at Misco via email on sagalea@miscomalta.com

Sara Anne Galea joined Misco in March 2020 as a member of the Selection team. Since joining, she has been involved in different recruitment projects with various clients whereby she helps in finding candidates that not only fit the job vacancy but also the company culture. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Human Language Technology in 2019 from the University of Malta and her Diploma in Human Resources Management and Development in 2020.

The post The essence of a candidate – the perks of psychometric assessments first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

In 1999, my wife, Carmen, developed kidney failure and needed to go for dialysis at the renal unit in Malta, which was at St Luke’s Hospital at that time. The care and consideration hospital staff devoted to Carmen’s care was so impressive that I decided to cycle back to my home in Haydon Bridge from Reggio Calabria to raise some money for their support and some awareness among people.

Joined by three other cyclists, we completed a journey of 3,200 kilometres in 19 days. We received an unexpectedly overwhelming response from the general public and sponsors, so we decided this event must not be a one-off stunt. LifeCycle was born – and within that same year the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation was established.

With the passage of two decades, we have matured. Today we raise awareness and generate support for patients suffering from end-stage renal disease. The funds we raise through our activities go towards research, both locally and internationally, trying to determine causes and cures for renal failure.

Our main area of focus is the Renal Unit Support Health Hub; the R.U.S.H. project, which is the next step in our saga of providing care to renal patients. Renal failure requires a multifaceted approach. Providing renal patience with appropriate psychological support is of top priority, as giving them the tools that help them handle their condition will result in a dramatic increase in the quality of life. Additionally, as phase two, we are targeting aspects that lead to this detrimental disease, which can be avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation team have travelled to over 50 countries. We have raised over €3,000,000, which suggests that this format has been successful. By organising one of the most gruelling endurance events in Europe, our dedicated team of international cyclists, pit against the elements in a long-distance ride through different countries all over the world.  The next LifeCycle Challenge is scheduled for 7-21 March 2022 when we will be attempting to complete another 2,000 km herculean ride from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Santiago (Chile) in a mere ten-day journey. We will continue choosing glamorous yet challenging locations which not only attract the participants but also intrigue the media and entice sponsors. Nestlé Malta’s Nescafé has been our main title sponsor for the past two years.

Our foundation is always enthusiastic to hear about businesses who would be interested in finding out more about our events and challenges, as we believe that our work comes with many rewards to both the patients and the participants. Corporate financial support amplifies our hard work and causes disproportionate benefits to the patients and their families. Working with us helps to make a tangible difference for vulnerable people.

The LifeWalk challenge, the most recent addition, came about as interest in tagging along with challengers had grown, but the flagship LifeCycle event proved to be too extreme for people who cannot ride bicycles professionally. In the case of LifeWalk, we are in the early stages and are still deciding where we want to take it. However, we would like to repeat Hadrian’s wall challenge next year, possibly in September, since we have been impressed with not only the 85-mile route but the accommodation and the logistics surrounding it. We reckon it has been a huge success and we anticipate to mobilise even more people next year, once the COVID-19 fears calm down.

Out of the circa 1,500 registered charities on the island, we are the only one who take care of renal patients. We train five months for the events and put ourselves through incredible physical and psychological hardship for ten consecutive days in far off locations, away from family and friends. Anyone who thinks it is a holiday should come and join us to try it—because it is anything but. Saying that we remind ourselves throughout the training sessions and the challenge itself that “the worst day on the bike or during an endless-looking walk is still better than the best day on dialysis”.

Alan Curry is the founder of LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation, the only NGO raising money to support renal patients in Malta. The foundation works hand in hand with the Renal Unit medical staff at Mater Dei Hospital and the UM’s kidney disease research team via the University’s Research Trust (RIDT). For further information visit the lifecyclefoundation.com website.

The post LifeCycle Foundation’s Gruelling Challenges Support Renal Patients in Malta first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

David G. Curmi, Chief Executive Officer of MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c. stated, “ we are totally focused and committed to use technology to change what it means to provide an excellent customer service. New digital tools are providing ways for insurance companies to reposition themselves as relatable, personal and conversational brands and we want to be the first to do this in the Maltese market. We are very pleased with our partnership with Sapiens International Corporation, (NASDAQ and TASE: SPNS) a leading global provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. The first phase of implementation was completed after only 15 months, despite the interruption of the Covid-19 global pandemic. This first phase will consolidate our protection business onto a single administration platform whilst the next phase will consolidate our savings, investments and pension business offering.”

Mr. Curmi added, “this project is the first of its kind in the MAPFRE Group to be wholly cloud supported by the Azure Cloud platform offering our company the highest level of flexibility, security and business continuity for our core business systems and facilitating a rapid digital transformation project.”

Luciano Anastasi, Chief Information Officer of MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c stated, “our company has achieved considerable business success in the Maltese life market in recent years. Our continued partnership with Sapiens provides us with the necessary technology and business tools we need to rapidly scale up our activities, simplify our legacy programs and offer the best service possible to our customers. Sapiens Core Suite for Life and Pensions will streamline our operations, integrating seven distinct systems all into one easily accessible cloud-based platform to maximize our efficiency.”

Tal Sharon, president of Sapiens Life division stated, “Sapiens is delighted to contribute to the work of MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c. and are excited to see that the company has gone live with our life and pensions platform. Our digital solutions equip our customers with the business insights and capabilities they need to excel in an increasingly digital marketplace. We are proud to have supported MAPFRE MSV Life p.l.c. on their digital transformation journey and we look forward to many more years working closely together.”

Sapiens CoreSuite for Life & Pensions is a flagship solution designed to enable insurance providers to quickly and efficiently address the challenges of a highly regulated and increasingly competitive marketplace. The end-to-end, core solution suite supports the complete policy lifecycle across a wide variety of products in the life & pension market. Sapiens Digital Suite offers end-to-end, holistic and seamless digital experience for customers, agents, brokers, customer groups and third-party service providers. Sapiens Intelligence for Life & Pension offers providers complete analytic capabilities.

The post MAPFRE MSV Life – Goes Live with Sapiens CoreSuite for Life and Pensions first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.