MBR ISSUE 25 - low res all

Issue 25 – November 2016 

06 

cover story 

Course to Leadership 

Interview with Nick Dobrovolskiy, 

co-founder and Vice-President of 

Parallels 

12 

26 

30 

US Elections: What Next? 

Martin Schulz, President of the EP reflects on the EU-US relations 

Is Digital Mapping the New Media? 

Sybille Lammes on her ERC-funded research about digital mapping 

practices 

COST : Growing Ideas Through Research & 

Innovation Networks 

Prof Janet Mifsud, national co-ordinator (CNC and CSO) for COST 

(European Cooperation in Science and Technology), for the MCST 

Newspaper Post

Malta Business Review 

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Issue 25 – November 2016 

10 

12 

06 

COVER STORY 

COURSE TO LEADERSHIP 

Interview with Nick Dobrovolskiy, 

co-founder and Vice-President of 


PuBLisher 

MBR Publications Limited 

editor 

Martin Vella 

teChniCaL advisor 

Marcelle D’Argy Smith 

saLes direCtor 

Margaret Brincat 

design 

Jacqueline Muscat, Gyorgy Vertes 

advertising 

Call: 9940 6743 or 9926 0163/4/6; 

Email: margaret@mbrpublications.net 

or admin@mbrpublications.net 

ContriButors 

Frédéric Amant; Alison Bezzina; Antoine 

Bonello; George Carol; Reza Degathi; 

Jean Paul Demajo; Sybille Lammes; Janet 

Mifsud; MITA; Malcolm J Naudi; Martin 

Schulz; Jasmine Solana; Paul Ricci; James 

Vella Clark; 

special thanks 

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quote of the month 

12 US ELECTIONS: WHAT NEXT? 

Martin Schulz, President of the EP reflects on the EU-US relations 

26 IS DIGITAL MAPPING THE NEW MEDIA? 

Sybille Lammes on her ERC-funded research about digital mapping 

practices 

30 COST : GROWING IDEAS THROUGH RESEARCH & 

INNOVATION NETWORKS 

Prof Janet Mifsud, national co-ordinator (CNC and CSO) for COST 

(European Cooperation in Science and Technology), for the MCST 

Newspaper Post 

“Without passion, you don’t have 

any energy, and without energy, 

you simply have nothing” 

Donald Trump, CEO of the Trump 

Organization and President-elect 

of the USA 

COVER STORY 

6 

6 Course to Leadership 

Interview with Nick Dobrovolskiy, co-founder and Vice-President of Parallels, 

a global leader in the IT industry 

PERSPECTIVES & ANALYSIS 

10 The Fourth Industrial Revolution 

Paul Ricci discusses the impact of a fusion of technology on construction and 

built environment 

12 US Elections: What Next? 

FEATURE 

Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, reflections on why EU-US 

relations are a key component of global stability. 

16 Climate Change and the Environment 

Exceptional article by Tina Ohliger, who tells us why tackling climate change 

is a key item on the EU’s environmental 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

18 “We are not very sure what exactly Trump’s 

foreign policy” “agenda is” 

18 

Interview with German EPP member David McAllister, chair of 

Parliament’sdelegation for relations with the United States 

ERC STORIES 

26 Is Digital Mapping the New Media? 

Sybille Lammes on her ERC-funded research, which focuses on digital mapping 

practices 

OUR GOLD PARTNERS 

your perfect atmosphere 

26 

Disclaimer 

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by copyright may 

be reproduced or copied and reproduction in whole or part is strictly 

prohibited without written permission of the publisher. All content 

material available on this publication is duly protected by Maltese 

and International Law. No person, organisation, other publisher or 

online web content manager should rely, or on any way act upon 

any part of the contents of this publication, whether that information 

is sourced from the website, magazine or related product without 

first obtaining the publisher’s consent. The opinions expressed in the 

Malta Business Review are those of the authors or contributors, and 

are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. 

4


CONTENTS 

27 A Standard Cancer Care for Pregnant 

Women 

27 

Dr Frédéric Amant talks about his cutting-edge research in developing 

a standard, integrated approach for cancer care for pregnant women 

SPECIAL FEATURE 

30 COST: Growing Ideas Through 

Research & Innovation Networks 

Prof Janet Mifusd, national co-ordinator (CNC and CSO) for 

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), for 

the MCST, explains why COST is the solution to how does one get 

involved in an EU project 

38 The Employer Branding Tour – Tipico 

Careers 

Thomas Mahoney Tipico’s case study about a career brand is 

known to be a pioneer within the online gaming sphere 

igaming 

40 A Multidimensional experience in 

Malta, launched during SiGMA… 

BtoBet, a pioneer in new technologies for iGaming operators and 

the betting industry, take us through their latest product addition 

– The multidimensional Omnichannel 

NEWS FEATURES 

42 new momentum and platform to 

rebuild trust in the EU Project 

We bring you the latest news regarding the Malta EU Pre- 

Presidency Conference 

44 MITA engages ISL for Skillsoft® 

eLearning 

Information Systems Limited engaged by MITA to provide Skillsoft’s 

eLearning programmes in Project Management, IT and technical skills 

48 Values for Humanity 

Unique tribute by world-famous photographer Reza commemorating 

António Guterrez’s accession as UN Secretary General 

30 

EDITORIAL 

As Christmas begins to approach this 

season the serious issue of money 

in our society becomes highlighted 

as everyone scrambles to spend 

hundreds of euros on gifts. One 

of the best movie representations 

of our society during Christmas is 

The Grinch. The people of Whoville 

believed that it was vital to have the 

biggest, most expensive accessories 

along with the most decorations and 

the most elaborate gifts under the 

tree. The citizens of Whoville were 

so succumbed by the mind-set that 

money would buy them everything. 

The mayor even tried to buy a woman 

into marrying him through giving her a 

triple diamond ring and a car, and was convinced that these gifts would 

guarantee him a yes to his proposal. Unfortunately, when the Grinch tried 

to point out the flaws in their materialistic views, he was ostracized for 

his efforts. 

It is easy to see how ridiculous a society like this would be, but what we 

do not realise is that we have become that society! Maltese have become 

very materialistic and have such a short-sighted view on values in life 

because our main priorities have been focused on striving for wealth and 

success. Some of us indeed live beyond their means. Though wealth and 

success are very good things to strive for, we must limit ourselves to the 

amount of wealth we wish to obtain. What many of us don’t realise is that 

money has become a big issue in our society, indeed the root of all evil! 

Over the last couple of years, the issue of corruption--the abuse of public 

office for private gain--has become a chronic issue, There are a number 

of reasons why bribery has come under the microscope. Corruption 

scandals have toppled governments in both major industrial countries 

and developing countries. Apparently, it is not the case in Malta! 

Former Panamanian advisor Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Memorial Prize in 

Economics, who chairs The Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, 

Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion- PANA Committee of Inquiry to investigate 

alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union 

law in relation to money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion, insists 

on “Zero tolerance against tax secrecy.” 

When it comes to corruption in politics, no one is immune. Part of the 

problem in these corruption scandals involves the ability of interest 

groups to determine policy. Political corruption is a serious problem 

limiting development in emerging economies. Many scholars have 

identified corruption as the new enemy of democracy, blaming it for 

limiting political and socio-economic development. 

Although no one can really measure “corruption” due to its discrete 

nature and the different discourses defining it, citizen’s perception of 

corruption can give us an idea of its direction, and regrettably in Malta, 

we have still a long way to go in this direction. People have grown an 

insatiable appetite for money in them and they can go to any extent to 

get money. Undoubtedly they talk of morality and the importance of 

value-based life but that is for outer show. Their inner voice is something 

else. 

It is always crying for money. It has been seen the officers who are 

deputed to look into the matters of corruption turn out to be corrupt. 

Our leaders too are not less corrupt. Thus the network of corruption goes 

on as usual and remains undeterred. 

Though it is very difficult to control corruption, it is not impossible. It is not 

only the responsibility of the government but ours too. We can eliminate 

corruption if there will be joint effort. We must have some high principles 

to follow so that we may be models for the coming generation. Let us take 

a view to create an atmosphere free from corruption. That will be our 

highest achievement as human beings. 

38 

48 

Martin Vella 

Malta Business Review’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editor, 

and besides reflecting the Editor’s opinion, are written to represent a 

fair and impartial representation of facts, events and provide a correct 

analysis of local and international news. 

Agents for: 


5



Course to Leadership 

By Martin Vella 

MBR met with Nick Dobrovolskiy, a co-founder and Vice-President of Parallels, a global leader in the IT industry who operates in 

Malta, providing desktop and application visualization and remote access across desktops and mobile devices along with technology 

management solutions. 

MBR: Can you tell us what is your current 

enterprise structure strategy and 

objectives and how will your software 

technology integrate together? 

Personal Brief 

Nick Dobrovolskiy is a co-founder and Vice-President of Parallels. Since the company’s 

founding, he is playing a key role in the development and launch of Parallels Desktop for 

Mac, the world’s first software that give Mac users run macOS and Windows applications 

at the same time. Nick has more than fifteen years of experience in virtualization 

systems development and leading the Research and Development division of Parallels, 

overseeing more than 200 staff members. Nick Dobrodolskiy graduated the Moscow 

State Institute of Radio Engineering Electronics and Automation. In 2010, he studied 

at Harvard Business School. In 2012, he graduated from Foundation and Leadership 

program of Yale University. 

MBR: As many of our readers may not be 

familiar with Parallels, can you tell us a 

little about the company? 

ND: We are an international software 

company, a global leader in cross-platform 

solutions. Our most famous product is 

Parallels Desktop for Mac. This is simply 

the world’s bestselling, top-rated, and 

most trusted solution for running Windows 

applications on your Mac without 

rebooting. For business users, we have a 

great corporate solution for remote access 

- Parallels Remote Application Server, and a 

system for managing Macs in a Windowsbased 

environment - Parallels Mac 

Management. Parallels makes convenient 

software for running and accessing the 

applications and files our customers need 

on any device or operating system. We 

help customers take advantage of the 

best technologies out there, whether it’s 

Windows, Mac, iOS, Android or the cloud. 

Parallels solves complex engineering and 

user experience problems by making it 

simple and cost-effective for businesses and 

individual customers to use applications 

wherever they may be local, remote, in the 

private datacenter or in the cloud. 

ND: Our main Strategic focus right 

now is our Remote Application Server 

which is a remote access solution from 

various computers and mobile devices 

to Windows applications running on 

servers in datacenters or in the cloud 

under administrators’ control. We 

have clients for Windows, Mac, Linux 

computers, iOS and Android phones 

and tablets and web browsers. Recently 

we added a great mobile experience 

for desktop applications accessed from 

mobile devices. That is a revolutionary 

technology we’ve been developing for 4 

years in our consumer oriented remote 

access product Parallels Access. As an 

example there are many sites that require 

Internet Explorer and you can have it on 

your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or 

tablet. It runs in a datacenter, but you 

see and work with it on your mobile 

device. Also we see that more and more 

businesses want to become mobile, so 

for example there are Real Estate Agents, 

who want to have access to databases 

and work with their desktop applications 

directly from their iPads while showing 

available properties to their clients. 

Remote Application Server was founded 

in Malta and we continue to develop the 

most important parts of it in our R&D 

center here in Sliema. 

PAUL GAFA 

Director of Engineering 

- Parallels gives me 

the opportunity to 

continue developing 

innovative solutions 

which make businesses 

more productive. Apart 

from the geeky technical 

challenges Parallels has a 

great team to work with! 

6



IAN SANT 

Project manager at 


- Parallels for me is a 

company that gives great 

opportunities to technical 

people. 

Together, we have 

managed to develop hightech 

products that are used by both enterprises 

and consumers all over the world, with great 

plans for the future. 

MBR: Can you Highlights three reasons 

why Parallels is a global company on the 

rise? 

ND: We are Global company in all aspects, 

from R&D to Sales and Marketing. Parallels 

has development centers in Malta, Estonia 

and Russia. We have our Sales and 

Marketing offices worldwide. Therefore, 

we are present in America, in Europe 

and Asia. We have ten corporate offices 

worldwide and we sell to customers in all 

markets. You can find Parallels Desktop 

in any Apple store, in any country in the 

World. We have thousands of businesses 

partners, resellers and distributors in 

all countries. And that makes us a really 

global Company. 

MBR: When you say thousands of 

Companies are your customers can you 

briefly explain what you mean? 

ND: Parallels has got more than five 

thousand different corporate customers 

worldwide, including big ones like Intel, 

Google, BMW, Sony, CNN, Apple, Microsoft 

and many others, who use our products in 

various areas for their business objectives, 

and to run their business. 

MBR: What are the main benefits for 

the customers using Parallels Business 

solutions, and could you please tell us 

about the value proposition that you 

provide to your clients. 

ND: We can see four benefits which 

customers get from using Parallels Remote 

Application Server. Firstly, all applications 

run in a datacenter and under the 

administrators control, which is convenient 

and incurs much lower maintenance cost, 

since it is very easy for the administrator to 

see how everything is running, easily help 

his users, and quickly and automatically 

install updates to their software, to their 

operating systems, services and so on. 

Secondly, it is obviously better security 

because the application itself and all 

the data remain in the datacenter and 

doesn’t go anywhere. 

Thirdly, the application is permanently 

running and is always available. Let’s 

say you forgot your notebook, but you 

have your iPad with you. With Remote 

Application Server you can work with 

the same application from both of them. 

Imagine you start doing some document 

in that software on your computer then 

switch to your iPad and continue exactly 

at the same place where you stopped. 

You just continue typing and filling in that 

document, no interruption. 

Obviously, the main thing is that it allows 

to greatly reduce cost because we have 

quite an attractive pricing in the area and 

you even don’t need to buy expensive 

PCs for your employees In addition to 

enabling you to save on maintenance 

and administration. It is a much more 

cost effective solution. Also, our software 

is very simple and easy to use therefore 

corporate users won’t spend a lot of 

money for Education and Certification of 

their employees. 

taking on an opportunity 

and expand our presence in 

an enterprise will be a next 

step in our evolution 

MBR: What are the latest trends in your 

area of industry, and can you share the 

insights on the new ways that Parallels is 

looking to engage with your customers 

and what challenges you face. 

ND: I think that key trends for many 

users and developers today there are 

virtualization, remote access and mobility. 

Our products not only allow you to perform 

well on an idea but to combine all the 

best things from all those areas in new 

solutions. For example, Parallels Remote 

Application Server or Parallels Access or 

Parallels Toolbox were created together 

with our customers. We carefully listen to 

their feedback and make features which 

our users needed. Sounds easy but not 

everybody can do it. We do it. We have a 

very strong team of great professionals to 

make it happen and work with the best 

universities to continue to strengthen our 

organization with the best young talents. 

MBR: You are participating in Malta’s 

Best in Business Awards 2016. There is 

a very strong competitive field. What 

has prompted you to take part in such 

a prestigious Award and what are your 

expectations? 

ND: We are an innovative and ambitious 

Company. I think that our Maltese team 

GIORGIO BONUCELLI 

Marketing director at 


- Parallels is an exciting 

environment that allows 

us to experiment and test 

out the latest innovations 

in both technology and 

marketing techniques. 

is really strong. For example, Remote 

Application Server was created in Malta. 

It was a local product for regional users 

mostly. We went serious way and today 

this software is sold Worldwide. It is quite 

popular and it actually competes with the 

leaders of the Industry. There are actually 

two big ones: Citrix and VMware. Those 

are gigantic Companies and we successfully 

compete with them, win deals and our 

SMB customers are much happier with our 

solutions when they could have from those. 

That’s why we think that we have a great 

chance to show Parallels to corporate users, 

to say that Company is available and working 

Worldwide and successfully competes with 

leaders in the Industry and even beats them 

in SMB area. 

MBR: What plans do you have for 

Development of the solutions you provide? 

What vision for function or growth do you 

foresee for Parallels in the near Future? 

ND: Of course, as I told you, we are competing 

with the leaders in the industry and we want 

to become a leader in the remote access area 

for small and medium-sized businesses and 

expand our enterprise reach. We think that 

this is a clear area where we can become a 

strong global leader in this industry and this 

is our goal for the next couple of years. This 

is what we are doing right now. We evaluate 

and see that taking on an opportunity and 

expand our presence in an enterprise will be 

the next step in our evolution. As a medium 

enterprise, we are doing a very good job: we 

have clear roadmaps where we need to go 

and what we need to do in our product, we 

listen to our customers very carefully and 

know that we’re on the right path and we 

have a great team to execute our plan. MBR 

All Rights Reserved/ Copyright 2016 

SIMONETTA MERCIECA 

Director of Sales EMEA at 


- Parallels for me is a young 

and dynamic international 

company, which allows 

us to be creative in our 

approach in servicing 

enterprise customers 

and partners around 

the globe with innovative virtualization and 

cloud solutions. In a time where everyone is 

connected anywhere and any-time, Parallels 

forms an integral part of our lifestyle. 


7


taxation 

Beneficial company owners register vital 

to combat money laundering, experts say 

By Special Correspondent 

The EU needs a European 

register of beneficial owners of 

companies, consistent definition 

- and handling - of suspicious 

transactions and enforced 

transnational cooperation like 

the US Financial Investigation 

Unit, experts on anti-money 

laundering enforcement in 

Belgium and Germany told 

Parliament’s Panama Papers 

Inquiry Committee on Monday. 

Money laundering is not a fiscal issue, 

but a criminal one, MEPs were told by 

Philippe de Koster of the Belgian Financial 

Intelligence Unit, an independent 

administrative authority involved in 

the fight against money laundering and 

terrorist financing. There is always a 

crime behind money laundering and tax 

evasion, and under Belgium’s penal code, 

money laundering is considered as bad as 

the underlying crime, he said, calling for 

similar standards under EU law. 

Knowing bank accounts are 

traceable would have a powerful 

deterrent effect on individuals 

using them to pay bribes 

He also made a plea for greater 

coordination among Europe’s financial 

intelligence Units. “We don’t need 

much money, but we do need the 

courage to sit together and deal with 

what’s coming at us...like brothers-inarms,” 

said Mr de Koster. 

Giovanni Kessler, Director-General of the 

European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) called 

for a standardised, interconnected, easyto-use 

registry of national bank accounts 

which would be available to all EU 

enforcement agencies. 

“Knowing bank accounts are traceable 

would have a powerful deterrent effect 

on individuals using them to pay bribes. 

Traceability would also increase detection 

rates of fraudulent activities and increase 

the possibility of control, “ said Mr Kessler. 

MEPs also heard about the links between 

companies set up by Mossack Fonseca 

-- the law firm at the heart of the scandal 

-- and Russian-speaking crime groups, 

extremist Islamic terrorist groups and 

illegal immigration. 

“The main point here is that we can link 

companies from the Panama Papers leaks 

not only with economic crimes, like money 

laundering or VAT carousels, but also with 

terrorism and Russian organised crime 

groups, said Simon Riondet of Europol, the 

EU’s enforcement agency against terrorism 

and serious international crime. 

Klaus Meyer-Cabri, German member of 

EUROJUST, the EU agency dealing with 

judicial cooperation in criminal matters, said 

there had been a steady rise in the number 

of money laundering cases in recent years, 

but that the release of the Panama Papers 

had provided the first-ever opportunity for 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

national tax authorities to talk to each other. 

He described the impact on the agency’s 

resources, saying that whereas a normal 

coordination meeting of his organisation 

cost €8,000 euro, a 28-strong meeting on 

the Panama Papers cost €60,000. 

Norbert Naulin, head of a North Rhine 

Westphalia special investigation unit set 

up to fight organised crime and tax fraud, 

defended its decision to buy information 

from an anonymous source on German 

banks and beneficial owners named 

in the Panama Papers by saying that 

international criminal systems could only 

be revealed by someone with insider 

knowledge. “No-one wakes up in the 

morning and decides to explain how it 

runs for altruistic reasons,” he said 

The hearings will continue on Wednesday 

when the committee will hear from 

Nobel-winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, 

who resigned as an advisor to the 

Panamanian government in August 

in protest at its refusal to guarantee 

publication of his findings. MBR 

Creditline: Hyun-Sung KHANG; EU Parliament/ 

PANA Press; REF. : 20161114IPR51018 

Panama National Inquiry Committee: debate in committee with Joseph Stiglitz 

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics - PANA Committee of 16 November 

2016. The Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and 

Tax Evasion commenced holding a meeting with Professor Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel 

Memorial Prize in Economics, on 16.11.16. Professor Stiglitz was appointed by 

the Panamanian government as expert to the National Inquiry Committee on 

the Panama Papers. The Committee started hearing the Professor’s experience 

following his resignation a few months after his assignment. 

8

The origins of the internet go back to 

ARPANET, developed in the 60s. Global 

interconnectivity now powers innovation 

everywhere in our lives. 

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Perspectives 

The fourth industrial revolution approaches 

By Paul Ricci 

First it was steam and water, 

then mass production and 

electricity, then computers. 

Now we stand on the brink of 

what many term the fourth 

industrial revolution, or 

industry 4.0. This new wave of 

technology is characterised by 

a fusion of technologies that 

is blurring the lines between 

the physical, digital, and 

biological spheres – into a vast 

connected system of complex 

and dynamic interaction: 

from a room, to a building, a 

street, to a city, country and 

ultimately globally. 

But what impact will this have on 

construction and the built environment? 

Well firstly, let’s try and broadly define 

what the fourth industrial revolution 

actually is. It is the idea of smart factories in 

which machines are augmented with web 

connectivity and connected to a system 

that can visualize the entire production 

chain and make decisions on its own. So 

interconnectivity is at the forefront and 

consequently, the possibilities created by 

billions of people connected by mobile 

devices, with unprecedented processing 

power, storage capacity, and access to 

knowledge, are infinite. 

So how does this mind blowing concept 

apply to the construction world? The 

impact of the fourth industrial revolution 

on the operation of this industry will be 

both disruptive and profound. As ever 

when new technologies emerge, new 

jobs and businesses are created, and it is 

very likely new design professionals and 

organisations will emerge – enhancing and 

empowering buildings and infrastructure 

as integral elements of a holistic connected 

system. 

All these new technologies will have 

a direct impact on our buildings and 

infrastructure. What we know today as 

smart buildings and smart cities in the 

third industrial revolution will become 

the autonomous building and intelligent 

city in the fourth. However, a word of 

caution. It is very easy to get carried away 

with thoughts of technologies combining 

the physical and digital world, making our 

lives easier, businesses more efficient 

and potentially changing the world. All 

that is great, but if Governments don’t 

regulate these technologies properly, 

the security risk is high, with personal 

information potentially being easier 

than ever to access. 

So we stand on the precipice of a 

potential technological revolution that will 

fundamentally alter the way we live, work, 

and relate to one another. It is impossible 

to know how it will unfold but one thing is 

for sure: hold tight, it’s coming. 

How do you think the 4th industrial 

revolution will shape our future? MBR 

Paul Ricci is the Editorial Account Manager with LinkedIn 

10



11


analysis 

US elections: what next? 

By Martin Schulz 

Background, 

The #US electorate has spoken. The victory 

of Donald Trump is unequivocal and must 

be respected. I congratulate him and the 

Republican Party on their victory. 

Mr Trump has managed to become the 

standard-bearer of the angst and fears 

of millions of Americans. Those concerns 

must now be addressed with credible 

policies and proposals. 

This campaign will not be remembered as 

America’s finest. Vitriol and polarisation 

have fuelled this electoral contest. 

President Trump will have the daunting 

task of bringing together a divided nation. 

Most questions concerning the external 

outlook of the future Trump presidency 

are yet to be answered. From Syria to 

Iraq, from Ukraine to Libya, Trump’s role in 

diplomacy and deal-making will be tested 

from day-one and will require the right mix 

of responsibility, restraint and leadership. 

Global politics requires the continuous 

engagement of the US to make the world 

a better place to leave to our children. 

From the fight against global warming 

to its commitment to NATO, the world 

awaits and hopes for an outward-looking 

presidency aiming at shaping international 

relations and upholding the values of 

freedom and democracy. 

The #EU is the largest trading partner of 

the US. Together, our economies account 

for more than 40% of the entire world 

GDP and for nearly a third of world trade 

flows. Our partnership goes from the 

fight against terrorism to scientific and 

academic exchanges. EU-US relations are 

a key component of global stability. The EU 

is committed to maintain this relationship. 

We hope the same holds true for the 

future US President. MBR 


The European Parliament is the only 

directly-elected EU body. Members of 

the Parliament represent the 500 million 

European citizens. As President of the 

European Parliament, I do the utmost 

to represent the interests of the citizens 

of Europe, bringing to the fore the big 

European issues which are dear to them. 

My objective is to make the work of the 

European Parliament more accountable, 

visible, transparent and effective. 

Members of the European Parliament 

make decisions which affect the daily life 

of the citizens: from economic governance 

and banking supervision to legislation 

helping to increase the quality of the air 

they breathe, the food they eat, the water 

they drink. I also represent the Parliament 

externally with third countries and in 

key negotiations with other institutions 

and Member States such as on the longterm 

budget of the European Union. The 

European Parliament is the co-legislator 

for most of Europe’s laws. It is a place 

where people from 27 Member States 

(28, as from 1 July 2013 with the entry 

of Croatia) come together to disagree, 

a place where political ideas and ideals 

meet, sometimes to clash, sometimes 

to be reconciled. Alliances are formed, 

deals are struck, compromises made, in 

other words, it’s the usual business of 

democratic politics. 

Creditline: 

be.linkedin.com/in/martinschulzpresidentep/ 

Martin Schulz is the President of the European Parliament. Previous 

Political Affiliations: Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & 

Democrats in the European Parliament, Socialist Group, Town Hall 

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csr 

FIMBank 

launches new 

CSR Campaign 

focusing on 

Maltese Proverbs 

The innovative, creative and engaging concept adopted by FIMBank for “X’jgħid il-Malti?”, 

manages to communicate the meaning of such proverbs effectively, arousing the interest of 

both children and adult audiences. 

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, 

FIMBank plc has launched a series of short video clips which 

focus on Maltese proverbs and their meanings. The campaign 

“X’jgħid il-Malti?”, follows on last year’s highly rated series 

“Kelma Kuljum”, which had kicked off FIMBank’s efforts to 

generate a greater appreciation of the Maltese language. This 

is the third consecutive year in which FIMBank has produced a 

campaign in relation to Malta’s heritage. 

highlighting the linguistic wealth of the Maltese language. 

Indeed, the success and viewer engagement associated 

with the latter campaign, clearly demonstrated the strong 

interest the Maltese have in their language, making “X’jgħid 

il-Malti?” an ideal continuation for 2016-2017”, commented 

Murali Subramanian, Chief Executive Officer, FIMBank plc. The 

campaign consists of a number of spots, each focusing on a 

different proverb. These video clips are due to appear seven 

times daily on TVM and TVM 2, throughout the rest of 2016 

and through 2017 and will also be posted on the Bank’s social 

media channels. MBR 

For more information about FIMBank plc, visit www.fimbank.com 

The “X’jgħid il-Malti?” video clips adopt a playful tone where 

viewers have a few seconds to figure out the meaning of the 

proverb. Once the allocated time frame of a few seconds’ 

elapses, an explanation of the proverb is provided. The 

visuals accompanying the voice-over include handmade 

crafts which are consistent with the selected proverb’s theme. 

The innovative, creative and engaging concept adopted by 

FIMBank for “X’jgħid il-Malti?”, manages to communicate the 

meaning of such proverbs effectively, arousing the interest of 

both children and adult audiences. 

“The aim is to highlight the use of Maltese proverbs in daily 

discourse, whilst further emphasising the underlying message 

of last year’s highly rated ‘Kelma Kuljum’ campaign, that 

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Climate change and the environment 

Climate 

change and the 

environment 

Tina Ohliger 

Tackling climate change is a key item on the EU’s environmental agenda and is increasingly important for other areas, such as energy, transport, agriculture and regional 

development. The EU is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, while improving energy efficiency by 20% and 

increasing the share of renewable energy sources to 20% of final consumption. Further ambitious targets have been fixed for 2030. A key mechanism in fighting climate 

change is the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). At the Paris climate conference in December 2015, Parties worldwide (including the EU and its Member States) agreed to 

limit global warming to well below 2 ºC above pre-industrial levels. 

Legal basis and objectives 

Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning 

of the European Union (TFEU) makes 

combating climate change an explicit 

objective of EU environmental policy. 

General background 

a. Global warming 

Without additional emission reduction 

policies, the average global temperature 

is projected to increase by between 1.1 ºC 

and 6.4 ºC over the course of this century. 

According to the 5th assessment report 

by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change), it is extremely likely that 

global warming can be attributed to human 

influence. Human activities such as the burning 

of fossil fuels, deforestation and farming, lead 

to the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), 

methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and 

fluorocarbons. These greenhouse gases 

(GHGs) trap heat that is radiated from the 

earth’s surface and prevent it from escaping 

into space, thereby causing global warming. 

b. Impacts of climate change 

Global warming has led and will lead to more 

extreme weather events (such as floods, 

droughts, heavy rain, heatwaves and forest 

fires), water availability issues, disappearance 

of glaciers and rising sea levels, shifts in the 

distribution of or even extinction of fauna and 

flora, plant diseases and pests, food and fresh 

water shortages, intensified photochemical 

smog causing health problems, and 

migrations of people fleeing these dangers. 

Science shows that the risks of irreversible and 

catastrophic change would greatly increase if 

global warming exceeded a 2 ºC rise above 

pre-industrial levels. 

c. Cost of action versus cost of inaction 

According to the Stern review, published by 

the UK government in 2006, managing global 

warming would cost 1% of global GDP every 

year, while inaction could cost at least 5% 

and up to 20% of global GDP in a worstcase 

scenario. Thus only a small part of total 

global GDP would be required to invest in a 

low-carbon economy, and fighting climate 

change would in return induce health 

benefits and greater energy security and 

reduce other damage. 

d. Adaptation to climate change 

Adaptation to climate change ranges from 

soft and inexpensive measures (water 

conservation, crop rotations, drought-tolerant 

crops, public planning and awareness-raising) 

to costly protection and relocation measures 

(increasing the height of dykes; relocating 

ports, industry, and people away from lowlying 

coastal areas and flood plains). In April 

2013 an EU adaptation strategy on climate 

change was launched to promote greater 

coordination and information-sharing 

between Member States and foster the 

mainstreaming of the considerations at stake 

into all relevant EU policies. 

Achievements 

a. International climate policy 

In December 2015, after more than two 

decades of negotiations, governments 

adopted the first universal agreement 

to combat climate change, at the 21st 

Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the 

United Nations Framework Convention on 

Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris. The Paris 

Agreement strives to keep the increase in 

global average temperature to ‘well below’ 

2°C, while trying to keep it at 1.5°C above 

pre-industrial levels. To accomplish this 

goal, Parties aim to reach global peaking of 

GHG emissions as soon as possible, and to 

achieve net zero emissions in the second 

half of this century. Financial pathways are 

to follow the road towards decarbonisation 

and climate-resilient development. For 

the first time all Parties have to make 

ambitious efforts to reduce GHG emissions, 

following the principal of ‘common but 

differentiated responsibilities and respective 

capabilities’, i.e. according to their individual 

situations and possibilities. Every 5 years 

(or sooner) all countries have to renew 

and upgrade their climate action plans 

(‘nationally determined contributions’) 

and communicate them in a transparent 

way so that the collective progress can be 

assessed (‘global stocktake’). Support is 

envisaged for developing-country parties 

and in particular the most vulnerable, the 

Least Developed Countries and Small Island 

Developing States, both financially and via 

capacity-building. Adaptation is mentioned 

on an equal footing with mitigation and 

is recognised as a global challenge; so is 

the importance of addressing ‘loss and 

damages’ associated with the adverse 

effects of climate change. The agreement 

will enter into force once it has been ratified 

by at least 55 governments representing at 

least 55% of total global GHG emissions. 

b. Efforts within the EU to combat climate 

change 

The EU, via its 2030 climate and energy 

framework, has committed itself to the 

following goals to be reached by 2030: 

reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at 

least 40% below 1990 levels, improving 

energy efficiency by 27% (indicative target 

to be reviewed in 2020), and increasing the 

share of renewable energy sources to 27% 

of final consumption. The 2030 framework is 

following up the ’20-20-20-targets’ decided in 

2007 by EU leaders for 2020: a 20% reduction 

in GHG emissions, a 20% increase in the 

share of renewable energy in final energy 

consumption, and a 20% reduction of total EU 

primary energy consumption (all compared 

to 1990), all translated into binding legislative 

measures. The EU roadmap for moving to a 

low-carbon economy by 2050 formulates a 

long-term GHG reduction target of 80%. 

16

Climate change and the environment 


The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the 

first and still the largest international carbon 

market, is a key EU policy instrument for 

fighting climate change. It is based on the 

‘cap and trade’ principle: a ‘cap’ is set on 

the total amount of GHG emissions that 

can be emitted by the more than 11 000 

installations (factories, power stations, etc.) 

included in the scheme. Each installation buys 

or receives ‘emission allowances’ auctioned 

by the Member States. These credits — 

corresponding to one ton of CO2 each — can 

be traded with other installations if unused. 

Over time, the overall amount of allowances 

is progressively reduced. Introduced in 

2005, the EU ETS has undergone major 

reform since then. Following the temporary 

freeze of auctions of a proportion of CO2 

permits (‘backloading’) and the setting-up 

of a ‘market stability reserve’ to counter the 

structural surplus of emission allowances 

by automatically adjusting the supply of 

auctioned allowances, the Commission 

proposed yet another reform in July 2015. 

Since 2012, the ETS also applies to aviation. 

Following massive international opposition, 

the EU ‘stopped the clock’ twice, suspending 

the scheme’s application to intercontinental 

flights until the end of 2016, thus giving the 

International Civil Aviation Organization 

(ICAO) time to develop a global market-based 

mechanism for international aviation that 

could start in 2020. 

Emissions from sectors not covered by the 

ETS, such as road transport, waste, agriculture 

and buildings, are subject to the Effort 

Sharing Decision, which sets binding annual 

GHG emission reduction targets for each 

Member State up to 2020. The Renewable 

Energy Directive seeks to ensure that by 

2020 renewable energy such as biomass, 

wind, hydroelectric power and solar power 

will make up at least 20% of the EU’s total 

energy consumption in terms of electricity 

generation, transport, heating and cooling. As 

part of the overall target, a binding minimum 

target is set for each Member State to bring 

the share of renewable energy in its transport 

energy consumption up to at least 10%. 

However, the binding character of this target 

is ‘subject to production being sustainable’ 

and to ‘second-generation biofuels becoming 

commercially available’. 

Carbon Capture and Storage technology 

separates CO2 from atmospheric emissions 

(resulting from industrial processes), 

compresses the CO2, and transports it to a 

location where it can be stored. According to 

the UN IPCC, CCS could remove 80-90% of CO2 

emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants. 

The EU has set up a regulatory framework 

to commercialise and subsidise this new 

technology. However, the implementation of 

the envisaged demonstration projects in Europe 

has proven more difficult than initially foreseen, 

high costs being one of the main barriers. 

New passenger cars registered in the EU have 

to comply with CO2 emissions standards. 

The target to be reached by the average car 

fleet is 130g of CO2/km for 2015 and will be 

reduced to 95g/km as from 2021. In order to 

create incentives for industry to invest in new 

technologies, so-called ‘super-credits’ can 

be used, whereby the cleanest cars in each 

manufacturer’s range count as more than one 

car when calculating the average specific CO2 

emissions. A similar regulation is in place for 

vans, and one is under preparation for buses 

and trucks. To support the CO2 emissions 

reduction policy, information relating to the 

fuel economy of new passenger cars offered 

for sale or rental in the EU is made available to 

consumers so that they can make an informed 

choice when buying a new car. 

CO2 emissions from international maritime 

shipping are significant, and are expected 

to grow considerably. Pressing for a global 

approach, the EU has in the meantime 

established a Union-wide system for the 

monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) 

of CO2 emissions from ships, as a first step 

towards cutting them. As from 2018, large 

ships will have to monitor and annually report 

their verified CO2 emissions released on their 

way to, from and within EU ports, along with 

other relevant information. 

Following bans on chlorofluorocarbons 

(CFCs) in the 1980s to stop the depletion of 

the ozone layer, fluorinated gases are today 

used as substitutes in a range of industrial 

applications such as air-conditioning and 

refrigeration, since they do not harm the 

ozone layer. However, they may have a global 

warming potential of up to 23 000 times that 

of CO2. The EU has therefore taken measures 

to control the use of fluorinated gases and ban 

their use in new air-conditioning appliances 

and refrigerators by 2022-2025, thereby 

setting the pace for a global phase-out. 

Role of the European Parliament 

In response to the Commission’s proposal 

for a policy framework for 2030 on climate 

and energy, Parliament gave a strong signal, 

calling for three binding targets (more 

ambitious than those finally agreed): a 

reduction of at least 40% in domestic GHG 

emissions from 1990 levels; a 30% share for 

renewable energy sources in final energy 

consumption; and a 40% increase in energy 

efficiency. 

Prior to the UN climate conference in Paris in 

2015, Parliament reiterated the urgent need 

‘to effectively regulate and cap emissions 

from international aviation and shipping’, 

and called on all Parties to work through 

the International Civil Aviation Organisation 

(ICAO) and the International Maritime 

Organisation (IMO) in order to develop a 

global policy framework for setting adequate 

targets before the end of 2016. The EP 

favours broad-based carbon pricing and 

advocates the allocation of emissions trading 

revenues to climate-related investments. 

It asked for concrete steps, including a 

Cost of action versus cost of inaction 

timetable, for the phase-out of all fossil fuel 

subsidies by 2020. 

As regards GHG emissions from aviation, 

Parliament managed to achieve a 

considerable shortening of the period for 

temporary exemptions of intercontinental 

flights from the EU ETS, and defined very 

clearly the criteria that have to be fulfilled 

for an international regime to be acceptable 

(de facto GHG emissions reduction; nondiscriminatory 

approach). Furthermore, 

for the first time it managed to secure a 

provision that EU Member States will have to 

report on how they spend the money coming 

from ETS allowance auctions. 

Within the context of the revision of 

the Renewables Directive, the EP strove 

to guarantee that biofuel production is 

environmentally and socially sustainable 

and does not lead to deforestation and 

rising food prices (so-called indirect land use 

change (ILUC)). Parliament called for a limit 

on first-generation biofuels from traditional 

food-derived sources of 6% of final transport 

energy consumption by 2020 (as opposed to 

the 10% limit currently in force), and also for 

a rapid switch to advanced biofuels sourced 

from seaweed or certain types of waste. 

During negotiations with the Council on 

fluorinated gases, Parliament advocated a 

complete phase-out of climate-damaging 

F-gases in several new sectors where 

safe, energy-efficient and cost-effective 

alternatives are available. Among other 

measures, a ban on the use of F-gases in new 

commercial refrigeration is foreseen from 

2022. 

In an update on CO2 emissions from 

passenger cars and vans, Parliament insisted 

on introducing the new UN-defined global 

test cycle as soon as possible, with a view to 

reflecting real-world driving conditions when 

measuring CO2 emissions. MBR 

Creditline: EU Parliament 


17


US elections 

“We are not very sure what exactly 

Trump’s foreign policy” “agenda is” 


The election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States will undoubtedly affect the country’s relations with 

the EU. Not only could it have an impact on the ongoing negotiations for free-trade agreement TTIP, there could also be repercussions 

for the other pillar of Euro-American cooperation, Nato. We talked to German EPP member David McAllister, chair of 

Parliament’s delegation for relations with the United States, what Europe can expect from a Trump presidency. 

David McAllister 

MBR: What will the outcome of the 

elections mean for Europe? 

DMA: Foreign policy, and especially 

Europe, did not play a large role in the 

American presidential campaign so we 

know a lot about Mr Trump on the one 

hand, but we are not very sure what 

exactly his foreign policy agenda is, so we 

just have to wait and see now. Who is he 

going to appoint as an adviser, who is he 

going to appoint as cabinet members and 

will his policies diverge from the rhetoric 

we have been hearing in the last few 

weeks and months? 

I hope that our good trans-Atlantic 

cooperation can continue. I think 

President Juncker, President Tusk and 

President Schulz were very clear in 

their statements today: how much we 

Europeans are interested in not only 

continuing our good trans-Atlantic 

cooperation, but even strengthening it 

in these challenging times in the 21st 

century. It’s up to the President to show 

us if he is also interested in strengthening 

the partnership. 

MBR: How do you think this will affect 

TTIP? 

DMA: Mr Trump is critical on free-trade 

agreements. He wants to reverse the 

Nafta agreement. He was very critical on 

TPP. The planned TTIP agreement with us 

Europeans did not play such a central role 

in the presidential campaign. I think we 

will just have to wait and see what the next 

Trump administration will have for ideas. 

I believe trade negotiations with the 

Trump administration will be more difficult 

than under an Obama administration. 

MBR: What impact will it have on the 

Nato partnership? 

DMA: Nato is the main pillar for our 

security in Europe. We are very much 

interested in having a good and close 

cooperation with our American allies 

when it comes to external security, 

but also to fight the challenges of 

international terrorism. 

I expect President Trump to ask us in 

Europe to do more for our own security 

and that’s why this call from America will 

lead, in my view, to a closer cooperation on 

defence and security within the European 

partners in the Nato framework. MBR 


Creditline: EU Newsroom/External Relations/Press 

18


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www.maltabusinessreview.net 19


hubbing 

Malta as a Logistics Hub 

But is Malta Ready To Embrace the Changes Needed to make Hubbing a Success Story? 


“The idea of making Malta a logistics hub makes a lot of sense and should be an idea embraced by all. Truth be 

told, Malta is not new to this concept and the country has been part of the hub industry for several years. But for 

this idea to take off, the country needs to take serious and hard decisions to create the right environment for this 

industry,” says Franco Azzopardi, Chairman and CEO of Express Trailers. 

warehouse can take, needs to be imported 

8 times from the Freeport and exported 

8 times from the cargo terminals. The 

400,000 cubic meters of new warehousing 

space being offered at Hal Far, would 

probably translate to 1.6 million cubic 

meters carried from the Freeport to the 

warehouse annually and another 1.6 

million cubic meters out of the warehouse 

via the cargo terminals. 

I am not so sure the last leg out of the 

terminals is possible with the current 

infrastructure at Corradino as this 

would mean a further 400 trailers to be 

exported weekly! 

Malta’s problem is the wide imbalance 

between the volume of cargo we import 

for consumption and the very small 

amounts we export. This imbalance for 

cargo carriers like ourselves means that 

part of our round-trips end up being done 

empty, and as a consequence, the cost of 

that empty space transported is suffered 

locally, partly by us, the carriers, and partly 

by the client. 

Hubbing is positive because by optimizing 

the routes of the journey of the cargo 

via Malta, we can generate more export 

to correct this import-export imbalance. 

This imbalance can also be corrected by 

shipping south-bound cargo to North 

Africa via the Freeport in containers. 

This not only corrects the import-export 

imbalance but brings also more economic 

value to our island, create economies 

of scale in favour of our consumer 

and manufacturer, and creates further 

investment and employment. 

Needless to say, at Express Trailers, we 

are leaders in Third Party Logistics and 

have been specialists in the transport of 

cargo and managed warehousing for many 

years. This is why the concept of hubbing, 

is an exciting proposition for our business. 

However, our operations and experience in 

logistics allow us to be more aware of the 

bottlenecks that Malta needs to address if 

hubbing is to take off successfully. 

The cargo terminals both at the airport 

and at Corradino could stifle the extent of 

the growth possible through international 

hubbing. Logistics and the environment 

are not best of friends and we have 

to decide on balance and equating 

the differences. More cargo from the 

Freeport means more trailers on the road 

to the warehouse. 

Another serious limitation is the lack of 

trailer parks on the island. I can say we 

have a serious problem where to park our 

trailers safely off the public roads. Now 

multiply that by the number of the other 

operators. Space is an issue. 

Space is also a primary issue. Warehouses 

need space. Industry standards suggest 

that inventories in warehouses need to 

be ‘turned around’ between five and eight 

times, meaning that the volume that the 

This brings us to the issue of road 

congestion which is already very dense. 

The national problem we need to address 

is the acute traffic in rush hours. This is 

disrupting the quality of life of people 

and disturbing also the supply chain of 

the carriage of goods. Our trips are taking 

longer and longer posing difficulties in 

planning routes and giving estimated time 

of arrivals to clients. 

As one can see, the viability of hubbing 

needs to remain conscious of the physical 

limitations and on further investment in 

our terminals, remaining also sensitive 

to our environmental obligations. Hardnosed 

decisions pointed at the festering 

problem need to be taken and driven 

by Government. Unless we embrace 

change, the hubbing concept will die 

before even taking off. MBR 

20

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Hospitality & Decor 

Revolutionising the hotel sleep business 


A good night’s 

sleep is the crown 

of any hotel, and 

any place that invests 

in improving the 

experience is putting 

a spotlight on what 

really matters. 

We spend roughly a third of our life in bed. 

In hotel time, however, it’s more like half of 

our lives, making the bed arguably the most 

important element in the room. While luxury 

hotels flog services and amenities, from 

super-fast Wi-Fi to butlers who will literally 

unpack for you, it’s really the bed that most 

travellers are focused on. According to a 

2014 Gallup survey, more than half of guests 

who stay in the medium-high priced hotels 

said they would pay more for an improved 

bed. Among all respondents, a comfortable 

bed was most often named as the most 

important feature of a hotel room, more 

than any other amenity, including Internet 

access and helpful employees. 

A guest’s needs and preferences are 

diverse and the demand for a personalised 

sleep environment is increasing. Another 

survey, conducted by Ipsos shared insights 

on what helps them sleep well on the 

road. Highlights include: 

• 92% expressed a distinct preference 

on the firmness of the bed, with 50% 

preferring medium, 28% preferring firm 

and 14% soft. 

• 30% requested a room change due to 

the bed 

• 31% have wanted to take home the 

bed. 

• Pre-bedtime rituals varied widely, 

with Russians and Chinese favouring a 

hot shower whilst the British enjoyed 

tucking in to bed with a good book 

• The one thing most people have in 

common? 72% said they like to sleep 

on the same side of the bed they are 

used to at home. 

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different levels of comfort tailored to 

their preference in minutes. 

“Using our proprietary Technology we have 

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different levels of firmness for customised 

comfort - Firm, Medium or Plush” says Luke 

Borg, Director, Product and Innovation. 

A system of revolutionary mattress 

toppers engineered specifically for Hotels, 

Boutique Hotels and Guest houses, are 

easily changed by the housekeeping staff 

by swapping one topper for another in a 

matter of minutes; guests arriving to their 

room will find their chosen bed in place 

when they arrive. The most popular model 

among hotels, the G2, offers the same 3 

firmnesses except it comes with only one 

topper, saving the hotel valuable space 

needed for the extra Toppers. 

Comfur Guest Bed Details 

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MBR News Global Round-Up 

Moldova has elected pro-Russian Igor Dodon as 

president, over the pro-EU Maia Sandu. Dodon has 

promised to organize a referendum with the intention 

of ditching the country’s “association agreement” with 

the EU. “I promise that I will be everyone’s president, of 

those who want to be in the EU and those who [want to 

be] close to Russia,” Dodon said Sunday. MBR 

APRÉS TRUMP, LE DELUGE — BULGARIAN PM 

RESIGNS: Boyko Borisov resigned Sunday, after 

a runaway victory for Socialist candidate Rumen 

Radev in the country’s presidential race which leaves 

Bulgaria “set to veer sharply back into Moscow’s 

strategic orbit.” MBR 

Swedish neo-Nazis hit new peak: “Sweden’s neo-Nazi 

Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR) mounted the biggest 

march in its history on Saturday, with its leadership saying 

the election of Donald Trump in the US marked the start of 

a world revolution.” 

Threat: Neo-Nazi demonstrators make the fascist salute 

during a demonstration in Stockholm, in December 

2006. Despite popular belief that Sweden is a liberal and 

unbiased country, it too has a history of fascism MBR 

A message from ETNO & BCG: Will you 

be a digitally-empowered citizen? That’s 

what the Gigabit Society vision is about. 

With superfast broadband networks, 

you can boost your job opportunities, 

grow your business or simply enjoy ultrahigh 

quality entertainment. Network 

investment is the pre-requisite. Check 

the latest BCG report on how smart 

regulation can help achieve that. MBR 

Renzi removed the EU flag from his press 

conference (h/t Davide Denti.) Meanwhile, on 

Saturday, the leader of the Northern League, 

Matteo Salvini, told a crowd in Florence, 

waving American and Russian flags, that he is 

Italy’s Trump and plans to take over the Italian 

center–right. MBR 

BBC put Marine Le Pen on its flagship weekend 

politics program, a decision Seb Dance, a UK 

Labour MEP, profoundly disagreed with. MBR 

A Brussels warning from The 

Economist: “Eurocrats in Brussels 

often complain that they are made 

the scapegoats for the failings of 

national politicians. They should 

brace for more of it … The EU may 

eventually tilt towards a common 

assembly for mutually beneficial 

transactions rather than a club of 

like-minded countries with a sense 

of shared destiny.” MBR 

TRUMPWORLD, DAY SIX. 

The first signal to the EU: a meeting with Nigel 

Farage. The European Parliament has always angled 

for a greater role in world affairs. It now has one, via 

one of its members being the first foreign politician to 

sit down with Donald Trump since the U.S. election. 

Unfortunately for Eurocrats, the politician was 

Nigel Farage, leader of the Europe of Freedom 

and Direct Democracy party group, and the face 

of Brexit. Die Welt. MBR 

“Stupid. Ridiculous. 

Hysterical,” says UK 

government: The EU 

foreign ministers’ crisis 

meeting over Trump 

election win is seen as an 

absurd overreaction. Boris 

Johnson called it part of a 

“collective whinge-o-rama” 

and refused to join the 

meeting. At the same time, 

in what the FT described as 

a “snub,” the French foreign 

minister for his part said 

he had to skip the meeting 

because of the anniversary 

of the Paris attacks. 

Meanwhile, President-elect 

Trump and Nigel Farage met 

for a photo-op in a goldplated 

elevator. MBR 

ICYMI — Merkel’s conditional 

support: Angela Merkel told Trump: 

“Germany and America are connected 

by values of democracy, freedom and 

respect for the law and the dignity of 

man, independent of origin, skin color, 

religion, gender, sexual orientation or 

political views,” she said, according to a 

statement: “I offer the next President of 

the United States close cooperation on 

the basis of these values.” MBR 

THE EUROPEAN RESPONSE … Much 

of Europe’s media led with news of 

Trump’s wish to immediately deport 

around three million undocumented 

migrants, even if Paul Ryan rejects the 

idea of a deportation force. Trump also 

said he’s “fine” with marriage equality. 

YLE (Finland) | La Repubblica (Italy) | 

Onet (Poland) | MBR 

Inside Europe’s panic 

room: the union’s foreign 

affairs ministers meet this 

morning after a dinner last 

night revealed they have 

few clues when it comes 

to Trump’s plans. They 

are also divided on how to 

engage with the incoming 

administration. MBR 

The EU foreign policy chief 

though kept her cool in this 

exchange: 

Journalist: “Will it be 

awkwtard meeting Trump, 

knowing what he said 

about women?” Federica 

Mogherini: “I’m Italian. 

We’ve seen it all.” MBR 

Italy sees a glass half-full: Foreign Minister Paolo 

Gentiloni said the president-elect should improve 

relations with Moscow without “giving up on 

principles.” Silvio Berlusconi, in an interview with 

Corriere della Sera, said he likes Trump’s ideas on 

Russia, fiscal policy and migration – but not those 

on trade. 

MBR 

Pay the rent: Italy’s former NATO ambassador 

Stefano Stefanini told Playbook that, when it 

comes to Trump and America, everyone has 

“to pay the defense bill. The renters who do 

not pay, face eviction. The new American 

president comes from real estate: rent needs 

to be paid – on time.” 


NATO says Trump cannot go it alone: Going it 

alone is not an option for the U.S. or Europe, says 

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg. MBR 

Jean-Claude Juncker: What’s 

he playing at? Juncker said: 

“We must teach the Presidentelect 

what Europe is and how it 

works.” He added: “I believe we’ll 

have two years of wasted time 

while Mr. Trump tours a world 

he doesn’t know.” Italy’s former 

NATO ambassador Stefano 

Stefanini in La Stampa: “His 

attack will only make Americans 

close ranks with the newly 

elected President,” 


Source: POLITICO newsletter family; Brussels Playbook; Morning Exchange 

24

MBR News Global Round-Up 


The aspect of Pearl Harbor that’s never discussed: it 

was a massive management failure 

By Steve Twomey 

Give Japan’s navy its due. It successfully 

ambushed Pearl Harbor seventy-five years 

ago because its commander was partial 

to gambles; its technicians eliminated a 

confounding quirk of torpedoes, and its 

seamen proved adept at sailing thousands 

of miles undetected. The Japanese got lucky, 

too. 

In the era before spy satellites, they had no 

way of knowing as they set out whether 

the Pacific Fleet would even be in Hawaiian 

waters on December 7, 1941. And, no, 

Franklin Roosevelt did not know they were 

coming. 

But mostly, the Japanese were the 

beneficiaries of acute managerial 

breakdown. One of the most unexpected, 

self-image shattering events in American 

history may be receding into a misty other 

century, but it is the perfect primer of the 

mistakes that government and business – 

that all of us — make every day. 

Lesson one: Make sure there’s no other 

way to read what you write. 

As peace was fraying in late November, 

Washington alerted its forces in the Pacific to 

probable Japanese aggression. Or thought it 

had. In reality, when officers at Pearl Harbor 

saw the Navy Department’s unprecedented 

first sentence – “This dispatch is to be 

considered a war warning” – they concluded 

danger lay elsewhere, because the note 

immediately went on to list Japan’s likely 

objectives, and Hawaii was not one of them. 

Its writers knew what they had meant – that 

while the listed locales seemed especially 

threatened, no outpost should feel safe – 

but they hadn’t considered how recipients 

might conflate the parts. If he missed the 

point, the fleet commander said later, “Then 

there must have been something the matter 

with the message.” 

Lesson two: To assume is to regret. 

That commander, Admiral Husband E. 

Kimmel, was not required to report he 

understood the warning, or what security 

steps he was taking. Those in charge on 

the sea frontiers had risen to their exalted 

positions by demonstrating smarts and 

judgment, and the Navy Department was 

certain they would do the right thing. It 

wouldn’t micromanage. Only too late did 

Washington ask Oahu if search planes had 

been out, only to learn the answer was no. 

It is wise to give subordinates the room to be 

creative; it is not to remain ignorant of their 

choices. 

In contrast, the Army did order its Hawaii 

commander to report how he was 

responding to the warning. But the War 

Department then failed to grasp what 

General Walter C. Short wrote back: He was 

guarding only against sabotage by islanders 

of Japanese descent, not an attack from 

without. “I told them as plainly as I could,” 

Short said. The Army Chief of Staff blamed 

a deluge of work for not reading carefully a 

reply he had demanded personally. 

Lesson three: You can’t have multiple 

leaders. 

The Navy and Army on Oahu did not 

compare notes after the warnings. Neither 

was subservient to the other. A congressman 

who was also a Marine reservist had spent 

a month of active duty on the island that 

summer, and concluded that one man 

ought to be in charge of both services there, 

someone to whom the crucial data and 

problems went, and from whom the big 

decisions emanated. To leave responsibility 

muddled “may prove dangerous and tragic,” 

the congressman wrote the Navy in October. 

Nothing had changed by December. As for 

whether Kimmel had begun a search after 

the warnings, which is what he thought 

might happen, Short said, “I did not pin him 

down.” 

Lesson four: Don’t let your desires colour 

new facts. 

Too often on Oahu the latest intelligence was 

interpreted in a benign way, which enabled 

everyone to avoid disrupting plans and 

routines. By December 2, the names of four 

Japanese aircraft carriers had vanished from 

intercepted radio traffic, but the conclusion 

was they most likely remained in home 

waters. By December 3, Japanese diplomats 

were destroying codebooks and machines 

in Washington and elsewhere, but that 

was seen as merely a precaution Japan was 

taking in case the United States attacked it. “I 

didn’t draw the proper answer,” Kimmel said 

later. “I admit that. I admit that I was wrong.” 

This tendency to give information a sunny 

spin was especially costly in regard to 

torpedoes. Dropped from an airplane, a 

torpedo plunges deeply before running 

to its target. Pearl Harbor was but fortyfive 

feet. In June, Washington advised that 

while an attacker would probably need 

considerably more water than that to avoid 

having its torpedoes plow into the sea 

Photo: Fox Photos via Getty Images 

bottom, no depth should be thought safe. 

The fleet did not take the caution to heart. 

No cumbersome protective netting was 

strung around the tethered battleships, 

which wound up punctured repeatedly by 

torpedoes the Japanese had modified for 

shallow waters. 

Lesson five: If you are given expert 

advice, remember it. 

In March 1941, a general and an admiral on 

Oahu concluded that in a time of tension, 

a fast Japanese raiding force might reach 

island waters “with no prior warning from 

our intelligence services,” and prior to a 

declaration of war. Launched from one or 

more carriers, Japanese planes might catch 

the fleet unawares in port, the two officers 

said. Reconnaissance would be the only 

antidote. 

But then, just about everyone relegated that 

dangerous scenario to their mental back 

pages. It was a box that had been ticked. 

Americans did not view the Japanese as 

particularly creative or capable. The Navy 

felt its own ships would have a hard time 

pulling off a comparable strike on Japan, and 

if our boys couldn’t do it, theirs couldn’t. In 

the days after the war warnings, with four 

enemy carriers unaccounted for, no one 

even mentioned the news to the admiral 

who had co-authored the March report. 

That morning long ago, as warplanes with 

red balls on their wings swept down on his 

ships, Kimmel stood in his yard watching 

with a neighbour, who would remember the 

look on the commander’s face. He was “as 

white as the uniform he wore.” MBR 


Steve Twomey is a 

Pulitzer Prize–winning 

reporter and the author 

of Countdown to Pearl 

Harbor: The Twelve Days 

to the Attack 


25


ERC STORY 

Is digital mapping the new media? 

By Sybille Lammes 

Over the past months, a sudden influx of ‘Pokémon Go’ players could be observed across the globe. Youngsters, people of all ages 

scrutinise their surroundings silently, using their smartphones to catch those digital creatures with unlikely names. How could such 

a phenomenon take over the world so fast? Part of the answer may be the game’s strong interaction with the real-world and its 

impressive mapping, offering a whole new virtual experience of spaces that seem to be familiar and yet so different. 

Based at the University of Warwick 

(UK), Sybille Lammes’ ERC-funded 

research focuses on digital 

mapping practices - including those 

related to play. She sees them as new 

media cultures that influence and alter 

our way of being and moving through 

spatial environments. She is also the 

first to combine New Media Studies, 

Science and Technology Studies and 

Human Geography and thereby to tackle 

an original and mostly unexplored 

research field. 

“Digital maps can be simultaneously 

understood as new media, technologies 

and cartographies” explains Lammes, 

nourishing the conception of new media 

as “material cultures” that are physically 

embedded in daily life and technologies. 

A new culture 

Digital cartographies have changed 

the century-old conception of maps, 

traditionally perceived as something 

tangible representing a space. In the 

numerical world, on the other hand, we 

constantly interact with navigation and 

geolocation gadgets that are built in most 

applications and devices. 

The maps of today are versatile real-time 

maps. Connected to online technologies – 

such as traffic sensors and GPS – they keep 

transforming before our eyes. Current 

navigation systems propose new routes 

when we miss a turn and adapt their 

suggestions to the way we play with them. 

We look for restaurants and shops through 

digital maps and some even date with the 

help of geolocation apps. Such daily tools 

influence our behaviour and thinking, the 

way we sense space and relate to it: 

“The ambition of “Charting the Digital” is 

to define what digital mapping is about and 

what it culturally entails, and to explore, 

as a new techno-cultural phenomenon, 

its impact on our spatial relations”, says 

Lammes. 

With her team, she has undertaken an 

extensive critical comparison of digital 

mapping practices, also in relation 

to traditional cartography and other 

related media forms. The research also 

encompasses the analysis of mapping 

interfaces, which act as technological 

mediators and induce users’ specific 

behaviour. 

Sybille Lammes: “Our own research team 

membershttps://erc.europa.eu/sites/ 

all/themes/erc/images/gloss.png have 

become part of the study, by “going native”, 

i.e. becoming engaged and interacting 

with the material they study. They keep a 

journal about their experiences with the 

mapping interface and how they become 

acquainted with it”. 

PROJECT DETAILS 

Researcher (PI): Sybille Lammes 

Digital mapping for playful learning 

On the commercial side, Lammes’ team 

noted that highly successful and profitable 

digital mapping applications make use of a 

combination of gamification, connectivity 

and interactivity in their design. On this 

basis, they have developed a prototype 

of a location-based game: a mobile app 

named ‘Playfields’ that can be used to 

teach fieldwork to university students in 

a ‘hands on’ entertaining way. MBR 

Image & researcher picture: Courtesy S. Lammes 

Host institution: The University Of Warwick, United Kingdom 

Project: Charting the Digital: Digital Mapping Practices as 

New Media Cultures, (Charting the Digital) 

ERC call: Starting Grant , ERC-2011-StG, panel SH5 

Max ERC funding: 1,422,453 € 

Duration: From 2011-11-01 until 2016-10-31 

26

ERC STORY 


A standard cancer care 

for pregnant women 

By Dr Frédéric Amant 

When cancer is diagnosed 

in an expecting mother, the 

decision whether or not to 

start chemotherapy during 

the pregnancy needs to 

strike a delicate balance 

between the well-being of 

the mother and that of the 

foetus. With ERC support, Dr 

Frédéric Amant is developing 

a standard, integrated 

approach for cancer care for 

pregnant women. 

Cancer in pregnancy is increasingly 

prevalent (1 to 2 in 2000 pregnancies in 

Europe), largely because of the recent 

trend to delay childbearing until a later 

age. While there is not yet evidence about 

the potential toxicity of chemotherapy 

on the foetus, as a precaution, this type 

of treatment has been largely avoided 

for pregnant women. Such approach 

generally led to delay in treatment, 

termination of pregnancy or premature 

induction of delivery. 

In the last 50 years, drug regulation has 

significantly evolved. However, pregnant 

women and their foetuses remained out 

of scope, due to the general reluctance of 

pharmaceutical companies and expectant 

mothers to engage in dedicated drug 

trials. “This creates the need and the 

opportunity to investigate the true 

relationship between chemotherapy 

and childbearing with the objective of 

developing evidence-based rather than 

opinion-based decision-making”, says Dr 

Frédéric Amant from the KU Leuven, in 

Belgium. 

A pilot study led by Dr Amant back in 

2012 showed that antenatal exposure 

to chemotherapy could overall be 

considered to be safe. This finding was 

internationally recognized as a first step 

towards a standard of care for women 

with cancer during pregnancy. With an 

ERC Consolidator grant and the support 

of a multidisciplinary team of experts, Dr 

Amant is now securing robust evidence 

about the risk/safety profile for foetuses 

under mothers’ chemotherapy: 

PROJECT DETAILS 

Researcher (PI): Dr Frédéric Amant 

Host institution: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,Belgium 

Project: Cancer treatment during pregnancy: from fetal 

safety to maternal efficacy, (CRADLE) 

ERC call: Consolidator Grants , ERC-2014-CoG, panel 

Max ERC funding: 2,000,000 € 

Dr Amant: “The strength of our project 

lies in the integrated approach to 

this multifaceted problem of cancer 

in pregnancy, with two innovative 

methodological focus points: the use of 

an international patient registry of young 

women with cancer with a subregistry 

of women with pregnancy-associated 

breast cancer (the INCIP), along with 

the consultation of extensive biobanks. 

This allows for unprecedented largescale 

clinical follow-up studies as well as 

laboratory studies on patient biomaterial.” 

In addition, Dr Amant and his team foresee 

the application of cutting-edge models of 

human placental research to investigate 

the physiological basis of the placental 

barrier function. The researchers hope the 

study will be a major step forward to the 

well-being of both mother and foetus in a 

pregnancy complicated by cancer, leading 

to the development of standard diagnostic 

and therapeutic approaches during this 

critical period. In addition, the findings 

could provide substantial impetus to further 

research in this emerging field. MBR 

Image: ©Ann De Wulf 

Researcher image: ©Rob Stevens 

Duration: From 2015-10-01 until 2020-09-30 


27


mbr news global round-up 

WHAT’S NEXT IN TRUMP’S AMERICA? 

THE FACEBOOK NEWS 

FIGHT … 

“Something like 

Reince Priebus will be chief of staff: The ultimate 

170 million people 

insider — the president of the Republican 

in North America 

National Committee — got the biggest formal 

use Facebook every 

reward. Stephen Bannon of Breitbart News will 

day … Forty-four 

become chief strategist. MBR 

percent of all adults 

in the United States 

say they get news from Facebook, and access to an audience of that 

size would seem to demand some kind of civic responsibility — an 

obligation to ensure that a group of people more sizable than the 

American electorate is not being misled.” MBR 

THE FACEBOOK NEWS FIGHT … 

“Something like 170 million people in North America use Facebook every day 

… Forty-four percent of all adults in the United States say they get news from 

Facebook, and access to an audience of that size would seem to demand some kind 

of civic responsibility — an obligation to ensure 

that a group of people more sizable than the 

American electorate is 

“A fake story claiming Pope Francis — 

actually a refugee advocate — endorsed 

Mr. Trump was shared almost a million 

times, likely visible to tens of millions,” 

Zeynep Tufekci, an associate professor at the 

University of North Carolina who studies the 

social impact of technology, said of a recent 

post on Facebook. “Its correction was barely 

heard. Of course, Facebook had significant 

influence in this last election’s outcome.” MBR 

not being misled.” MBR 

The social platform provides 

news to more Americans 

than any other organization. 

But after the election, it’s 

come under fire for helping 

disseminate fake news. 

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO 

and founder of Facebook, 

said that he believes the 

idea that Facebook helped 

influence the election by 

spreading false information 

is “pretty crazy”. MBR 

Meet Keith Ellison, an 

African-American Muslim 

congressman from 

Minnesota who hopes 

to run the Democratic 

Party and bring it back to 

power. MBR 

Sunday sniping: Meanwhile, 

the President-elect spent 

Sunday morning tweeting 

attacks against the New York 

Times. He also formally 

asked that a jury trial into 

the activities of Trump 

University be delayed until 

after inauguration. MBR 

The election of Trump 

casts a shadow over 

the Cuban thaw, 

From El Pais. MBR 

Trump will have vast powers, 

and can thank Democrats for 

them: Glenn Greenwald goes 

for the jugular against centrist 

democrats. MBR 

Memories: the best Obama 

pics from 8 years in office, by 

Pete Souza, the Chief Official 

White House Photographer, MBR 

Max Read has an epic take down 

here: “Lies and exaggerations have 

always been central to real political 

campaigns; Facebook has simply 

made them easier to spread, and 

discovered that it suffers no 

particular market punishment 

for doing so … MBR 

Bernie Sanders has an 

offer – and a warning, as his 

Sanders revolution comes 

back in business: MBR 

IN OTHER NEWS … 

EUROZONE — OBAMA CALLS FOR ‘MEANINGFUL’ 

GREEK DEBT RELIEF: In a wide-ranging interview with 

Kathimerini before a two-day visit starting tomorrow, 

the U.S. President tackled everything from debt to 

democracy. “Despite facing extraordinary economic 

hardships, Greece is one of five NATO Allies that spend 

2 percent of GDP on defense. We thank our Greek allies 

for our close cooperation at Souda Bay … MBR 

Repudiating the American power 

structure, not celebrating hate: 

That’s former Clinton administration 

official Robert Reich’s take. MBR 

BREXIT — SADIQ KHAN TELLS 

REMAINERS TO STOP WHINGEING: 

Tom McTague and Alex Spence 

interview the London mayor. MBR 

UNDERSTANDING POPULISM … 


It’s easy to hate Trump 

but important to learn 

from him: Martin Kettle 

for The Guardian MBR 

Start building bridges 

if you want to stop 

another world war. MBR 

WHAT NORWEGIANS ARE FRANCE — JUPPÉ AHEAD 

TALKING ABOUT: IKEA recreated IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, 

the home of a Syrian family OTHERS CLOSING: 

ravaged by the country’s war, in The moderate candidate 

an Oslo IKEA store. MBR 

Alain Juppé has 36 

percent of first-round 

voters in his corner. But 

it’s François Fillon unsettling the field with a big gain to reach 18 

percent support in the latest survey. In a two-horse race between 

Juppé and Nicholas Sarkozy, Juppé has 59 percent support. MBR 

“With the rise of populist movements and 

questions about the future of European 

integration, my visit to Greece – the birthplace 

of democracy and an inspiration for America’s 

founders – will be a chance to reaffirm the 

enduring values of democratic governance, 

diversity and tolerance 

that help keep us 

strong.” 

MBR News Round-Up 

will on a regular basis 

share interesting articles 

that shed light on who – 

and what – is driving the 

establishment backlash 

across the West. 


Condescension feeds Trump: David 

Brooks writes in the New York Times 

that “populism of the Trump/Le Pen/ 

Brexit variety has always been 

a warning sign, a warning sign 

that there is some deeper 

dysfunction in our economic, 

social and cultural systems. If you 

want to take that warning sign 

and dismiss it as simple bigotry, 

you’re never going to pause to 

understand what’s going on 

and you will never know how to 

constructively respond.” MBR 

The class culture gap: “The white working 

class (WWC) resents professionals but admires 

the rich … The dream is not to become uppermiddle-class, 

with its different food, family, and 

friendship patterns; the dream is to live in your 

own class milieu, where you feel comfortable 

— just with more money … Hillary Clinton, by 

contrast, epitomizes the dorky arrogance and 

smugness of the 

The Women who 

helped Trump to 

victory: They were 

disgusted by his comments but 

their vote “wasn’t so much about 

voting against Hillary Clinton, but 

about the change they thought 

Mr. Trump would enact.” 


professional elite. The 

dorkiness: the pantsuits. 

The arrogance: the 

email server. The 

smugness: the basket 

of deplorables.” Joan C. 

Williams with a great 

long read here. MBR 

FRANCE — REMEMBERING PARIS ATTACKS, even as the French 

government gets ready to extend the state of emergency MBR 

BRUSSELS CORNER … 

Memorial for Brussels Attacks set for 

Soignes Forest: 32 trees will be planted in 

their memory. They will be planted on the 

21st of March, the first day of spring, and 

an area not far from the La Hulpe road 

in Watermael-Boitsfort, near a Tumulis 

footpath, is the favored location. MBR 

28 

Source: POLITICO newsletter family; Brussels Playbook; Morning Exchange

FINANCIAL SERVICES 


Malta Stock Exchange Institute 


Since 2015, the MSE has held the 

Annual Investor Conference, aimed, as 

its name indicates, at the general body 

of investors, where financial matters, 

particularly those related to capital 

markets are explained and discussed in 

simple and understandable terms. 

The MSE has now consolidated its 

training efforts and initiatives into 

one body, the Malta Stock Exchange 

Institute, that shall be responsible to 

organise a number of short courses on 

a number of subjects not only related to 

the capital market itself, but within the 

wider scope of financial services. It is 

our belief that the Malta Stock Exchange 

Institute has the potential to become 

a pre-eminent financial institution 

enhancing financial education in Malta 

for individual investors and industry 

practitioners alike. 

The financial services sector has been 

one of the key drivers of our country’s 

ongoing prosperity. As the industry 

grows, so does the demand for well 

trained and qualified professionals to 

meet the financial sector’s ever growing 

human resource needs. 

The Malta Stock Exchange Institute is 

innovative in that the level of courses 

offered are aimed at participants with 

various levels of knowledge, from 

the small investor to students and 

practitioners, or simply those who want 

to know more about financial matters. 

Also some of the courses, where 

appropriate, will be held in Maltese; 

however the majority will be taught 

in English. While the courses offered 

are intended to be taken individually, 

participants are encouraged to continue 

courses through the different levels, and 

to eventually attain their Diploma. 

The Exchange made every attempt to 

keep their course pricing within reach 

of the average citizen and will also be 

offering 50% discounts to both seniors 

and students. MBR 


29


cost 

COST: Growing ideas through research 

and innovation networks 

By Janet Mifsud 

Many SMEs may ask but how does one 

get involved in an EU project? How do 

potential EU partners find me, is there a 

simple ‘learn how to’ for EU funds? How 

can I help my idea grow through research 

and innovation? COST is the answer. But 

what is COST? 

early career 

investigation 

geographical 

coverage 

gender 

COST (European Cooperation in Science and 

Technology) (www.cost.eu) is the longestrunning 

European research framework, 

supporting networking and knowledge 

sharing amongst science and technology 

communities in Europe. COST has been a 

building block of Europe’s research world for 

nearly 50 years. It is an intergovernmental 

organisation, with 37 Member States 

spanning the European continent. It funds 

networks across borders and often across 

scientific disciplines, interlinking nationally 

funded researchers and innovators. 

In all, nearly 40 000 researchers every 

year (including around 300 from Malta) 

participate in COST. COST works mainly 

through what we call a COST Action. This is 

a network of researchers, industry, SMEs, 

NGOs and other interested parties focused 

in a particular area, collaborating across 

borders. A COST Action funds conferences, 

workshops, short-term scientific missions, 

training schools, publications and other 

communications tools to link the participants 

together over four years. Thus it contributes 

greatly to narrowing the gap between 

science, industry, policy makers and society. 

Co-operation in COST is inclusive and open, 

fosters new and excellent ideas through the 

sharing of knowledge (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1 Co-operation in COST is inclusive 

and open, fostering new and excellent ideas 

through the sharing of knowledge between 

SMEs, industry, academia in international cooperation. 

A huge advantage of COST for Malta is that 

each COST country is allowed to nominate 

two representatives per action irrespective 

of size, thus ensuring inclusiveness and 

widening. Thus Malta can nominate two 

researchers on each action just like many 

other bigger countries. COST is, in fact, 

the cornerstone of the European research 

funding landscape since it opens up huge 

networks to smaller and more peripheral 

COST countries, such as Malta. 

international 

cooperation 

Malta in COST 

Malta first joined COST in 1996 before it 

became a full EU member in 2004. The 

Malta Council for Science and Technology, 

as the managing authority for COST in 

Malta, then recognised the key role COST 

participation could have in facilitating the 

entry of researchers based in Malta to wider 

European Research networks and funds 

such as in the Framework Programmes. 

Moreover the wide range of networking 

activities (tools) supported by COST, such as 

meetings, workshops, short term scientific 

missions, publications, and training 

schools, made it even more amenable to 

researchers based in Malta. Since 2011, 

Malta has participated in a constantly 

excellence 

& 

inclusiveness 

COST 

ACTON 

Figure 1 

SME 

& 

industry 

cooperation 

growing number of running COST Actions. 

In 2015, nearly 300 researchers based in 

Malta from academia, industry, SMEs and 

public entities were participating in 157 

COST Actions. 

Researchers based in Malta are 

participating in COST actions ranging 

from research in basic science such as 

drug resistance in cancer stem cells, to 

more applied science such as soil erosion, 

3D video coding, transport accessibility, 

tracking water vapour in the atmosphere 

with GPS satellites, for climate change; 

setting up databases so public-policy 

researchers can compare local-government 

30

cost 


reforms. SMEs and public entities in Malta 

are participating in COST actions on digital 

printing, next generation photovoltaics, 

wind energy, food industry, water quality, 

construction and sustainable architecture. 

In recent years, thanks to COST, Maltese 

institutions have also gained increasing 

visibility thanks to the organisations of 

meetings, Training Schools and short 

term scientific missions, helping to 

strengthen the existing networks and foster 

collaboration links between researchers, 

institutions and ultimately countries. 

Conclusion 

Over the course of its 40 year history, 

COST has provided a unique approach 

that enables the sharing of concepts and 

scientific developments across 35 European 

countries and has even attracted the 

participation of many non EU countries. It 

also promotes interdisciplinary approaches, 

knowledge sharing, talent development 

and assists research and industrial 

communities in finding their own ways to 

tackle important societal challenges. 

Researchers based in Malta are now 

integrated in each part of the COST process, 

from participation in the high level policy 

Committee of Scientific Officers (CSO), 

having a representative on the strategic 

Committee of Scientific Experts, a full cohort 

of eighteen Review Panel Experts and also 

close to 300 COST experts. Malta’s success 

in COST has often been 

highlighted by the COST Association 

and Malta has even been invited to be 

Vice-Chair for the COST working group 

on Inclusiveness and Widening. In fact in 

December 2016 Malta has been invited 

to host the COST Committee of Scientific 

Officers in the new interactive science 

centre in Kalkara, Esplora, as one of the 

first pre-Presidency meetings to be held in 

preparation of Malta’s Presidency of the EU 

Council in 2017. 

Malta’s participation and investment in 

COST has resulted in better exposure 

opportunities for various parties. More 

importantly, the younger cohort of 

researchers have been given an invaluable 

opportunity to increase their contacts circles 

in their fields of interest. This, coupled with 

opportunities for participation in research 

on a European scale, opportunities for 

specialisation through joint collaborations 

and opportunities to showcase our 

local potential, continue to support and 

advocate Malta’s necessity to participate 

in this programme and acts as an incentive 

for local participation in COST actions to 

continue to be supported and encouraged. 

COST has also always been a frontrunner 

in bridging the gap between policy, 

research and end users, by promoting 

connections between COST Actions and 

other European S&T policy concepts with 

relevant stakeholder communities. It has 

provided the basis for increased societal 

impact of research and S&T innovation in 

Europe and beyond. MBR 

Participating in COST requires a very 

simple application process with minimal 

administration. COST in Malta is managed 

by the Malta Council for Science and 

Technology. For more information see 

http://www.mcst.gov.mt/Horizon2020/ 

COST.aspx or email the National Contact 

Point, Prof Janet Mifsud 

janet.mifsud@um.edu.mt 

COST National Contact Point, 

COST Malta Representative on the 

Committee of Scientific Officers, 

Malta Council for Science and Technology, 

Kalkara, Malta 


Janet Mifsud B.Pharm 

(Hons)(Melit.);PhD 

(QUB); BA (Theology) 

(Melit.) 

Prof Janet Mtifsud is 

national co-ordinator 

(CNC and CSO) for COST 

– European Cooperation 

in Science and 

Technology, for the Malta Council of Science 

and Technology (MCST). She is Associate 

Professor in the Department of Clinical 

Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University 

of Malta and has participated in various EU 

projects. She is a board member for MCST 

and is involved in science research policy 

and dissemination. She has been appointed 

several times as peer expert evaluator for EU 

research projects. 


31


HIGHER EDUCATION 

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Commited to Providing the Best 

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Learning a language or obtaining an 

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than ever in the global economy. eie 

Educational Group provide students with 

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for an excellent teaching environment so 

that they quickly progress through their 

course, but also that they will want to 

enjoy themselves whilst studying. At eie 

Educational Group, you will have a fantastic 

studying experience. eie encourage social 

interaction trough regular, fun and varied 

leisure programmes, as this improves a 

learning experience. 

eie Educational Group, was established in 

January 2000 and their success is built on a 

long-standing commitment to the specific 

needs of local and international students. 

eie constantly expands its worldwide 

networks, partners with established 

renowned organisations, invests in its 

facilities and in social commitments. The 

eie Educational Group is redefining the 

landscape of modern education. 

The eie Educational Group aims to 

develop the appropriate competencies 

and knowledge needed in planning, 

evaluation, research and development 

tasks in education and related fields in the 

midst of societal changes, both on local 

and global levels. This network gives eie 

the key to be competitive and to share 

the collective experience and continuous 

professional development with their 

cilients. 

In a fast moving world, challenges are 

demanding and change is constant. 

Tomorrow’s future depends on today’s 

knowledge. 

Through its companies, the eie Educational 

Group is able to offer the following 

services: 

• Academic programmes - Certificate, 

Diploma, Bachelor, Master degrees 

in various subjects for young and 

mature adults are offered through 

eie Institute of Education (Licensed 

by the NCFHE as an institute of 

Further and Higher Education – 

License Number 2005-TC-001); 

• Training programmes - Business 

courses, thematic seminars for 

business excecutives offered 

trough eie Mangement Centre; 

• English Language courses - English 

courses at Beginner, Elementary, 

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English and Advanced levels are 

offered through eie Languages 

Centre (Licensed by the EFL 

Monitoring Board – License 

Number 282/MB42) 

• Student Accommodation - Provision 

of quality accommodation around 

Malta ideal for students offered 

through eie Residences 

• Internships – Organisation of 

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for international students offered 

through eie internships. MBR 

eie Mission 

To enhance the level of Academic 

training and Tuition of both pre and 

post graduate levels by: 

• Contributing actively towards the 

propagation of equal opportunities 

for all. 

• Continually engaging in the pursuit of 

excellence. 

• Continually investing in its own 

people. 

• Striving to afford the best service to 

all our clients. 

• Establishing itself as a leader in the 

international education field. 

• Contributing towards the social 

welfare of the community. 

For more information about eie’s degree 

programmes, English language courses 

or other business related courses you can 

e-mail at info@eie-group.com, phone on 

+35621332804/5 

32

eie educational group 

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE 

The eie educational group 

is an acknowledged leader in international education 


We specialise in providing 

* Higher Educational courses - eie Institute of Education (NCFHE License Number 2005 - TC - 001) 

* English Language courses - eie Languages Centre (EFL License Number 282/MB42) 

* Executive and Business courses - eie Management Centre 

* Internship services - eie Internships 

* Student Accommodation - eie Residences 

* International Educational services - eie International 

eie educational group, 

Tel: +356 21 332804/5 info@eie-group.com 

www.eieEducationalGroup.com


tourism 

World Travel Market 

Minister for Tourism guest speaker at the United Nations of 

World Travel Organisation (UNWTO) Ministers’ Summit 

During the World Travel Market in London, 

the Minister for Tourism Dr Edward 

Zammit Lewis participated and was chosen 

to be part of the main panellists during 

the tenth edition of the United Nations 

of World Travel Organisation (UNWTO) 

Ministers’ Summit, moderated by CNN 

Correspondent Becky Anderson. 

The theme of the discussion was Tourism 

and Security: promoting safe and seamless 

travel. During his address, the Minister for 

Tourism stated that safety and security are 

integral parts of any tourism experience. 

Tourism generally involves people 

travelling for enjoyment outside of their 

usual environment, meaning people need 

to travel with the peace of mind necessary 

for enjoyment of their leisure time. 

“The complex nature of tourism which 

integrates in a complex manner with the 

host community and the entire territory 

of the destination make the management 

of tourism safety and security a multidisciplinary 

action. This means that such 

risks need to be assessed, managed and 

discussed by a multitude of agencies each 

possessing different areas of competence, 

power and expertise. In such situations a 

lead agency needs to be identified for all 

contingencies concerned”, the Minister 

continued. 

Futhermore, the Minister emphasised that 

the leadership of international bodies such 

as the UNWTO, WHO and others is integral 

to the successful management of such 

situations particularly when they reach 

crisis levels. 

“In today’s globalised world there is no 

such thing as gaining from the misfortune 

of other destinations. Most of the safety 

and security concerns which negatively 

influence tourism eventually set off a chain 

reaction along the tourism supply chain 

which ultimately negatively influences 

overall tourism worldwide”. 

During the World Travel Market, President 

of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, and 

Minister for Tourism Dr Edward Zammit Lewis 

were formally invited to a networking event 

by the Malta High Commission in London 

aimed at both local and foreign operators 

operating in the tourism sector in Malta. 

During this event, the Minister noted that 

the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) has 

praised the growth of the tourism sector 

in Malta by referring to it as ‘robust and 

positive’. In addition, the Minister pointed 

out that the latest WTO Barometer 

published in September 2016 notes that 

global tourism between January and June 

of this year rose by 4% whereas, for this 

same period, arrivals to Malta rose above 

this average, specifically by 9.7%. The 

Minister for Tourism stated that 

Government is making inroads with regards 

to our policy objectives, that of reducing 

seasonality patterns. He reiterated that 

between January and March of this year, 

arrivals increased by more than 13% to 

reach 282,000. 

The Minister for Tourism Dr Edward 

Zammit Lewis, together with senior Malta 

Tourism Authority officials, also attended 

a number of meetings with current and 

forthcoming tour operators and travel 

agencies interested in its tourism market. 

During these meetings Dr Zammit Lewis 

discussed the Maltese tourism product, 

proposals from the same operators and 

how Government intends to advance the 

tourism product. In addition, the Tourism 

Minister held a series of meetings with 

various airlines operators and examined 

the prospects of opening new routes to/ 

from our shores. 

In light of the Brexit issue, the Minister 

for Tourism held meetings addressing 

the British tourism market with travel 

operators and reaffirmed the Government 

position that British tourist visiting the 

Maltese Islands in post-Brexit would 

continue to benefit from same conditions. 

The Minister received very positive 

feedback on the UK source market from 

the main tour operators for 2017. 

The World Travel Market is the prime 

tourism fair held annually in London 

with more than 50,000 visitors, mainly 

operators from the international tourism 

sphere. MBR 

Photo Credit: MOT 

Creditline: Ministry for Tourism/DOI 

34

THE BAIT 


Beating the Death Clock 

By Simon Garveen 

Like many of my successful friends and 

acquaintances, I have been giving much 

thought to what will happen when I, as is 

inevitable, fall off the perch. I suppose that 

starts being a concern for most people 

who have a decent wedge of assets once 

they pass the age of 45 – or who have had 

any sort of health scare to concentrate 

their minds. 

I have five kids (from two wives) and I 

definitely don’t want to demotivate them. 

I think their lives could be ruined if they 

think that all they need do is sit around 

and wait to inherit. I have seen too many 

“trustafarians” do just that and end up 

wasting their lives. So I have always kept 

my older kids on a fairly tight rein, helping 

them out when absolutely necessary but 

telling them that they have to earn their 

own money and budget accordingly. 

Why not? I made my own money and 

that “journey” has been a fulfilling and 

rewarding one. 

I keep telling my kids not to expect any 

money when I am gone because I am 

either going to spend it or give it away to 

charity. I will give them the best education 

possible, help them buy their first house 

and then they’re on their own. In fact, I 

do intend leaving them something, but 

I have decided not to tell them so that 

they expect the worst and take whatever 

comes. 

Thought. If you don’t need the money and 

don’t want to leave it all to your children, 

what do you do with the rest? I already 

give reasonable sums to charity. I could 

of course dispose of the rest by leaving 

charitable bequests in my will but I would 

rather see play a more active role so that 

I know the money is being used well and I 

can actually see the results. 

I have therefore decided to set up my 

own charity. I can inject a large sum 

and that takes it out of my estate 

for inheritance tax purposes. 

It also means that whatever 

additional money accrues 

from the assets will belong 

to the charity rather than 

me, and that means it 

won’t be taxed. This way 

I can retain control of the 

money – by owning and 

controlling the charity – and ensure that 

it only benefits my chosen projects and 

causes. 

I have discovered that it’s surprisingly 

simple to set up a charity. I can either set 

up a trust or incorporate a company limited 

by guarantee. They will then produce a 

business plan and write to the Charities 

Commission to request official recognition 

as a charity, which gives the structure tax 

free status. This also means that anyone 

donating money gets a tax deduction 

– including me. I will own the voting 

memberships in the charity so I will be able 

to appoint directors of my choice (which 

will probably include me) and manage and 

control it, but the capital and income can 

only be distributed to charitable causes 

or to further the charitable aims of the 

structure. 

This seems to me by far 

the best solution. An 

added bonus is that the 

charity can also employ 

people so if my show an 

interest – or I think they 

could learn something by 

being involved – they can be 

employed on a market salary 

to help out and do good work. 

I don’t see them doing this 

on a permanent basis – 

they are all too 

ambitious 

f o r 

that – but it would be good experience 

and it would also be a great opportunity 

for them to work with their old man and 

find out what makes him tick. Now that 

would be a legacy! 

Rather than prevaricate any longer, I am 

going to get on with setting up my charity 

next week. After all, you never know what 

is going to happen or how long you have 

got – although somebody did suggest that 

I consult www.deathclock.com, which tells 

you exactly when you are going to shuffle 

off this mortal coil. I hope it is accurate 

because it gave me another 45 years, 2 

months and 10 days – which means that 

even my youngest child will be older than I 

am now. And that’s a long time to wait for 

a surprise. MBR 


35


DENTAL HEALTHCARE 

Missing Molars 

Are you one of those patients missing your molars on one or both sides either, top or bottom jaws…. or both? If so, for how 

long have you missed out on chewing on your back teeth? Missing your molars is a very common scenario, which often goes 

untreated for a very long time. This is mostly due to the fact that in most individuals these teeth aren’t visible with the normal 

aperture of the mouth. 

Effects of lack of posterior teeth: 

1. Tooth-wear: 

Biting and having to chew on just the 

front teeth leads to tooth-wear. Over a 

long period these front teeth lose height 

and appear very smooth as they are being 

overused. 

2. Tooth fracture: 

These anterior teeth are far weaker than 

their posterior neighbours, resulting in 

micro-cracks which may lead to tooth 

fracture and/or de-coronation (breaking 

the crown of the tooth leaving just the 

roots). 

3. Tooth mobility: 

Teeth are supported in their sockets thanks 

to the gingival tissue, in particular to the 

periodontal ligament fibres attaching 

them to bone. If teeth are under excessive 

stress then this ligament suffer and with 

time teeth start moving resulting in tooth 

loss. This may also cause the teeth to drift 

outwards, splaying themselves increasing 

the spaces between them. 

4. Tooth pain: 

overloading of the anterior teeth may 

result in them dying off requiring root canal 

treatment and further prosthetic work. 

5. Bone loss: 

Loss of posterior teeth in either jaw results 

in bone loss as the bone does not receive 

a stimulus due to the lack of tooth roots. 

Over a long period, the volume of bone 

loss may be very large. This would mean 

that if implants are planned, bone grafting 

would be required increasing the element 

of surgery for the patient and complexity 

for the Dentist. 

6. Tooth migration: 

Missing teeth would cause present teeth 

to drift into the resultant space creating 

odd contacts on chewing, excessive toothwear 

facets as well as inconvenient food 

packing around the remaining teeth. 

Upper teeth often over-erupt into the 

space of the lower missing teeth due to 

lacking their antagonist to chew on. Over a 

number of years these upper molars may 

completely descend into the space of the 

lower missing molars causing traumatic 

biting onto the gum. These upper teeth 

would also appear very long, exposing 

their roots reducing their aesthetics. 

Adding insult to injury these upper overerupted 

teeth would on closure of the 

anterior teeth, take up the space of the 

missing lower posterior teeth not leaving 

any space for the dentist to replace the 

lower missing teeth. 

7. Dento-Facial aesthetics: 

Cheeks tend to collapse inwards resulting 

in poorer aesthetics giving rise older 

looking appearance. 

8. Digestive problems: 

Chewing our food mixed with our saliva is 

the first stage of digestion. If food is not 

chewed but gobbled instead, this may 

result in indigestion and acid build-up. 

Patients, who lack posterior teeth, also stir 

away from eating certain foods resulting in 

a lack of nutritional intake. 

The list goes on and on. It is never too late 

to replace your missing posterior dentition 

both with removable or fixed teeth. The 

repercussions are serious. 

Take action now and ask your dentist 

for advice! MBR 

A Case Study 

A young man has lost his right six posterior teeth, three upper and three lower. This 

scenario only allows him to chew on his left side overloading his remaining teeth. It was 

decided to place two upper and two lower implants to replace three teeth in either jaw. 

His dentition is now fully functional and balanced. He can now chew on both sides. 

Dr Jean Paul Demajo 

Is a Dental and Implant Surgeon, Trained in 

London working in private practice in Malta 

36

Medical Tourism 


Malta, France Looking At Healthcare Business Opportunities 

Strategy based on 3 pillars: Medical R&D, Medical Training and Medical Tourism 

By James Vella Clark 

The excellent relationship between France 

and Malta and the success enjoyed by 

those French businesses already operating 

in Malta’s medical and healthcare sectors, 

is what is encouraging all those who are 

showing an interest in investing in Malta. 

This was the most salient point that 

emerged from a half day conference 

organised by the Maltese French Chamber 

of Commerce themed ‘Healthcare 

Business in the Mediterranean’. The event 

was addressed by a number of speakers 

who dealt with the opportunities that 

Malta can offer in the fields of medical 

research and development, medical 

training and medical tourism. 

In his opening address, Joseph Bugeja, 

President of the Malta French Chamber 

of Commerce explained how Malta 

has been experiencing a lot of recent 

developments in the medical sector. 

“Malta is developing a lot in the field of 

research and development, generics, 

pharmacology and this is creating a lot 

of new opportunities when it comes 

to attracting more R&D, experts and 

students for medical training and medical 

tourists seeking wellness programs in 

Malta. The Maltese French Chamber 

of Commerce wants to assist French 

businesses leverage these opportunities 

for the benefit of both countries.” 

French Ambassador to Malta H.E. Ms 

Béatrice le Fraper du Hellen had words of 

praise for Malta and its proactive approach. 

“In France, businesses have started 

looking at Malta as a serious hub for 

medical research and development, 

training and logistics hub and as a possible 

platform for bridging the business gap 

with North Africa and the Gulf region. 

Malta’s strong digital economy, its welleducated 

workforce and easy access to 

regulating authorities are proof of the 

country’s openness to business.” 

The Ambassador noted how there had 

been a tendency by French companies to 

look at Malta as a small and limited country. 

“This idea is changing because Malta has 

a vision and a strategy and businesses 

can now communicate with Maltese 

counterparts and do business together. 

We now know that it’s much easier for a 

French company to get an export license 

from Malta to operate outside the EU, in 

some sectors or for some products, than 

from France itself. We need to rethink the 

way we sell Malta to France since both 

countries can collaborate a lot especially 

in the medical field. The opportunities that 

Malta can offer are being so well presented 

that it makes it much easier for me to sell 

Malta to the French business market.” 

Hon Chris Fearne, Minister for Health 

spoke about the country’s vision for the 

development of the health sector in the 

coming years. 

“Malta has always had excellent health 

services. Today we have an excess capacity 

of beds, operating theatres and hospitals. 

Medical Conference - French Mbassador 

This brings an opportunity to attract 

foreign patients to benefit from our health 

services. Malta will also be looking at 

becoming an important player in clinical 

research and trials. Malta also has a long 

history in medical education and this helps 

us attract foreign students to specialised 

schools and post-grad education.” 

Minister Fearne also mentioned how in 

the eventuality of a Brexit, Malta will be 

lobbying to host the European Medicines 

Agency, currently found in London, which 

will open up endless opportunities for 

more investment in the sector. 

Other speakers included Margot 

Pisani, Malta’s Country Manager at 

pharmaceutical company Sanofi, Dr 

Marcello Basile Cherubino, Country 

representative of diagnostics and lab 

equipment company bioMérieux, Didier 

Bourguignon, Director of Business France 

Italy and Malta, Sri Ram Tumuluri, Director 

at Vitals Global Healthcare, Prof Nikolai 

J. Attard, Dean of the Faculty of Dental 

Surgery at the University of Malta, Clive 

Brockdorff, Head of Communications, 

Investment Promotion at Malta Enterprise 

and Dr Gilles Gutierrez, Director at the 

Institute of Cellular Pharmacology. 

“Malta has a strong role in the 

internationalisation of the French economy 

however, Malta and its business community 

can gain from this by leveraging on the 

endless opportunities that the healthcare 

business in the Mediterranean has to 

offer,” concluded the MFCC President 

Joseph Bugeja. MBR 

Medical Conference - Minister Chris Fearne 

Source: Corporate Idnetities 


37


Case Study: Employer Branding 

The Employer Branding Tour – Tipico Careers 

By Thomas Mahoney 

Following last month’s introduction 

to this emerging concept we are now 

back with our first employer brand 

in the hot seat. This tour’s first stop 

takes us to Tipico, with its very popular 

award winning employer brand, Tipico 

Careers. Established in 2004, Tipico is 

the leading sports betting company in 

the German market. Headquartered at 

the Portomaso Business Tower in Saint 

Julian’s, Malta, Tipico offers a wide range 

of sports betting products, Casino and 

table games delivered through cuttingedge 

mobile and online channels. 

Tipico’s career brand is known to be a 

pioneer within the online gaming sphere. 

The brand is based on three main pillars; 

the working & office environment, the 

company’s success story and the Maltese 

Islands. The videos and clips on Tipicocareers.com 

and on the brand’s social 

media page captures these areas quite 

well, whilst also outlining numerous 

employee benefits one would be entitled 

to once joining the Tipico family. As the 

brand slogan suggests; ‘We Invest in Our 

People’, Tipico Careers is purely dedicated 

to its employees whilst also educating the 

public about what the industry is all about, 

and what Tipico has to offer in terms of 

career paths and job opportunities. 

On my visit to Tipico’s offices the team 

outlined three of the most prominent 

initiatives the brand is currently focusing 

on. These are; 

Show progress 

Sigma Awards – November 2016 – Best Careers Program 

Employees at Tipico are constantly 

updated through a showcase of the 

company’s results. This is done through 

various methods; internal emails, weekly 

departmental meetings and C-level 

management conduct monthly meetings 

with the entire workforce. Tipico keeps 

employees informed to enable them to 

be involved in sustainability discussions 

and planning, which is an ongoing process. 

When disclosing such information, 

especially when showcased by C-level 

management, it shows the level of 

transparency offered by the company. 

Tipico invests time and money to produce 

an annual Tipico and Partners Conference, 

where colleagues from foreign offices are 

also invited to Malta. The objective behind 

the conference is to show the progression 

achieved over the previous year and to 

present the plans for the upcoming year, 

which continues to show consistency 

levels for improved progression. 

AliIgnment of PR to be sure all 

messaging is consistent 

It is important for companies to show 

alignment of PR and to be sure that all 

messaging is consistent; this maintains a 

sense of trust, clarity and transparency. 

Tipico stresses the impoortance that all 

internal communication is consistent 

through its intranet, while it has its own 

corporate communications management 

to control and approve all external PR. This 

is a great investment to have within such a 

big organisation as it is easy to have existing 

silos and inconsistency gaps from PR and 

marketing communications. 

Provide meaningful incentives 

to encourage interest 

Forming part of such a competitive market 

for head hunting, companies have to invest 

to create the most attractive working 

environment. Tipico invests well in various 

benefits and other value added incentives, 

making it one of the best places to work 

in Malta. Such benefits and incentives 

within the company include health & 

dental insurance, good salary packages, 

sport initiatives, social events, office with a 

sea-view, healthy treats, referral bonuses, 

training, career progression and many more. 

2016 saw Tipico Careers achieve three new 

awards, with their most recent Sigma award 

being awarded for ‘Best Careers Program 

2016’. 

In next month’s edition we will look forward 

to feature one of the industry’s most 

prominent and active employer brands, 

Videoslots.com. MBR 

Summit of IGaming Malta 2016, Tipico Stand 

Thomas Mahoney (MBA) is an Employer Branding 

Specialist 

38

gambling 


Malta’s approval may pave way for 

bitcoin’s global gaming expansion 

by Jasmine Solana 

Apart from trading, real-world use 

cases for digital currencies are starting 

to emerge. In the gambling sector, the 

popular cryptocurrency has recently 

been recognized by the UK Gambling 

Commission (UKGC) as an acceptable 

payment method available to its licensees. 

Malta’s approval may pave way for bitcoin’s 

global gaming expansionHowever, other 

global regulators—like the Malta Gaming 

Authority (MGA)—have yet to follow. 

And this, according to investment broker 

Exante, is dampening the prospects of 

digital currencies. 

“The acceptance of bitcoin as payment 

method would no doubt help popularize 

it among online casinos and gamers 

while also attracting bitcoin casinos that 

currently use fiat currency,” Exante said 

in a statement. 

The MGA is still taking a wait-and-see 

approach towards allowing its licensees to 

handle transactions in digital currencies. 

Joseph Cuschieri, executive chairman of 

the gaming regulator, said they received 

“very few requests” from licensees 

looking for authorization to handle 

bitcoin transactions—requests that 

MGA had “always refused” because he 

believes the use of such technology by 

MGA licensees are “a risk.” 

BitStarz, however, is of different 

opinion. The Malta-based bitcoin casino 

believes the adoption of Bitcoin would 

open up opportunities for spreading 

cryptocurrency in the gambling industry. 

According to BitStarz marketing manager 

Sasha Jade, the problem lies in the fact 

that fiat money casinos, which still hold 

99% of the gaming market, currently do 

not accept Bitcoin. 

“The recognition of Bitcoin by Maltese 

gaming authorities in the years ahead 

would allow Bitcoin to get on the global 

gaming market and expand into Asian and 

Russian markets,” Patrick J O’ Brien, Exante 

communication director, said in a statement. 

Cuschieri said the MGA plans to take 

a proactive approach and is looking 

at “adopting a national approach” to 

cryptocurrencies, such as collaborating 

with Malta’s Central Bank, the Financial 

Intelligence Analysis Unit and the Malta 

Financial Services Authority. 

Current bitcoin price and trade volume 

The price of bitcoin dropped to $717.53 on 

Thursday morning, with a trade volume of 

$7.4 million. MBR 

Creditline: Linkedin; MGA 

Web: www.daikin.com.mt Email: info@maa.com.mt Tel: 2385 0400 


39


Emotional Intelligence 

Engaging Emotional Intelligence 

By Martin Vella 

Recently, we had the opportunity 

to speak with Ms. Jackey Backman, 

specialist in Emotional Intelligence, soft 

skills development, and organisational 

and personal behavioural change. A 

candid yet compassionate international 

speaker and trainer who has delivered 

highly motivational and lifechanging 

presentations to more than 35,000 

people during the past 20 years. 

She’s been visiting Malta for over ten 

years and we want to know more about 

what she does while in Malta. 

MBR: Ms. Backman, I understand you 

have been professionally teaching 

various aspects of Emotional 

Intelligence competencies including 

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) 

for almost for more than 15 years you 

have a stellar reputation for helping 

people transform their personal and 

professional lives. 

JB:“Thank you” 

MBR: One of the buzz words I hear a 

lot in the context of success in business 

“Emotional Intelligence”. I understand 

you are certified in EQ competencies, 

tell me a little about Emotional 

Intelligence how that relates to Neuro 

Linguistic Programming. 

JB: “Human beings are driven by their 

emotions. Traditionally organisations 

have invested a paramount amount 

of money in ensuring that employees 

acquire the technical aspects of job 

performance. Rightfully so. 

other humans and their emotionally 

driven needs. So in other words if you 

can’t manage your insecurities or anger, 

if you can’t present yourself confidently, 

communicate clearly, put people at ease 

etc. even having five PHD’s isn’t going 

to keep you employable, not for long, 

nor give you the success you deserve. 

MBR: Ok so then what exactly is 

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) 

and why is receiving a certification in 

NLP so crucial for any entrepreneur or 

business professional? 

JB: “NLP is the study and application of 

personal excellence. I wouldn’t go so 

far as to say that it was “crucial” but without 

it you just aren’t going to have the edge 

on hiring the best people, finding the best 

clients or out performing your competitors. 

It’s a little tricky but let me explain a 

little more about how our brain works in 

conjunction with our mind. We create 

internal representations of our experiences 

and then react to our interpretations based 

on what we believe they mean. 

Conditioning determines our current beliefs, 

values etc, which in turn directly affect 

which internal “interpretations” should 

representations to remind consistent with 

explanation lingo. Small but made me stop. 

What they have come to discover 

however, is that technical skills and 

industry knowledge alone are not the 

recipe for success. As human beings our 

true success is completely dependent 

on our ability to manage our own 

emotions and our ability to deal with 

Jackey Backman 

40

Emotional Intelligence 


Learning NLP amongst many other 

things, shows you exactly how to 

identify limiting beliefs and outdated 

values so you can make the necessary 

changes to your natural, automatic 

internal processes. 

NLP in my experience is 

by far the best Emotional 

Intelligence development 

modality available 

Everything from your self confidence, 

presentation skills, efficiency and clarity 

in communication are at your disposal to 

adjust at will. 

Productivity sky rockets, Strategic 

thinking skills are unleashed and the 

ability to create well formed, ecologically 

sound goals and strategies becomes 

habitual. You’ll be able to differentiate 

between a good decision and a bad 

decision and best of all manage your 

emotional state under any circumstance. 

This is far beyond putting on strong 

exterior, what I’m talking about is a tool 

set that will exhilarate your ability to 

self actualise. 

There isn’t a professional out there 

who can afford to be an emotional, 

reactionary mess, consistently running 

out of time and without the ability to 

effectively plan, project and forecast. 

Jackey Backman 

NLP in my experience is by far the best 

Emotional Intelligence development 

modality available, that’s why I teach it” 

Being a professional in today’s business 

world provides all kinds of performance 

challenges for entrepreneurs, 

executives and staff a like. 

MBR: What are some of the problems 

NLP solves for performance issues 

at work? 

JB: “All of them. I’m not being cocky. 

There is a caveat however; 

If the person can accept the fact that 

just because they don’t know how to do 

something doesn’t mean it can’t be done, 

then I can work with them successfully. 

CEO, Director, VP, regardless of their 

position, if someone wants get past 


whatever is limiting them, I can show 

them how. They just have to get out of 

their own way and the first step is having 

the courage to ask for help. 

Again I’m not being cocky, in a senior 

level position it takes a tremendous 

amount of courage to step up and admit 

they don’t know something - in some 

circles it could challenge their position - 

or at least they think it would. I’m always 

humbled by those who are willing to 

take that chance and I’m honoured to 

work with them.” 

MBR: NLP has gotten some negative 

publicity as well, what’s the proof that 

it works? 

JB: “The results. Ask someone 

I’ve worked with, whether in a 

corporate environment through 

leadership development/performance 

management or through one of my many 

workshops or my private clients. They 

may not be able to tell you exactly what I 

did but they will tell you I delivered, and 

beyond. I guarantee it. “ 

I recommend that if you are a 

professional, executive, entrepreneur, 

or just plain ready to take things to the 

next level visit www.nlptrainingmalta. 

com today and download Jackey’s free 

information package. If you’d like more 

information on how Jackey can help you 

or your organization contact her for a no 

charge consultation at 

jackey@nlptrainingmalta.com. MBR 


Jackey Backman specializes in emotional intelligence, soft skills development, 

and organizational and personal behavioural change. She is a candid yet 

compassionate international speaker and trainer who has delivered highly 

motivational and life-changing presentations to more than 35,000 people during 

the past 20 years. In her talent development and management consultancy she 

works exclusively with start-up to mid-size companies (up to $50MM). Through 

her highly integrated Business Operating System (BOS), she consults with and 

teaches senior leadership executives and middle management the essential 

processes by which organizations build well-founded, exceptionally well-formed, 

solid teams. The whole process is designed to maximize human potential and 

nurture healthy productive work environments to facilitate exponential growth. Through her personal 

development training company, One Spirit Inc, she offers certification programs in Neuro Linguistic 

Programming, and provides workshops and retreats for individuals ready to go beyond conventional 

thinking to lead exceptional lives. Through the Emotional Intelligence Soft Skills Academy (EISSA), 

a division of One Spirit Inc., Jackey provides public workshops where organizations can send select 

individuals for highly specialized and advanced training in various soft skills including ultimate sales, 

assertiveness, communication skills, and dealing with conflict and confrontation. 


41


EU Pre-Presidency 

A new momentum and platform 

to rebuild trust in the EU Project 

In the current circumstances, the two 

overarching objectives and priorities of 

our Presidency are to ensure the long term 

sustainability of the Union, and to restore 

belief in the European project, said the 

Minister whilst speaking during the Malta 

EU Pre-Presidency Conference. 

The Minister for European Affairs and 

Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto 

said that recent events especially the tough 

financial upheavals, migration, security, 

terrorism and Brexit have traumatised the 

European Union. These have contributed 

to a large degree to the re-emergence 

of extreme nationalism, protectionism, 

xenophobic and geo-political tensions, he 

continued. 

Minister Grech stated that at this delicate 

moment in time of Europe’s history, one 

must focus on the issues that address 

the legitimate concerns and expectations 

of the European citizens that cause the 

citizens to lose confidence in the Union. 

He said that Europe needs to address 

concretely the uncertainty, fear and 

inequalities felt by its citizens. 

He reiterated that the Dutch, Slovak and 

Maltese Presidencies are guided by five 

pillars which are aligned with the EU’s 

Strategic Agenda. These areas include 

jobs, growth and competitiveness; 

empowerment and protection for all 

The Minister for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto Louis Grech 

Photo: DOI-Reuben Piscopo 

citizens; energy union and a forwardlooking 

climate policy; freedom, security 

and justice; and the Union as a strong 

global actor. Minister Grech outlined that 

the priorities of the Maltese Presidency fit 

into these baskets. 

On Brexit, he stated that once Article 50 

is activated, a pragmatic approach to 

negotiations should be adopted, that 

should lead to fair, clear and swift solutions 

which address the complex realities. 

The Minister remarked that the Malta 

Summit in February will continue the 

reflection that has started in Bratislava, and 

prepare for the 60th Anniversary of the 

Treaty of Rome. This should be an occasion 

to find a new momentum and a platform 

to rebuild trust in the European project in 

a viable and sustainable way right in the 

middle of the Maltese Presidency, he said. 

He also quoted today’s edition of the 

EurActiv, where they wrote that the 

Maltese Presidency is gearing up for the 

perfect storm. He said that admittedly 

the challenges are sensitive and complex, 

however with the right leadership, sense of 

vision and in-built flexibility the European 

ideal will face its challenges successfully 

and withstand the test of time. 

Parliamentary Secretary for EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds, Dr. Ian Borg with Minister Grech 


Minister Grech concluded that there 

is no other option for Europe to turn 

these setbacks experienced during these 

extraordinary difficult times into potential 

and viable outcomes for the future of the 

European project. MBR 

CREDIT: THE MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTORAL MANIFESTO 

42

ict 


Malta’s growing tech community in Lisbon for Web Summit 

Minister for the Digital Economy meets Maltese start-ups 

More than 150 delegates from Malta 

participated in this year’s Web Summit, 

an annual event that brings together techrelated 

interests from across the globe. It 

is Europe’s largest technology marketplace 

where current and future trends are 

explored and some of the most promising 

tech start-up concepts are showcased. 

Tech start-ups are businesses that 

leverage ICTs to execute a repeatable 

and scalable business model. Start-ups 

typically come from humble origins, with 

small entrepreneurial teams passionate 

about turning a novel idea into a market 

innovation. By attracting venture 

investment, start-ups deploy scaling 

strategies to quickly transition from a new 

venture, to established market leaders. 

Companies like Spotify, Airbnb and Uber 

were all once a tech start-up pursuing such 

a strategy. 

Malta’s presence in this year’s Web 

Summit was strengthened through the 

setting up of a dedicated Malta booth the 

event exhibition area and the participation 

of a significant number of Maltese 

companies. The Malta booth managed 

and manned by representatives from 

the Malta Communications Authority, 

MIMCOL and TradeMalta was aimed at 

promoting Malta as an ideal location for 

starting a digital business and showcasing 

Malta-based start-ups. Seven Maltese 

companies were given the opportunity 

to pitch their concept through the 

Alpha programme, with six benefitting 

from the internationalisation incentives 

administered by TradeMalta. 

Minister for Competitiveness and Digital, 

Maritime and Services Economy Emmanuel 

Mallia was also invited by the organisers 

to take part in roundtable policy dialogue 

with other European policy stakeholders. 

His presence was particularly valued in 

view of the imminent European Presidency 

that has the Digital Single Market and 

the evermore competitive digital global 

economy high on the agenda. 

In a meeting with the tech entrepreneurs, 

Minister Mallia lauded the ambition 

and creativity of these individuals. He 

welcomed Malta’s strong presence in such 

an important European event, arguing that 

this augurs well for Malta’s future ability to 

compete in the international digital scene. 

He added that Malta is more than ready to 

Minister for Competitiveness and Digital, Maritime and Services Economy Emmanuel Mallia 


welcome any start-up. He also encouraged 

Maltese nationals not to shy away from 

the world of entrepreneurship, to be 

ambitious and to think global. 

Future technologies, such as advanced 

robotics and self-driving cars, as well 

as business opportunities related to 

finance, internet of things and content 

were the main themes addressed at Web 

Summit 2016. Attendees also engaged 

in discussions on the changing worlds 

of sports, music and health. The “startup 

university” provided delegates with 

insights on successfully starting up and 

growing a new tech venture. 

Web Summit was held in Lisbon between 

the 8 and 10 November and was attended 

by 53,000 delegates from 166 countries. 

Events like Web Summit are important as 

they aid tech start-ups grow their network, 

validate their business models and attract 

investment. MBR 

Courtesy: DOI/THE MINISTRY FOR COMPETITIVENESS 

AND DIGITAL, MARITIME AND SERVICES ECONOMY 


43


Skillsoft Programme 

MITA engages ISL for 

Skillsoft® eLearning 

Enterprise-wide initiative to benefit over 100 employees 

MITA, the public sector agency that is 

driving Government’s Information and 

Communications Technology (ICT) policy, 

programmes and initiatives in Malta, has 

engaged Information Systems Limited to 

provide Skillsoft’s eLearning programmes in 

Project Management, IT and technical skills 

for 12 months to over 100 of its employees. 

ISL first delivered a three-week pilot 

programme for a number of employees at 

the Malta Information Technology Agency 

earlier this year. The Agency decided to 

engage ISL on the one-year enterprisewide 

licence from which staff from various 

departments will benefit on the basis of 

the highly positive feedback received via 

an online survey with the participants in 

the pilot. 

All the MITA employees will be accessing 

the eLearning programme through 

Skillsoft’s skillport 8i platform. Among 

the benefits of this platform are that: 

• it is fast and easy to deploy. No apps 

are installed on your PC/laptop/device; 

• eLearning content is accessible from 

anywhere on a 24x7x365 basis via the 

user’s favourite web browser; 

• it is desktop/mobile/tablet ready; 

• content (including mentoring) can be 

revisited and accessed for the entire 

duration of the licence (one year); and 

• it supports Web Accessibility, Skillsoft’s 

implementation of Section 508 and 

W3C compliance standards, which it 

supports and promotes in its software 

applications and courseware. 

Skillsoft software works with several 

assistive technologies, which are any 

electronic or information technologies that 

allow individuals with disabilities to use 

information on a computer that they would 

not be able to access otherwise. 

Skillsoft supports the following assistive 

technologies: 

• screen reader software (a speech 

synthesiser technology that converts 

text to audio); 

• shortcut keys for all mouse actions; 

• alternative images to replace animated 

graphics; and 

• elimination of screen refresh rates 

between 5 Hz and 55 Hz, which can 

cause seizures for some individuals. 

ISL held three familiarisation sessions at 

MITA to take participants on a tour of all 

the eLearning programmes they would 

have access to and to give them an idea of 

what to expect. 

Mr Jesmond Mizzi, Human Resources 

Manager at MITA, said: “We are confident 

that the Skillsoft eLearning programmes 

our staff can access will further enable 

the Agency to deliver on its three core 

components: 

• its transformation approach towards 

its programmes and projects – 

to transform the way they are 

engineered together with their 

delivery, their return on investment 

and the enhancement of the allround 

value they effectively provide; 

• its innovation approach – the 

aspiration to become the leading 

innovator within the public sector 

and one of the prime movers in the 

innovation circuit in Malta by thinking 

creatively in respect of its people, 

technology and operations; and 

• its excellence approach, which 

strengthens the Agency’s craving for 

continuous improvement at all levels. 

This puts fostering and encouraging 

an ongoing culture of learning high 

on our list of priorities.” 

Mr Simon Calleja-Urry, Director of ISL, 

said: “We are proud that Skillsoft’s 

eLearning programmes are accessible to 

all users, even those with disability, so the 

entire cohort selected by MITA to follow 

these programmes in the coming months 

can take the maximum benefit in the most 

flexible way possible. 

“No fewer than twenty-four (24) Skillsoft 

eLearning programmes will be accessible 

to these MITA employees for the duration 

of the licence.” MBR 

For further information, visit www.isl.com.mt 

44

motoring 


The new Audi Q2 ………. #untaggble! 

Speech by Chev. Maurice Mizzi on the launch of the Audi Q2 

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, 

and thank you for joining us here 

this evening for the launch of the 

much-anticipated Audi Q2. Soon you 

will see why! 

Audi are promoting the latest addition to 

their Q family as Untaggable. 

I am sure you are all wondering what this 

untaggable tag means. 

The new Q2 is not just a scaled down Audi 

Q3. It represents a totally new segment 

for Audi and a completely new design 

direction than that of its larger brothers 

and of the total car market. In other words 

– It is unique. With its new Octagonal 

radiator grille, Coupe’ like roof line and 

distinctive concave flanks in the door area, 

the Audi Q2 separates itself from its larger 

brothers in both looks and purpose. 

However, this separation is only skin deep. 

The new Q2 retains all the virtues that 

have become synonymous with the Audi 

brand albeit in a new Stylish and Sporty 

package. 

From its state of the art Safety and Driver 

Assistance systems to its versatile and 

intuitive infotainment system, the new 

Q2 is a no compromise contender in this 

segment offering all you would expect 

from any Audi. 

Audi also offer a selection of six engines 

for the new Q2: Three TFSI and three TDI 

engines are available with power outputs 

ranging from 116 hp to 190 hp. 

The engine program follows the 

principle of rightsizing. This is 

about striking the perfect balance 

between vehicle class, engine 

displacement, power output, 

torque and efficiency. 

Whatever engine you may choose, 

rest assured that all offer superb 

driving dynamics and efficiency. 

And now, the million Dollar question! 

How much does this exciting new Audi 

cost? 

The new Audi Q2 can be yours for as little 

as €24,900 (or € 24,200 including the 

Government scrappage scheme) 

I strongly recommend that you take 

the opportunity to book a test drive of 

this great new car to experience the 

Untaggable first hand. You can do this 

here this evening. 

……..And finally, the moment we have 

all been waiting for…..Ladies 

and Gentlemen…..The 

new Audi Q2!! MBR 


45


education 

Work-based learning and apprenticeship law 

launch of public consultation 

The Ministry for Education and Employment has embarked on an internal and external consultation process to develop the 

proposed Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Act which provides a framework for the development of effective Work- 

Placements, Apprenticeships and Internships. 

The proposed Act is based on: 

• research conducted by the European 

Centre for the Development of 

Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) 

with local learners, educators and 

employers; 

• a review of international legislation 

on traineeships and benchmarking of 

best practices within countries leading 

in the field of vocational training. 

The main developments brought about 

by the proposed Act are the introduction 

of the: 

• Government subsidy to bridge the gap 

between the learner’s current income 

and the minimum wage rate; 

• Rights and obligations of learners 

as employees, for the duration 

of the Work-Based Learning part 

of the Training Programme, in 

compliance with the Employment 

and Industrial Relations Act, Young 

Persons’ Employment Regulations, 

Social Security Act and the respective 

subsidiary legislation; 

• Governance structure to protect the 

rights and obligations of trainees and 

employers. 

Work-based learning, apprenticeships, and 

similar forms of learning, are regarded 

as an important part of any country’s 

development and the provision of highquality 

services. Vocational education 

and training systems that use work-based 

learning tend to be more effective in aiding 

the transition of young people into jobs. 

By alternating between school and work, 

learners develop the practical knowledge 

and skills employers seek. 

Work based learning also supports the 

development of the soft skills of the 

learner, which employers often refer to 

in discussions about mismatches in the 

labour market. These types of skills are 

difficult to acquire in a traditional school 

setting. In short, high-quality work based 

learning programmes are about preparing 

individuals and aiding development of 

knowledge, skills and competences that are 

in demand in the labour market. 

Developing policies and programmes to 

ensure the availability of a high-quality, 

highly-skilled labour force, is currently 

broadly promoted at European and 

Member State level, aiming to improve 

service quality, capacity, capability, 

efficiency and to meet the demands of 

contemporary economies. MBR 

Consultation document can be accessed on 

the following URL: www.edu.gov.mt/wbl 

Ways to respond: 

Email to: wbl.konsultazzjoni@gov.mt 

Or Write to: 

WBL Consultation Office, Office of 

the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for 

Education and Employment, Great Siege 

Road, Floriana VLT 2000, Malta 

PHOTOS: DOI-KEVIN ABELA 

Creditline: DOI/THE MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND 

EMPLOYMENT 

46

iGaming 


A Multidimensional experience in Malta, launched during SiGMA, to enjoy 

with friends and colleagues, anywhere and anytime; 

BtoBet decided to introduce a preview of its new concept of Omnichannel specifically at SiGMA - the biggest international iGaming 

expo in Malta - as the perfect environment to showcase BtoBet’s silent and effective technology to the industry. 

Exclusively at Sigma, a preview of the new hyperreality that will be launched in London. 

At the exhibition center, at booth B99, 

immersed in a totally silent atmosphere, 

BtoBet will give the opportunity to live a 

show in the show, in an unusual, active 

and trendy way. Attendees will hear just 

the voice of technology. Here, visitors 

will have the opportunity to try the first 

multi-dimensional experience, through 

Augmented Reality, realized for the 

iGaming industry. 

What should they do once at Sigma? Look 

for BtoBet’s totem or special postcard and 

follow the instructions: 

• download the app scanning the QR 

code with the smartphone 

• point the logo and see BtoBet’s new 

testimonial, S1mOne, coming out 

• enjoy with S1mOne and follow her 

adventures till ICE 2017 where she 

will demonstrate what she can do for 

all the betting and iGaming operators 

both online or land based. 

The multidimensional experience with 

S1mOne will continue also after the show, 

keeping the special postcard with the QR 

code at home, in the office, having fun 

with friends and colleagues. 

Additionally, at the Intercontinental hotel 

BtoBet’s CEO, Alessandro Fried, will be 

speaker at the conference “Omni-channel 

sports betting”, on the 17th November at 

11.00, at the Sports room. 

Fried states: “During the panel I will 

discuss with other professionals about the 

emerging trends of online and land based 

business models, the related sources of 

traffic and their future in the Gaming 

industry.” 

About the BtoBet’s presence at Sigma, 

Fried comments: “BtoBet has just been 

nominated finalist in the category 

About BtoBet 

“Innovator of the year” at Malta iGaming 

Awards. At booth B99 we will give a preview 

of a total new player’s A.I. tools that can 

improve betting shops’ players retention. 

How? By integrating the Augmented 

Reality in our high-tech software.” 

To discover more about the evolution of 

Omnichannel solution, it is possible to 

download the dedicate white paper “Land 

-based and online sports betting business 

model. Is the Omnichannel solution the 

way forward?” 

(http://www.btobet.com/en/omnichannelwhite-paper) 


BtoBet is a pioneer in new technologies for iGaming operators and the betting 

industry by using technological intelligence as its main base for its products. It 

offers unique, customizable, secure and flexible cloud-based systems delivering 

unprecedented capabilities to drive sportsbook and iGaming business. BtoBet has 13 

offices. The Technical team of the company is in Skopje and has an ever growing team 

of developers. BtoBet’s dynamic Sportsbook team operates from Rome, whilst Malta 

hosts the commercial and marketing center. 

Visit our site on: www.btobet.com 


47


commemoration 

Values for Humanity 

When the future of our world and the values we defend are tested, I would like to share a 

memory, to celebrate the recent nomination of António Guterrez to post of UN Secretary 

General, and, above all, to encourage him in his mission. 

One day in the summer of 2015 

A memory... 

I had the honor of guiding António Guterrez, 

already then the UN High Commissioner for 

Refugees, through a private visit to the Dream 

of Humanity exhibition on the banks of the 

Seine in Paris. 

The exhibition displayed images on the 

theme of humanity, on the theme of exile 

and displayed seven large panels bearing 

different key values translated into the 

languages of the world. 

Hospitality 

Solidarity 

Friendship 

Peace 

Hope Respect 

Dignity 

The new mission of António Guterrez, 

more than ever after today, is to 

spread these values and to encourage 

each nation to fight for them, so that 

they are not trampled. MBR 

Courtesy: Reza 

www.rezaphoto.org 

48

eu/malta 


Malta ready to work towards fair and balanced EU trade policies during Presidency 

Minister Chris Cardona in Brussels 

Hon Minister for the Economy, Investments & Small 

Business Dr Chris Cardona, Photo: MEIB 

The Minister for the Economy, 

Investment and Small Business Chris 

Cardona has welcomed EU efforts to 

bring forward ideas on how to improve 

and strengthen mechanisms against 

unfair trade practices in the overall 

context of EU economic interests. 

Speaking at a meeting of EU ministers 

on the Union’s trade policies, Minister 

Cardona stressed the importance of 

creating a level playing field for European 

enterprises, notably SMEs, in line with 

World Trade Organisation rules. Within 

this context, he expressed Malta’s support 

for the need to modernise the EU’s Trade 

Defence Instruments. He expressed his 

hope that a compromise will be found 

amongst Member States as to how these 

instruments can be as effective and 

balanced as possible for economic actors 

within the EU. 

Malta remains a strong proponent of 

international free trade as a crucial 

instrument in bringing about universal 

economic prosperity. During its 

upcoming Presidency of the Council of 

the EU, Malta will be ensuring that both 

internal discussions on trade defence, 

as well as trade negotiations with thirdcountries, 

move forward in the interests 

of all stakeholders 

During the meeting, ministers also 

discussed the ongoing EU Free Trade 

Agreements with Japan and Mercosur, 

which is an economic bloc within South 

America. Minister Cardona stated that 

Malta considers Japan to be a very 

important economy with which the EU 

already has strong commercial ties. He 

added that an agreement with Tokyo is a 

natural progression of such ties and that 

he is confident that a free trade agreement 

which benefits both economies is within 

reach. Similarly, Minister Cardona stated 

that successful negotiations with Mercosur 

countries will provide EU companies with 

access to an important market that has 

high potential in terms of size and future 

potential growth. 

Finally, ministers discussed the state 

of play regarding negotiations with the 

United States of America on the TTIP 

(Transatlantic Trade and Investment 

Partnership). In this respect, Minister 

Cardona stated that the agreement should 

remain a priority, while also cautioning 

that the concerns of EU citizens must be 

listened to by politicians. He augured 

that the new US administration will take 

forward the current negotiations which 

promise to benefit the economies on both 

sides of the Atlantic. MBR 


49


banking news 

Al Faisal International for Investment acquires 

78.46% holding in Banif Bank (Malta) plc 

Plans to support the Bank’s growth and diversification 

Al Faisal International for Investment 

(“AFII”), the Financial Investment Company 

of Al Faisal Holding Company, one of 

Qatar’s largest private diversified industry 

groups, announces that it has acquired a 

78.46% shareholding in Banif Bank (Malta) 

plc, a key player in the Maltese financial 

services industry. 

Banif Bank (Malta) has been operating 

since 2008 and currently provides a full 

range of commercial banking services to its 

approximately 30,000 customers through a 

network of twelve branches and its three 

corporate and business banking units. 

AFII has completed the acquisition of 

the 78.46% stake from Oitante, S.A., 

following receipt of regulatory approval 

by the European Central Bank and the 

Malta Financial Services Authority. The 

remaining 21.52% of Banif Bank (Malta)’s 

shares are held equally by four Maltese 

shareholders. AFII will appoint three 

Non-Executive Directors to the Bank’s 

eleven person Board. 

AFII and Al Faisal Holding have a strong, 

global track record of long term investment 

across a range of sectors, adding value and 

allowing businesses to develop and fulfil 

their potential. In line with this approach, 

AFII will be providing Banif Bank (Malta) 

with additional capital resources to further 

strengthen the Bank’s capitalisation and 

to support its focused diversification and 

expansion plans. These plans include 

enhancing the Bank’s existing range of 

services for retail and corporate customers 

and the development of new private 

banking and investment banking services. 

H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al 

Thani, Chairman of Al Faisal Holding, 

commented: 

“Banif Bank Malta has quickly established 

itself as an increasingly important part of 

Malta’s financial services landscape and 

it is a bank in which Al Faisal is proud to 

have become the majority shareholder. 

Across the globe, Al Faisal’s strategy is 

to establish market-leading standards 

of operation and service in every region 

and sector in which we operate and Banif 

Bank Malta will be no exception. 

“Banif Bank Malta is a well-resourced, 

well-managed bank with exciting growth 

potential and a good platform upon which 

to build. The Bank shares our values 

of excellence in service and corporate 

governance and has worked hard to 

develop strong retail and corporate 

customer relationships - for example 

through its high levels of customer service 

and care, expanding ATM network and 

robust digital banking facilities. 

“This is a significant move for us; Banif Bank 

Malta will be Al Faisal’s first financial services 

investment in Europe and we expect it to 

be the first of more investments in Malta 

across a number of different sectors. I can 

assure all the Bank’s stakeholders that as 

experienced, long term investors in high 

quality businesses, we will ensure that its 

management and staff have the necessary 

capital and resources to gradually expand 

the business and to provide new and 

existing customers with an enhanced and 

diverse range of market-leading financial 

services. We are confident that with Al 

Faisal as its majority shareholder, Banif 

Bank Malta will move into a new phase of 

growth and development.” 

Joaquim Francisco Da Silva Pinto, Chief 

Executive Officer of Banif Bank (Malta), 

said: 

“Banif Bank Malta welcomes Al Faisal 

International for Investment as our majority 

shareholder. While in the short term it will 

be business as usual for our customers as 

we consolidate and expedite our current 

growth strategy, with the backing of such a 

major, global investor we look forward to 

leveraging new resources and expertise 

to further develop and enhance the 

Bank’s services and relationships with all 

our stakeholders.” MBR 

50

eal estate news 


Zanzi Homes, QuickLets estate agents 

to obtain certification with LEAD Training 

By Malcolm J Naudi 

Some 110 estate agents who work with the up-and-coming real estate agencies Zanzi Homes and 

QuickLets are to follow a professional certification programme with LEAD Training Services. 

The programme, aimed at individuals 

seeking to comply with the academic 

requirements laid out in the White 

Paper on Malta’s Property Codes and 

Regulations, published earlier this 

year, enabling them to obtain a real 

estate agent licence, will be an MQF 

Level 5 CPD Award accredited by the 

National Commission of Higher and 

Further Education (NCFHE). 

The Real Estate Agent Professional 

Certificate programme consists of nine 

modules with a total of 55 hours of 

lectures. Entry requirements are four 

‘O’ Levels, including Mathematics and 

English, or three years’ experience in 

sales or business development. 

Zanzi Homes, set up end 2015, focuses 

solely on residential and commercial 

property sales across the Maltese 

islands. Its mission is to offer vendors 

and purchasers the best deal possible 

as quickly as possible. It has gone out 

to attract the top sales specialists on 

the island through its state-of-theart 

technology and down-to-earth, 

professional work ethic. 

Currently, Zanzi Homes and QuickLets 

Group has nine branches in Malta, 

with its largest offices located in St 

Julian’s, Swieqi and San Gwann, each 

with a dedicated team. One of its goals 

is to become the top estate agents in 

Malta. Its sister company, QuickLets, is 

Malta’s fastest growing letting agency, 

with a focus on building relationships 

with its clients. 

“We are fast, reliable, outgoing, 

upfront, polite, professional and, 

most of all, friendly,” according to cofounder 

Steve Mercieca. “We also focus 

on clients’ needs, wants and demands 

to find them the right property at 

the right price. The Federation of 

Real Estate Malta said that the new 

real estate agent licence will create 

a level playing field in the market for 

all the agencies, so Zanzi Homes and 

James Grech, Managing Director of LEAD Training Services (on left) with Steve Mercieca, Co-Founder of Zanzi 

Homes and QuickLets 

QuickLets want their agents to be as 

educated as possible. 

“We want to work by the book and give 

our agents the best training possible” 

he said. 

James Grech, Managing Director of 

LEAD Training Services, said: “The Real 

Estate Agent Professional Certificate 

programme, also being offered as a 

public programme open to all aspiring 

real estate agents in Malta, was 

designed from the ground up in full 

compliance with the requisites as laid 

down in the White Paper. 

“We have put together an excellent 

team of lecturers who will cover 

areas like economics, notarial and tax 

matters, data protection, anti-money 

laundering, sales and negotiating skills, 

valuation and property analysis, and 

fundamentals of financial management 

amongst others. The course which 

is 55 lecturing hours long split over 

a number of weekly evening sessions 

will run from 23 November 2016 to 27 

April 2017 and lectures will be held at 

the Tower Training Centre in Swatar. 

“I believe that interested participants 

should not register for this course just 

for the sake of obtaining an eventual 

working licence, but because they 

believe that the knowledge they will obtain 

from this course will help them perform 

their work in a more professional way for 

the sake of themselves and their clients. 

Knowledge and continual professional 

education is the key to professionalism 

and success, and the real estate industry is 

no exception,” Mr Grech said. MBR 

For more information and registration, 

visit http://leadtraining.com.mt/realestate-agent-professional- 

certificate/. 


51


building & construction 

Mother Nature on the 

By Antoine Bonello 

Planter after waterproofing completion 

Green roofs and roof gardens are 

slowly, slowly leaving their mark on 

our island. Plants have the ability 

to reduce the overall heat absorption of 

a building, which in turn reduces energy 

consumption. The primary cause of 

heat build-up is the absorption of solar 

radiation and plants can create a thick 

shield with their leaves that can reduce 

heat intake by 87%. The ultimate success 

of a rooftop garden depends largely on a 

proper design and installation. 

Prior to any intervention on the roof it 

is important to assess the weight it can 

withstand, this to avoid any structural 

problems and building damages. It is 

therefore recommended that a proper 

inspection is carried out by an architect, 

thus making sure that heavy planting pots 

or the heavy soil of the planters can rest 

on the said roof. 

The second and the most important thing 

to apply is the waterproofing. The time 

and expense associated with removing 

of planters, repairs of the membrane due 

to water infiltration prohibit the use of 

economical solutions; avoid plastic and 

acrylic based compounds/membranes 

or bitumen carpet solutions as they are 

not designed to withstand stagnations, 

traffic, and structural movements. 

Low quality waterproofing products are 

not meant to be exposed to constant 

water build up, which in a garden 

construction could exist for months 

due to saturated soil. Same thing can 

be said for the substrate waterproofing 

systems as they might also be exposed to 

ground soil chemicals. Properly applied 

waterproofing systems can have a service 

life that matches the life of the building. 

This is an important characteristic 

because unlike roofing materials, the 

waterproofing materials are inaccessible 

and the expenses associated with repairs 

an replacement are substantial primarily 

due to excavation costs and removals. 

The membrane system used in planters 

must be durable enough to resist 

mechanical damage from gardening tools, 

the penetration of plant roots, and last 

without repair or replacement for the life 

of the building. On the contrary exposed 

roof membrane materials are constantly 

subjected to weathering elements like 

sun, wind, rain, ice, etc. For the most 

part the water build up is drained from 

these areas within 48 to 72 hours. Proper 

roof systems made from resin materials 

generally have a service life of 10 to 

20 years prior to any remedial actions. 

Their remedial whether it is removal or 

recoating can be accomplished very easily 

and unlike planters and pots it creates 

minor inconveniences in the building due 

to ease of accessibility to the roof. 

A watertight roof is critical to successful 

green roofs of roof gardens construction. 

While some roofs are essentially 

waterproof when built, most will require 

some form of treatment to prevent water 

entry into the building. Waterproofing 

treatment must provide a strong but 

flexible layer that allows expansion under 

physical or thermal movements of the 

building structure, without compromising 

water tightness. Vegetation generally 

should not be installed over areas such 

as expansion joints, where regular 

inspection of the waterproofing will be 

necessary. 

A green roof with many fixings or 

penetrations, such as for lighting, water 

drains and ventilation can only be 

waterproofed with liquid based materials 

in order to have a perfect seamless 

solution without any weak spots from the 

bonding seams. 

Waterproofing membranes must be 

resistant to traffic and strong enough 

to protect from chemical damage. This 

includes cuts and tears, the action of 

invasive roots and stems, and exposure 

to the elements. All membranes will 

become brittle over time, and this is 

accelerated by exposure to cold, heat and 

UV rays from sunlight. A green roof will 

shield the membrane from damage and 

can significantly lengthen its life span. 

implementation of fibre glass reinforcement 

52

uilding & construction 


Rooftop 

Root resistance may be built into 

waterproofing membranes either by 

the addition of root-inhibiting chemical 

treatments, or because the composition of 

the membrane provides an impenetrable 

barrier to root growth. Root resistant 

waterproofing in liquid form is quicker 

to install than separate waterproofing 

and root barrier layers, however, the 

root-resistance of a product must be 

confirmed with the manufacturer, with 

certification provided. 

In Malta only a handful serious 

companies manufacture/import and 

install the materials themselves, thus 

assuming the full responsibility for their 

works. The majority of the waterproofing 

is likely to be installed by a third party 

waterproofing contractors. If it is the 

case the involvement of an independent 

contractor means that a clear agreement 

between all parties must be established 

for responsibility of the waterproofing 

membrane once it has been installed and 

certified as watertight. On this matter 

we recommend to make sure that the 

waterproofing contractor is a member 

of the Malta Professional Waterproofing 

and Resin Flooring Association, only 

this way you are guaranteed that the 

person is traceable, accountable and 

has a proper training background on the 

matter. The Waterproofing Association 

gives the possibility to all installers on 

the island to properly learn how to 

apply modern waterproofing systems, 

the forth coming seminar will be held 

on 24th – 26th November 2016. The 

seminars are lectured by prominent 

Italian architects and installers, further 

information can be obtained by visiting 

www.maltawaterproofing.com. 

A very effective an simple to apply 

material that can be used by professionals 

and DIY is liquid resin-based polymer 

membrane with high strength additives 

implementation of root reppellent membrane 

and selected bitumen. It does not require 

an anchoring primer. This product can be 

applied with a roller, brush with synthetic 

bristles or airless pump. A similar product 

is the Fibro Dark that contains specific 

micro fibres inside the product and does 

not require a reinforcing net. 

Once the waterproofing of the roof 

and the planters are solved you can 

implement the rest as you please and 

with the wildest and exotic plants Mother 

Nature have given us. MBR 


53


workshop 

Workshop Empowering Women 

with the Confidence to Defend Themselves 

A series of workshops are being organised 

in Malta aimed specifically at women. The 

one-day courses have been developed as a 

response to the variety of ever increasing 

risks that the modern world presents. The 

aim is to educate and train women in their 

own ability to defend themselves by staying 

aware and avoiding confrontation through 

common sense and confidence. 

“Confidence in your own ability to defend 

yourself comes with educating yourself 

about it, and is a massive advantage when 

in an unsafe situation.” These were the 

words of top US fashion model Gigi Hadid, 

quoted in Grazia Middle East, following an 

unsolicited assault at Milan Fashion Week in 

September. 

The Malta based company organising 

the workshop, EQUIPP, is a training and 

consultancy organisation that specialises in 

services related to personal and travel safety. 

Spread over one full day, the courses are 

made up of various modules that cover 

everything from identifying a problematic 

situation to how to ensure personal safety. 

The knowledge gained can be applied in 

any situation faced during day to day life. 

The first course will take place on 19th 

November and special prices are available 

for early bookers and group bookings. 

For more information and to book, email 

EQUIPP on info@equipp.com.mt, call on 

27133903 or visit www.equipp.com.mt 

Notes to Editors 

EQUIPP was set up by its Founder George 

Turns to give something back; having 

gained a huge wealth of knowledge and 

experience spanning decades of travel 

across several high risk regions, he identified 

an opportunity to exchange that knowledge 

in order that others may benefit. 

George’s career spans several decades 

with seventeen years in the British 

military including specialist Anti-Terrorism 

experience in several countries across the 

globe. For the last 25 years he has been 

working as a risk management consultant 

with Blue Chip organisations on projects in 

Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 

EQUIPP offer a range of training courses 

aimed at individuals and companies to 

help minimise the risks associated with 

international travel around the world. 

The goal is to equip individuals with the 

knowledge and tools to look after their own 

well-being as well as that of their colleagues 

and families. 

The course syllabi are part of a wide 

knowledge base, spread across a broad 

spectrum of experiences within modern day 

conflict zones, disaster areas and extensive 

worldwide travel to high risk environments. 

Courses include Travel Safety Awareness & 

First Aid, Travel Safety for Gap Year Students, 

Conflict Management, Hostile Environment 

Awareness Training (HEAT) and Travel Safety 

for NGOs. They can be delivered on-site or 

via remote webinars. 

The consultancy services help companies 

to assess the travel risk implications of their 

employees, while mitigating corporate 

liability (duty of care). EQUIPP offers a 

wealth of experience through its expert risk 

consultants, all with decades of experience 

across a variety of sectors, continents and 

some of today’s conflict environments. MBR 

Further information can be found at 

www.equipp.com.mt 

Global Citizen Award 2016 

Fundraising activity in aid of UNHCR 

When we commit ourselves to well-being, we are committing ourselves to the creation of a global culture of social solidarity, 

where the best interests of all individuals, of their communities and their societies, are respected and given their rightful dignity 

President 

of Malta Marie- 

Louise Coleiro Preca 

attended a fundraising 

activity in aid of UNHCR, 

during her visit to the United 

Kingdom. During this event, 

the winner of the Global 

Citizen Award 2016 was 

also announced. 


Coleiro Preca 

praised all the nominees 

of the Global Citizen Award, 

stating that ‘‘the focus of the 

work that has been done by 

all distinguished nominees for 

this year’s Global Citizen Award, 

is central to peace and wellbeing, 

and to sustain various 

vulnerable communities 

to live a meaningful 

life’’. 

This 

year’s Global 

Citizen Award was 

awarded to Dr Imtiaz 

Sooliman – the founder of the 

Gift of the Givers Foundation. This 

The 


said that when as 

a society, we commit 

ourselves to well-being, 

we are ‘‘emphasising our 

willingness to develop 

meaningful relationships’’ 

foundation is the largest disaster 

relief group of African origin. Gift 

of the Givers has worked in many 

countries around the world, 

including Bosnia, Pakistan, 

Somalia, Haiti and 

Zimbabwe. 

The 

and to ‘‘the creation of a event was 

global culture of social also addressed 

solidarity’’. by Deputy High 

Commissioner of 

UNHCR, Kelly T. 

Clements. MBR 

Creditline: DOI, Photos: OPR 

54

newsmakers 


Faculty of Science Students with the Auditor General 

Charles Deguara of NAO, Photo:NAO 

This morning the National Audit Office (NAO) 

welcomed a group of students whose main line 

of study is Mathematics, Banking, and Statistics 

& Operational Research from the Faculty of 

Science at the University of Malta. 

Addressing the students, the Auditor 

General Charles Deguara highlighted the 

main objectives and functions of the NAO, 

sometimes referred to as the ‘guardian of the 

public purse’. He emphasised that ultimately 

the main objective of the Office was that the 

efficiency and effectiveness of Government 

departments and entities continues to be 

enhanced within the context of prevailing 

rules and regulations in the best interest of the 

Maltese taxpayer. 

The Deputy Auditor General Noel Camilleri 

spoke about the relationship between the 

National Audit Office and Government 

Departments (auditees), drawing on his 

experience in the Public Sector. He emphasised 

that the NAO must not be seen solely in the 

light of its oversight function, but also as an 

agent of change. 

Brian Vella, Assistant Auditor General heading 

Visit by Faculty of Science Students 

The National AUDIT OFFICE 

the Performance Audits Section, also addressed 

these students. He spoke of the importance 

of the NAO as a catalyst in improving public 

governance. He introduced the NAO’s 

organisational structure and referred to the 

diverse professional qualifications of NAO staff. 

He also outlined the types of audits that the 

Office carries out and explained the audit tools 

and techniques used by NAO auditors. 

Kirsten Abela, the Education Officer on behalf 

of S-Cubed for this term, the faculty based 

organisation for science students, organised 

this educational visit at NAO. MBR 

CREDIT: THE NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE 

Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg announces the launch of two additional grant schemes 

with a budget of €6 million, as part of the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes initiative. 

Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 

2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg announced 

the launch of a further two schemes under 

the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes 

initiative; the E-Commerce Grant Scheme and 

the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme. 

The two schemes address priority areas 

under Operational Programme Operational 

Programme I Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 

‘Fostering a competitive and sustainable 

economy to meet our challenges’. 

Parliamentary Secretary Borg stated that 

e-Commerce represents an opportunity for 

businesses to exploit their potential to increase 

their market share and reach new markets by 

considering incorporating online selling. 

At a time when local SMEs are still transitioning 

to e-commerce, the e-Commerce Grant 

Scheme, with a €5 million budget, will support 

SMEs through a maximum grant of €5,000 

to develop an e-commerce website and/or a 

mobile application, with part-financing eligible 

expenditure up to 50%. This Scheme falls 

under Priority Axis 2 ‘Consolidating investment 

within the ICT sector’. 

Parliamentary Secretary Borg explained that 

the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme, 

with a budget of €1 million, will support SMEs 

through the provision of a maximum grant of 

€4,000 and is aimed at facilitating SMEs’ access 

to consultancy services to develop Business 

Plans, Feasibility Studies, Process and Systems 

Reviews and Organisation and Operations 

Reviews. This initiative falls under Priority Axis 

3 ‘Enhancing Malta’s competitiveness through 

investment in SMEs’ 

These identified schemes will be managed 

on a demand-driven basis through an open 

rolling-call, and will be open to receive project 

proposals as from Thursday, 10 November 2016. 

Borg concluded his speech by stating that 

the launch of these two schemes under the 

Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes which 

are administered and managed by the Measures 

and Support Division within the Ministry for 

European Affairs and Implementation of the 

Electoral Manifesto with a total of €31 million 

in assistance to SMEs. Parliamentary Secretary 

Borg thanked the MCA and GRTU for their 

collaboration towards the development of 

this scheme. MBR 

Courtesy: DOI/THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT FOR 

THE EU PRESIDENCY 2017 AND EU FUNDS 

Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg addressing the PC 

Photo: DOI- Clodagh Farrugia O’NEil 

In the first edition of the Malta Gaming Awards, 

Maltco Lotteries, Malta’s national lottery 

brand, has been awarded the prestigious Malta 

Gaming Award for Corporate Responsibility 

of the Year 2016. Against stiff opposition from 

fellow finalists LeoVegas and Unibet, 

Maltco Lotteries were selected as the company 

with the strongest commitment to Corporate 

Responsibility, a key part of the Maltco Lotteries 

operating principle. Maltco Lotteries is certified 

by the World Lottery Association’s Responsible 

Gaming Framework and by the European 

Lotteries Responsible Gaming Standards, the 

highest standards attainable in the global 

gaming industry. Maltco Lotteries has led the 

standards in the local gaming industry to ensure 

that everyone working with the Maltco portfolio 

of games are fully conversant with Responsible 

Maltco Lotteries, winners of the Malta Gaming Award 

for Corporate Responsibility of the Year 2016 

Gaming principles as advocated by the company. 

Maltco also contribute €50,000 towards the 

Responsible Gaming Fund and has undertaken a 

programme to train over 600 Maltco agents and 

their assistants on Responsible Gaming. 

The Malta Gaming Award for Corporate 

Responsibility of the Year 2016 took place the 

evening before SiGMA16, during the Malta 

Gaming Week. The organisers said that three 

features make these Awards unique, being that 

firstly, nominees must have a strong connection 

with Malta, secondly that all proceeds from this 

event will go to charity, and finally the awards 

will be held during the Malta Gaming Week. 

The event was hosted by Liverpool legend John 

Barnes and attended by the guest of honour, 

Her Excellency, the President of Malta, 

Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. The first edition 

featured a small number of awards, all of 

which have a special connection with the 

gaming ecosystem in Malta. 

A Spokesperson for the company said that they 

are proud to have been selected as Malta’s 

number one on Corporate Responsibility for 

2016. All of the team at Maltco Lotteries, 

including our 250 partners and agents, wish 

to congratulate all of the nominees who were 

selected by the organizing committee, the 

judging panel and the industry. She also said that 

they are delighted that all the effort, discipline 

and security performed by the company 

in order to operate within the Responsible 

Gaming framework, was recognised by the 

judges and the industry. MBR 

For further information email info@maltco.net, visit the 

Maltco website www.maltco.com or call 2388 3000. 

ABOUT MALTCO 

MALTCO Lotteries offers a comprehensive portfolio of entertaining games of chance and skill based on 

Responsible Gaming Principles that makes a major contribution to the social and economic development 

of the Maltese Islands. The company is one of the major contributors towards the Responsible 

Gaming Fund administered by the Government of Malta. MALTCO operates a comprehensive training 

programme for agents and their assistants in recognition of their channel partnership. The company 

supports many good causes and sponsors several local sports. 


55


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T +356 2137 4078 

F +356 2137 4090 

56

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