PG ALL LR

MALTA 

BUSINESS REVIEW 

ISSUE 32 JUNE 2017 

COVER STORY 

FIMBANK LAUNCHES DIGITAL BANKING PLATFORM 

Interview with FIMBank’s 

Head of Cash Management, Chris Trapani, 

and Group CIO Gilbert Coleiro 

06 

8 

10 

44 

ELECTIONS 2017 

Muscat Wins Snap Elections 

Labour leader gets mandate to govern the Island for another 

five years with landslide victory 

CORPORATE INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH 

An Instinct for Growth 

Interview with Francesca Lagerberg, Grant Thornton’s Global 

Leader – tax services and Regional Leader Europe 

FEATURE ERC STORY 

When Technology Empowers Migrant Women 

How digital media could be rethought as a tool for 

participation and integration of migrant women

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Malta Business Review 


06 COVER STORY 

FIMBANK LAUNCHES DIGITAL BANKING PLATFORM 

Interview with FIMBank’s Head of Cash Management, Chris 

Trapani, and Group CIO Gilbert Coleiro 

8 ELECTION 2017 

MUSCAT WINS SNAP ELECTIONS 

Summary analysis of the snap general elections, which 

will Labour leader gets mandate to govern the Island for 

another five years with landslide victory 

CORPORATE INTERVIEWS OF 

THE MONTH 

10 AN INSTINCT FOR GROWTH 

An interview with Francesca Lagerberg, Grant Thornton’s 

Global Leader – tax services and Regional Leader Europe 

12 SLICE OF MEDITERRANEAN MALTA IN CENTRAL LONDON 

MBR interviews Josef Zammit, Contracts Manager, Hugh 

Vella, Director of Operations, both with Halmann Vella and 

James Basson, Designer of the M&G Garden 2017 and 

Director, Scape Design 

16 AIM HIGH AND INNOVATE 

Exclusive interview with Patrick Clark, General Manager with 

Michael Debono Ltd 

06 

CONTENTS 

June 2017 

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS / 

ENERGY 

18 EXPRESS TRAILERS STRENGTHENS GROUPAGE 

SERVICES TO AND FROM POLAND AND TURKEY 

Express Trailers announces improvements and developments 

in its consolidated weekly groupage services to and from 

Poland and Turkey 

20 OUR INEVITABLE FUTURE 

Elizabeth Spiers interviews Kevin Kelly about VR, Digital 

Socialism, and his new book 

SPECIAL FEATURE: MALTA’S 

BEST ENTREPRENEUR OF THE 

YEAR 2017 

25 INCREASING PERFORMANCE & USABILITY 

An interview with MBEOTYA nominee Frederick Micallef, 

Managing Director with Databyte Limited 

26 DELIVERING EXCELLENCE 

Global Tech Managing Director and Emerging Entrepreneur 

Neal Azzopardi give us an overview of his company, products 

and services 

28 DEVELOPING BUSINESS ENSURING SUCCESS 

Interview with Jimmy Cutajar, Managing Director, Global 

Freight Solutions, a shining example of the Maltese 

entrepreneurial drive to succeed 

30 IDEAS, ENERGY & ENTHUSIASM 

Keith Schembri, Architect, tells us exactly why KEIRO 

Architects have risen to become one of the most celebrated 

and well-respected architects locally 

32 ACCESSIBLE & AFFORDABLE PROPERTY 

John Luke Zammit and Keith Camilleri, directors and 

co-founders of NotGreedy chat with Martin Vella about 

their real estate start-up 

34 PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES 

An interview with MBEOTYA nominee Jonathan Azzopardi, 

founder of Springbox Media 

PUBLISHER 

MBR Publications Limited 

OFFICES 

Highland Apartment - Level 1, 

Naxxar Road, 

Birkirkara, BKR 9042 

+356 2149 7814 

EDITOR 

Martin Vella 

TECHNICAL ADVISOR 

Marcelle D’Argy Smith 

SALES DIRECTOR 

Margaret Brincat 

DESIGN 

MBR Design 

ADVERTISING 

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

Email: margaret@mbrpublications.net 

or admin@mbrpublications.net 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Brad Bailey; Amy Blackwell; Richard Branson; 

Antoine Bonello; George Carol; Harry Cooper; 

Robert Haigh; Pierre Mallia; Sandra Ponzanesi; 

Arin Ray; Darren Sammut; Claudia Schembri; 

Elizabeth Spiers 

SPECIAL THANKS 

Brand Finance; CELENT; CO, European 

Parliament Information Office in Valletta; 

European Research Council; FIMBank; DOI; 

HSBC; IMovo; LinkedIN; Virgin Group Digital 

PRINT PRODUCTION 

Printit 

EDITORIAL 

Malta’s Best Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2017 are 

with us again and I can’t wait more for the final night! This 

year we are aiming for a memorable and high quality gala 

evening full of entertainment, glamour and celebration. If 

one compares last year’s edition held at Smart City Malta, 

it’s natural to expect a more enthusiastic and massive 

presence from the local business community. 

This year, the choice of venue fell on Villa Bighi Esplanade 

& Gardens, at my former idyllic hometown of Kalkara, a 

peaceful and panoramic village by the sea. The venue 

offers a magnificent view of the grand harbour, as well as 

an amazing Valletta acting as a natural silhouetted backdrop. Add on the lighting effect 

and sky beams which we are putting on the night, and one immediately notices that 

something special and electric is happening there on Friday 14th July 2017. 

Malta’s Best Entrepreneur of the Year Awards have grown both in stature over the years, 

as well as regards the top class synchronised entertainment offered, which creates 

not just a show for marketing and branding, but provides a great showcase of premier 

business leaders and also a concrete opportunity to generate business and meet new 

clients, especially if you think in terms of cost of the investment/payback. But if you want 

to consider yourself a growing company with a bright future, you should definitely be 

among the nominees or sponsors participating in what has become beyond any doubt 

Malta’s most prestigious and supreme largest business awards organised on such a 

comprehensive scale. 

Business leaders, executive entrepreneurs, emerging stars and future role models 

represent our economy in a cross-section of business microcosm, and together with 

journalists and editors find their best lively atmosphere during Malta’s Best Entrepreneur 

of the Year Awards. Do you want to be in the loop of the progress, understand more 

about major present and future trends and be the first to celebrate Malta’s leading 

entrepreneurs? Good, then you should be there. 

In my daily routine research, I learnt that Data Collection and Time-Sensitive Networking 

are the top of the conversation in terms of future technology development. These two 

themes are currently influencing decision makers from all over the world and from all 

the most important worldwide companies, from Omron to Schneider Electric, Rockwell 

Automation, Belden and many others. 

We will start exploring Time-Sensitive Networking in future issues, but the real focus this 

month will be Malta’s Best Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, with a special attention 

devoted to some of the nominees in our special pull-and-keep supplement. 

Don’t miss even one page of this month’s enriching content reading and stay always 

tuned with the Malta Business Review! 

10 16 26 

your perfect atmosphere 

Our Golden Partners 

30 32 48 

FEATURE STORIES 

44 WHEN TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERS MIGRANT WOMEN 

How digital media could be rethought as a tool for 

participation and integration of migrant women 

46 DEALING WITH THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL 

REVOLUTION 

Pierre Mallia tells us just why the standard mantra that 

technological change would destroy some jobs but 

in the process create new ones higher up the skill chain is very 

likely to break 

48 EXCLUSIVE: SIMONETTA MERCIECA OF PARALLELS 

HONOURED AS ONE OF CRN’S 2017 WOMEN OF THE 

CHANNEL 

Director of Sales for Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS), 

Simonetta Mercieca, was named to the 2017 Women of the 

Channel list by CRN 

QUOTE OF THE MONTH 

"People often say that motivation doesn't 

last. Well, neither does bathing. That's 

why we recommend it daily” 

ZIG ZIGLAR 

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. 

Talk to us: 

E-mail: martin@mbrpublications.net 

Twitter: @MBRPublications 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaltaBusinessReview 

Martin Vella 

Editor-in-Chief 

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: 

4 5 

www.maltabusinessreview.net


COVER STORY OF THE MONTH 

COVER STORY OF THE MONTH 


z 

FIMBank launches 

Digital Banking Platform 

MBR: The Bank has recently launched its 

new digital banking platform, FIMBank 

Direct. How does this impact FIMBank’s 

business model? 

GC: We consider FIMBank Direct as a 

milestone the Bank’s journey towards 

digital transformation. This new platform 

demonstrates our commitment to provide a 

better banking experience to our customers 

at any time and from anywhere, with both 

convenience and control. This process of 

digital transformation is not limited to the 

FIMBank Direct platform and any new 

services we will be introducing in the future; 

it’s also about changing our internal mindset 

and processes to continuously improve 

customer service. 

CT: FIMBank Direct will take our corporate 

and retail services up to the next level. 

The infrastructure built for international 

settlements, foreign exchange and deposit 

business, will now be made available for all 

our customers, corporates and individuals 

alike. Our services, including payments and 

forex developed around our specialised trade 

finance products, will now be provided to our 

clients through this digital platform. This will 

now unleash our capability for international 

settlements in all major currencies, 

particularly in USD and EURO. Our clients will 

be able to settle, transfer funds, or deposit 

By George Carol 

We will also build on our 

strengths to offer corporate 

and international banking 

solutions, in USD and other 

major currencies, including 

bulk payments and competitive 

wholesale foreign exchange 

services. 

in real time, same day or later, securely and 

effectively. 

MBR: How will customers benefit from 

FIMBank Direct? 

CT: FIMBank Direct provides customers with 

an integrated banking solution for corporate, 

wholesale and individual requirements. We 

have integrated our products within an online 

context, where we can allow our customers 

to manage their transactions efficiently and 

securely. 

The new platform enables customers to 

manage accounts, view balances, and effect 

multi-currency international payments that 

serve customer needs securely. Furthermore, 

customers may benefit from the competitive 

and efficient services available, which include 

foreign exchange and international payments. 

FIMBank Direct continues to build on our 

We sit down with 

FIMBank’s Head of 

Cash Management, 

Chris Trapani, and 

Group CIO Gilbert 

Coleiro, who tell us 

about the exciting 

times ahead for 

FIMBank, with the 

launch of its new 

digital banking 

platform, FIMBank 

Direct. 

strong presence for international settlements 

in USD and other major currencies. With 

FIMBank Direct, same or next day value 

payments and foreign exchange deals 

can be managed online at the customer’s 

convenience. 

MBR: Extensive emphasis is made on the 

secure aspects of FIMBank Direct. Would 

you explain how this benefits users? 

GC: Banking is all about trust, and we take 

this responsibility towards our customers 

very seriously. We have invested heavily 

in the security features of FIMBank Direct. 

One of our innovations is the pioneering 

security technology used to authenticate 

customers and transactions on the platform, 

which we have branded as FIMBank CAM. 

This smartphone app allows customers to 

bank securely with us, without the need for 

a physical internet key or hardware token. It 

allows our customers to verify and sign their 

transactions with no physical connection, 

anytime, anywhere. It also helps protect our 

customers from the most recent types of 

cyber threats, something which traditional 

tokens are unable to do. 

MBR: FIMBank Direct caters for both 

personal and corporate customers. How do 

these different clients open accounts and 

what are the main features? 

CT: Apart from offering a complete suite of 

corporate banking services, FIMBank Direct 

continues to build on the success of our 

Easisave product and allows customers to 

open and manage savings accounts, current 

accounts and fixed term deposit products. 

For retail customers, all these activities can 

be done without the need to visit the Bank’s 

premises, whilst benefiting from efficient 

and competitive products in USD and other 

currencies. 

Corporate and wholesale banking 

services offered include balance view and 

management, the ability to book single or 

multi-currency payments, and access to 

statements and advices, while benefitting 

from competitive foreign exchange rates. 

Authentication and security on FIMBank 

Direct contributes to performance and 

customer benefit, through strong payment 

capabilities geared to support wholesale and 

corporate demands, with same day and next 

day payments options. 

FIMBank Direct, coupled with our dedicated 

business support teams, is aimed at delivering 

a service advantage designed to drive and 

support businesses efficiently and cost 

effectively. 

MBR: How will FIMBank Direct impact 

current Easisave customers? 

CT: Our established Easisave brand, is now 

fully integrated within FIMBank Direct. 

Easisave customers have access to all product 

features, with added security and options 

including standing orders, same day value 

transfers and more. Our dedicated customer 

support team, FIMBank Helpdesk, is available 

to assist customers all their banking needs. 

FIMBank’s Head of Cash Management, Chris Trapani, and Group CIO Gilbert Coleiro 

MBR: One of FIMBank Direct’s unique 

selling propositions is accessibility. Would 

you elaborate? 

GC: One of our key objectives is to allow 

our customers to conduct their business on 

demand and with no physical or time barriers. 

FIMBank Direct offers convenience through 

accessibility by enabling our customers to 

transact with us simply by having a desktop 

PC or tablet and their smartphone at hand. 

In the coming months, we will be working 

vigorously to introduce new functionalities. 

MBR: With the new digital banking system 

integrated within the Bank’s overall strategy, 

what does the future hold for FIMBank? 

CT: The Bank’s goal remains that of building a 

loyal customer base by offering a wide range 

of corporate products, accessible through a 

secure and efficient digital banking platform, 

with access to international settlements, local 

payments, term deposit products and foreign 

exchange services. Our banking strategy 

remains pinned to servicing customer needs 

and providing international banking support. 

Meanwhile we shall continue to invest in 

systems and teams to support business 

requirements efficiently and promptly. 

We will also build on our strengths to 

offer corporate and international banking 

solutions, in USD and other major currencies, 

including bulk payments and competitive 

wholesale foreign exchange services. 

GC: We will continue to pursue a strategy that 

is completely focused on customer needs. 

The Bank is committed to providing a superior 

customer experience model based on 

continuous improvements, and a consistent, 

digital experience across the entire portfolio 

of products. MBR 

For further information please visit www.fimbank. 

com/direct or contact the FIMBank Helpdesk on 

21322102 or helpdesk@fimbank.com 

6 

www.maltabusinessreview.net 

7


ELECTIONS 2017 


Muscat wins snap election 

Labour leader gets mandate to govern the Island for another five years 

with landslide victory 

By Harry Cooper 

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat won 

a landslide victory in a snap election this 

weekend, according to projections from 

official results on Sunday. 

Muscat’s Labour Party claimed victory on June 

4th, Sunday morning, with some party officials 

estimating its majority would be 34,000 — 

close to the level achieved in 2013, when 

Muscat put an end to an almost unbroken 

quarter-century of rule by the center-right 

Nationalist Party. 

“Optimism has triumphed over negativity, 

rumours and bitterness,” said Muscat, who is 

set to get a mandate to govern Malta for the 

next five years. “Our next step is to achieve 

national reconciliation after such a divisive 

campaign.” 

Muscat had focused his campaign on his 

government’s record of fostering economic 

growth, while fending off opposition 

allegations that his closest allies have been 

involved in money-laundering schemes 

related to the sale of EU passports and powerplant 

privatization schemes. 

Opposition Nationalist Party leader Simon 

Busuttil said he had conceded defeat in a call 

to Muscat, saying on Twitter: “As always, we 

respect the decision of the electorate.” 

For a man facing a criminal investigation 

and fighting a snap election while holding 

the presidency of the Council of the EU, 

Joseph Muscat appeared remarkably relaxed. 

“My mind is at peace on that,” he said in 

an interview that took place in his car. The 

allegations are, he added, “an absolute lie.” 

Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. DOI - Clifton Fenech 

The election result proves that Muscat’s 

popularity with the locals is very much in 

evidence, echoing the personality cult of the 

Labour prime minister from 1971 to 1984, 

Dom Mintoff. Muscat’s book — “Joseph: The 

best time for the country is yet to come” — 

was published in time for the June 3 election 

and billboards across the island proclaim: 

“Joseph Muscat has fulfilled his promises.” 

To be sure, Muscat has overseen an economic 

boom, partly financed by the sale of EU 

passports to non-EU nationals, which has 

allowed him to introduce free childcare and 

bring unemployment to record lows. 

Muscat’s critics say the appointment of party 

loyalists to government positions has also 

ballooned since he took office, with over 600 

people given such positions across the civil 

service, according to a government response 

to a parliamentary question. Kevin Aquilina, 

dean of the law faculty at the University 

of Malta, argued that this bypasses the 

processes laid out in the island’s constitution. 

For him, the underlying problem is simple: 

“The prime minister is a very strong person 

and he can basically get away with anything.” 

Muscat gave the Labour Party the biggest 

majority in its history in 2013 and an even 

bigger one this June, with even bigger risks 

that power will blind the government even 

greater. However, Muscat quickly attempted 

to play down his landslide victory as a triumph 

of the Labour Party over the Nationalist 

Party, but rather one of “love over hate, unity 

over division, truth over lies, stability over 

confusion, and socio-economic progress over 

regression”. 

“Malta is one, Malta is united, and we must 

now become a model for the rest of the 

world...we must become the envy of the 

world.” MBR 

Creditline: POLITICO 

8 9 






Francesca Lagerberg, Grant Thornton’s Global Leader – tax services and Regional Leader Europe, was 

recently in Malta attending Grant Thornton’s European congress, wherein over 44 countries came 

together with the board of the CIS. Francesca tells the Editor why this is a chance to share best practice, 

to talk about the things that Grant Thornton is doing and overview overall collaboration. 

An Instinct for Growth 

by Martin Vella 

MBR: What excited you about the 

opportunity to join Grant Thornton and 

what made you feel, it will be the right fit 

for you? 

FL: I joined Grant Thornton as a direct entry 

partner about a decade ago. Previously, I 

worked as a freelancer and also worked 

for a publishing company. I was looking for 

something that was entrepreneurial, that 

actually cared about its clients, that did work 

a little bit differently. And then I met Grant 

Thornton. I thought ‘yeah’ they might actually 

have some of these factors going on and I 

can genuinely say that the last ten years that 

I have been here, I think there’s something 

about a distinctiveness the way it operates, 

the fact that it cares about its clients, it put 

itself in shoes of its clients and it really treats 

its people well, and that’s why I stayed. I have 

never stayed anywhere as long as I stayed 

with Grant Thornton and I am really proud of 

committing to that. 

MBR: My second question is, Grant 

Thornton is widely recognised as being a 

leader in diversity and inclusion. How are 

your personally engaged with these efforts? 

an attitude to be interested in 

clients and to bring their very 

best is something quite innate 

FL: I run a programme called ‘The Woman 

in Business’ programme. What we do each 

year is we have a survey that we conduct with 

three and a half thousand businesses around 

the world. It helps us to collate information 

about core issues happening in the diversity 

and inclusion arena. What we also do is, we 

carry an annual report to put out on Women’s 

International Day, so in that time, in March, we 

also keep track of how many female leaders 

are based on public documentations. So we 

put those three things together, we announce 

a press release each year; we disseminate 

information as a full report. Unfortunately, 

the actual end result is really a bit depressing, 

because the trend over the last fourteen 

years has not really seen a significant shift. 

Therefore, all of the things that we try and do 

off the back of that report is really encourage 

businesses that should be spending more 

time on diversity and inclusion, and making 

it part of their go to market, because actually 

otherwise they are missing out on the great 

opportunity. 

MBR: So in that context how do you define 

your role and do all your areas of focus 

interrelate? 

FL: Yeah, well I am! I have the regional 

responsibility for helping our member firms 

grow in Europe, and I also look after risk and 

quality on a global level as well. So the way 

they interact is as I said on the global teamso 

we are the headquarters of the global 

organisation and we get involved in everything 

that has to do with the worldwide operation. 

This accessible organisation depends on the 

great work of how our member firms interact 

with the glue that tries to hold all those 

different firms together, provide support, yet 

also share the best practise for those excellent 

firms as well. 

MBR: What has been the key to Grant 

Thornton’s strength and leadership in the 

industry and how do you define the Grant 

Thornton difference? 

FL: I think a different changing factor is that 

we try to step into the shoes of our clients and 

bring out a full potential of our people whilst 

also being very truth to the fact that we have 

believed that we should make a difference in 

the communities that we are in so that we 

are not just being responsible, but also that 

we are playing a part in the community and 

trying to encourage a vibrant economy. So 

that I think, makes us very different in that we 

have really got a strong social commitment 

to our people and obviously commitment to 

our clients to help them succeed and be their 

best that they can be. The reason I think Grant 

Thornton is different is; it’s big enough to be 

able to service anything around the world but 

it’s not so big that a client is a little minnow in 

a very, very big pool. 

MBR: Let’s talk about skill sets, how do 

businesses need to think about how they 

access different skill sets and what is the 

significance? 

FL: Well, I think there’s something around 

diversity of skill sets in an organisation that 

is vital because in professional services you 

are dealing with a range of clients, very 

different people, doing very different things, 

the challenges that they are facing and so you 

need to have people who are able to cope with 

that variety. You can teach people a lot; you 

can encourage and train, and do incredible 

learning with individuals, but an attitude to 

be interested in clients and to bring their very 

best is something quite innate, especially in 

individuals. I think the skill set that you need 

is somebody who’s willing to listen more than 

just talk and not just bringing ready-made 

solutions, but actually try to get to the heart of 

what the issues are to help people and really 

see what the client is looking for, and also that 

people have the skills that people want to do 

business with you because you know it’s a lot 

about people, the whole thing that we’re in 

the client relationship is about if they trust 

you, do they believe you, to give great advice, 

have you got an intellectual ability to help 

provide them with that advice and then when 

you deliver. The capability to deliver is huge, 

it’s so easy to say it but to actually delivering 

and delivering above expectations. 

MBR: How are such events held in Malta so 

important and what is your opinion about 

organisation of these events? 

FL: Sure! In terms of importance I think it’s 

fantastic that Grant Thornton have got a 

range of individuals coming together, faceto-face, 

networking, talking about topical 

issues. I must congratulate the Maltese firm, 

we are the headquarters of 

the global organisation and we 

get involved in everything that 

has to do with the worldwide 

operation 

who have organised these things incredibly. 

I mean if you look here, although this event 

is a combination of the international and 

the Maltese firm, tonight you will have 50 of 

us walking around the streets in Malta and 

sharing that experience. There’s something 

there around people seeing what’s going 

on locally, that they don’t just sit in a hotel, 

but they actually get to experience some of 

the local cuisine, the local culture, they get 

to meet the people and that’s really a part 

about that cultural intelligence. With 44 

different countries present here, who came 

together with the board of the CIS- wherein 

more than 90 participants from 44 European 

states united in one big family. Many of them 

have never been to Malta before, and it’s 

really important that we understand what’s 

different and what’s the same, and then when 

people are interacting on client’s issues or just 

generally around global strategic issues. 

MBR: So how do you ensure effective 

communication with George Vella (Partner) 

and working with the business function 

leaders and engaging them. Can you explain 

a bit? 

FL: Yes of course. I mean there’s a lot of 

ways doing that. Some of that is the simple 

stuff, keeping regular contact and opening 

the communication channel, maintaining 

the flow, and being there through email 

or telephone calls or meetings. This week 

in particular we have got our European 

countries all meeting in Malta. We have got 

over 44 countries that are coming together 

across Europe, with the board of the CIS. This 

is a chance for us to share best practice, to talk 

about the things that we are doing together 

and look at how we are collaborating. Coming 

face-to-face is a really important part of what 

we do, but in between those face-to-face 

meetings, we send out lease letters, we have 

regular calls, we run webinars and we just try 

and stay as connected as we can, using both 

technology and good old fashioned speaking 

to each other. 

MBR: What are the commercial benefits of 

diverse thinking, especially when it comes 

to thinking at a leadership level? 

FL: I think it’s a huge fundament diversity of 

thinking. If you go back to the financial crisis 

a lot of the research suggests that there 

was a group thing that was taking place at 

that time, because a lot of decision making 

was happening with just one type of person 

and one type of upbringing, one type of 

environment. I think when it comes to dealing 

with issues like risk, it’s just a want to have only 

a range ideas being heard. We did just a little 

bit of research about a year and a half ago, we 

looked at the Indian stock exchange, the US 

stock exchange and the UK stock exchange, 

and we looked at the composition people 

on the senior boards, and we looked at how 

they performed at the same levels of market, 

whether they outperform the market. We 

used a mechanism that had been used by a 

very well know university in order to do that 

and make sure that we were not making 

subject of opinions and we were able to show 

that if we have got a diversity of grouping 

at that senior board level, you significantly 

outperform the market over a period of time. 

I think something like that has to do with 

bringing different thoughts in to the room 

and being constructively challenging, and also 

ensuring that you just don’t keep doing the 

same old stuff. There’s something about the 

volatility of the world that we walk in to today 

that having that combination of different 

thinking is you probably going to get a better 

answer. You do not always get a better answer, 

but you probably get a better answer if you 

have a range of thinking in different cultures 

and different insight. MBR 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Francesca has worked in tax for more 

than 20 years and is the global leader for 

tax services. Her main focus is helping 

the Grant Thornton member firms to 

grow their tax practices and attract, 

retain and develop talent in the entire 

global organisation by encouraging 

a consistently inspiring culture. She 

is actively involved in the UK's Tax 

Professionals Forum, chaired by the 

Financial Secretary to the UK Treasury 

and is an advocate for Speakers' Trust 

charity, which encourages public speaking skills. Francesca writes 

about tax matters for the professional and worldwide press and 

is a regular commentator on radio and TV. She is also actively 

involved in lobbying for better, clearer and more proportionate 

tax legislation. Francesca is a past chair of the Tax Faculty of the 

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is a 

past council member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. She is 

involved in committees with Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs in 

the UK and the Confederation of British Industry. 

10 11 



DESIGN INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH DESIGN INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH Malta Business Review 

A slice of 

Mediterranean Malta 

in central London 


MBR: Halmann Vella have recently supplied 

the stone and assisted in the construction 

of the winning garden at the Chelsea flower 

show. Can you explain what that is for 

people who are not familiar with that? 

HV: The Chelsea Flower Show is possibly 

the largest gardening show in Britain and 

possibly around the world. It is visited by 

over 150,000 people every year, including 

the Queen herself, and is widely broadcast on 

the BBC. Participating as a supplier to one of 

the show gardens is a great achievement for 

us as a local company as it places us on the 

international scene on a par with some of the 

biggest players in the industry. As Maltese, it 

was also a pleasure to be associated with a 

garden that is based on Malta’s landscape. In 

fact, the M&G Garden 2017 is modelled on a 

disused Maltese quarry and utilizes Maltese 

stone supplied by Halmann Vella as well as 

a number of plants which are endemic to 

Malta. 

MBR: How did the project come about? 

JB: A lifelong love of quarries and a desire 

to show how man can work with nature to 

soften the hard, mineral spaces we create 

to generate a garden were part of the 

inspiration. A client had a painting of a quarry 

in Gozo, and it was incredible, so it inspired 

us to go and explore; and from that seed the 

garden was created! 

In an atypical, extraordinary interview with Josef Zammit, 

Contracts Manager, Hugh Vella, Director of Operations, both with 

Halmann Vella and James Basson, Designer of the M&G Garden 

2017 and Director, Scape Design, we follow the latest exceptional 

enterprise undertaken by Halmann Vella, who have recently 

supplied the stone and constructed the winning garden at the 

Chelsea flower show, UK. 

HV: In September 2015, architect Ray 

Demicoli put me in contact with James 

Basson from Scape Design and Marc Crocus 

from Crocus. I listened to their idea of basing 

a Chelsea Flower Show Garden on a Maltese 

quarry, thinking that it was slightly absurd. 

However, I gave them my full attention and 

accompanied them to see the stone. A couple 

of days before Christmas we received a set of 

drawings and sketches, and the rest, as they 

say is history. 

It was an incredibly ambitious 

project and nothing had been 

attempted on this scale before 

at Chelsea as we only have three 

weeks to complete the garden. 

MBR: Can you please tell us about the 

selection and preparation of the stone 

used? 

JZ: The stone was quarried in Malta and 

eventually fabricated in our stone processing 

facility in Hal Far. Once finished the materials 

were packed and shipped to London. 

MBR: Overall, how did the construction of 

the garden go? 

JZ: Thankfully the construction went on 

flawlessly and without a glitch. This was 

thanks to the hard work of our factory team 

in Malta, who ensured that 1,200 pieces of 

Maltese stone were delivered at the right size 

and finish and without damages. This was 

essential because if something went wrong 

in London, our factory was miles away, so it 

would have been very difficult for us to fix 

it. Every stone was given a unique reference 

and placed in custom made timber boxes, 

and all boxes were referenced as well to 

make the installation in the UK easier. A team 

of Halmann Vella workers made up of six 

installers and two stone finishers joined the 

Crocus workers to assist in the construction 

and stone installation. Upon completion, our 

finishers went on to give the stone a more 

authentic quarry look using specific surface 

finishes. The installation was led by myself 

and supervised by Hugh Vella. 

JZ: It was an incredibly ambitious project and 

nothing had been attempted on this scale 

before at Chelsea as we only have three 

weeks to complete the garden. It really was 

only possible due to the incredible planning 

and engineering of Halmann Vella and Crocus 

and Eliott Wood, the structural engineers. 

MBR: What factors did you have to consider 

when making the show garden, considering 

where its final location would be? 

JZ: One concern was the weather as we were 

trying to bring a slice of Mediterranean Malta 

to central London. In grey, rainy weather 

the garden risked seeming dull but we were 

so lucky that the week of the show was 

scorching and the garden glowed. Obviously, 

on a practical level we had the logisitics of 

getting the stone as prebuilt/cut as possible, 

in order to stay on schedule during the build. 

Finally, for the plants, we gradually moved up 

through Europe from Malta, Sicily, to Northern 

Italy/Southern France NS conclusively to the 

UK in order to get them at the right stage of 

flowering. 

MBR: Why is it so important to bring nature 

into a project located in a very dense urban 

environment? 

JB: We are an ever-growing population and 

we cannot continue to deplete the earth of its 

resources by quarrying and building without 

giving something back. Water run-off is a huge 

problem in urban areas and particularly on an 

island where instead of permeating back into 

the water table it simply runs off the mass of 

hard surfaces and into the sea. Water is not 

an infinite resource. In encouraging nature 

to come back into these extremely mineral 

spaces we increase oxygen production 

through planting, they absorb CO2, they 

help feed water back into the water table by 

breaking its fall and increase a top layer of 

humus allowing other plants to colonise, on 

top of this it is beautiful to look at and we get 

a real sense of changing seasons instead of 

static hard materials. 

MBR: The garden has a very strong, clear 

architecture, and then you integrate the 

idea of nature in a very expressive and 

organic way. Is this a deliberate contrast 

between the garden, the flowers and the 

building? 

HV: Absolutely, the structural side of the 

garden is in essence inspired by the quarries 

in Malta but it equally reminisces brutalist 

architecture. The plants then soften 

everything making it at the same time more 

inviting and essentially a garden, but equally 

underlines the starkness of the stone. The 

planting also shows how within one space we 

can see several different ecologies – on top 

of the pillars we had clifftop ecology, behind 

the pillars where water would collect we 

had aquatic plants, then sub-shrub through 

garrigue, steppe and coastal. 

MBR: What does this achievement 

represent to you? 

HV: The RHS Chelsea Flower show came about 

just about as Halmann Vella were relaunching 

our international business strategy. In fact 

during the same week we announced our 

collaboration with London, Paris, Milan and 

Istanbul based Vicalvi Contract, for whom 

we will be the exclusive suppliers of natural 

stone. Vicalvi Contracts has been involved in a 

number of high profile developments around 

the world including the Four Seasons Hotel 

Casablanca, Morgans Hotel in New York, 

the Grand Hyatt Cannes Martinez Hotel, the 

Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi and the Louis 

Vuitton Foundation in Paris. We are thus 

looking at the future with cautious positivity. 

JB: For us at Scape Design, it really is the 

pinnacle of our career. Best in Show and Best 

Construction at the Chelsea Flower Show 

was our dream and goal, and now that we 

have achieved it we couldn’t be happier. The 

garden was controversial as several members 

of the public questioned whether it was a 

garden, but we strongly believe that the line 

between landscape and garden is very grey, 

and if it opens debate around the subject 

of ’What makes a garden?’ that can only be 

positive. Hopefully, it will encourage people 

to look at the natural environment and see 

how they can help it to achieve a result that 

is pleasing to us as humans but that doesn’t 

go against nature by watering, adding soil 

ameliorants, chemicals, and so on. MBR 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Hugh Vella was the architect who assisted in the selection and 

preparation of the stone. 

Josef Zammit was the project manager during the construction of 

the garden. 

James Basson was the designer of the M&G Garden 2017. 

12 


13


ICT 


Choosing the right software 

implementation partner can make or 

break your project – and your bank 

By Darren Sammut 

Business software projects are often complex 

and require a high degree of commitment 

from both the customer and supplier – 

commitment to effort and commitment to 

change. 

This is an area of Information Technology that 

is full of failed projects and of projects which 

fall short of meeting customer objectives. In 

fact, a recent CIO survey placed the level of 

customer satisfaction with ERP and CRM 

projects at the very lowest levels of all IT 

projects. 

In this area, Computime Software enjoys 

a consistently high customer satisfaction 

rating, with 96% of our clients saying that 

Computime exceeds their expectations, 

while 99% would recommend Computime to 

their peers. Computime have a positive track 

record of 35+ years in successful business 

software implementations and software 

development projects, and our philosophy 

is to be completely transparent with our 

clients from day one to completion, ensuring 

they understand the amount of time, effort, 

and cost required to implement a successful 

software project. 

We employ an experienced and multidisciplined 

team of experts, including 

technology specialists to ensure that the 

system is built using technology that is fit 

for purpose, performs well, and integrates 

into the customer's environment – but also 

usability experts to ensure that the software is 

easy-to-use by non-technical users, business 

experts who are able to interface with the 

customer's business users to ensure that the 

customer's business objectives are met, and 

finally project managers who oversee the 

whole process and work together with our 

account manager and the customer to keep 

the project on track. 

INSURANCE 

AGENCY 

Computime have a positive 

track record of 35+ years in 

successful business software 

implementations 

We utilise cutting edge technologies 

developed by our R&D team or from leading 

vendors to make maximum use of the various 

platforms which are available nowadays to 

everyone, such as the internet and mobile 

devices. At the same time we provide choices 

– for example if a customer prefers to run 

their solution from a more traditional onpremises 

server as opposed to a cloud-based 

solution, then this can also be easily achieved. 

We firmly believe that most projects should 

deliver value in stages, and expecting a project 

to meet all objectives in one single ‘big bang’ 

is often a recipe for failure, as this approach 

puts a massive burden on both the customer 

and the implementation team. 

As a result, we normally recommend 

focusing initially on delivering a few small, 

but measurable objectives, together with the 

customer ensuring these are met, and then 

moving onto subsequent phases, always at 

the customer’s pace. Apart from everything 

else, customers are usually consumed with 

their day-to-day tasks, so planning a project 

in bite-sized phases is very often a preferred 

option. 

The customer engagement process that we 

adopt starts with our first meeting and builds 

one layer at a time, always with the objective 

of delivering the maximum benefit at minimal 

risk and cost to the customer. 

While we borrow from standard 

methodologies such as PRINCE II and Agile, 

we strive to ensure that our primary approach 

is pragmatic, not overly formal, and above all 

fit for purpose. MBR 

Learn more about Computime Software: 

www.computimesoftware.com. 

INSURANCE 

AGENCY 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Darren Sammut is the 

Operations Manager, 

Computime Software. 

Darren has been working 

in IT for 12 years. He 

joined Computime in 

2008 and has held roles 

in Quality Assurance, 

Project Management, and 

Operations Management. Darren has led projects 

in Oil & Gas, Banking, Telecommunications, 

iGaming, and many other industries. Currently, 

Darren is responsible for the delivery of all 

Computime Software projects. 

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insurance agent for Certain Underwriters at 

an as act to 2006 Act Intermediaries Insurance the under enrolled is Ltd. Agency Insurance MIB 

MIB Insurance Agency Ltd. 

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AUTOMOTIVE INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH 

AUTOMOTIVE INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH 


Aim High and Innovateby Martin Vella 

MBR: What’s your biggest challenge 

for Michael Debono Ltd as a dealership 

principal today? 

PC: Modern day businesses are operating 

in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex 

and ambiguous) world and the automotive 

market is probably one of the best examples 

of this. Technological advancements in all 

aspects of the business suggest the need for a 

flexible and agile management structure and 

finding the right people adapted to change is 

very difficult. 

MBR: On your past profile history– and 

on the dealership website, you list family 

values, integrity, honour and an honest 

respect for customer satisfaction as being 

cornerstones of the Michael Debono Ltd 

legacy. What are some specific ways you 

maintain that? 

PC: At Michael Debono Limited we always put 

the customer at the forefront of any decisions 

we take. The 2007 showroom project is 

testament to this; the greeting by a hostess, 

the way that cars are displayed, a kids playing 

area, a comfortable IT equipped waiting area, 

Wi-Fi service for customer use, the sales 

pods, etc. All these were designed with the 

client in mind to offer comfort, transaction 

transparency and a feel-good feeling. Our 

sales executives are trained to understand 

customer needs and help them make an 

informed choice. Buying a car for us is not just 

a transaction but the start of a relationship 

because a car is a product that will inevitably 

require aftersales support, and we must be 

there to give that. Back in the 70’s and 80’s 

when shipments from Japan took months, 

MDL was recognised as the only Japanese car 

importer in Malta that was fully stocked with 

spare parts. Today, this is next to impossible 

due to the large range of used Toyotas from 

Japan, but if a part is not in stock the client can 

opt in for a courier delivery within 24 hours. 

An exclusive interview with Patrick Clark, 

General Manager, who talks with us about the 

company as being a sustainable organisation that 

creates real value to customers and shareholders. 

He explains that the Debono Group is an 

entrepreneurial organisation that also cares for 

society and safeguards the environment, at the 

same time keeps its focus firmly on superior 

technology and innovation. 

Toyota was also the pioneer 

of hybrid technology that 

combines an electric motor 

to a petrol engine to achieve 

substantially lower CO2 

tailpipe emissions 

MBR: What is Michael Debono Limited’s 

Target Strategy for 2017/18 and what drives 

its success? 

PC: MDL represents one of the world’s 

leading automotive brands, Toyota that 

delivers first class products which warrant a 

commensurate level of customer service. We 

seek to continue enriching our customers’ 

experience by adding new/enhanced services 

to our portfolio to ensure that future growth 

and the attainment of performance targets. 

MBR: Why is the Michael Debono Limited 

complex regarded as a model dealership 

and a leader in environmentally friendly 

initiatives? 

PC: In line with the Toyota philosophy on 

the environment, we are conscious of the 

impact cars have on the environment so it is a 

company mission to try to mitigate that as far 

as possible. Materials in the new showroom 

build were all chosen to reduce the need for 

heating/cooling, the use of energy efficient 

lighting, a 432-strong solar panel farm, carbon 

filtering in the spray booths and powerless 

convection air circulation system in the body 

repair area, are all such investments. 

In our product offering, Toyota was also the 

pioneer of hybrid technology that combines 

an electric motor to a petrol engine to achieve 

substantially lower CO2 tailpipe emissions. 

MDL has been selling hybrids for the last 

twenty years. Nowadays, in models offering 

the option, hybrids accounts for over 30% 

of volume. Customers can even obtain more 

advantageous government incentives if they 

scrap their old cars in order to purchase a 

hybrid engine vehicle. 

MBR: How does Michael Debono Ltd seek 

to hire individuals who have a keen interest 

in the automobile industry? 

PC: The company’s employee welfare 

is of paramount importance and it’s HR 

department actively works to maximize 

motivation and passion in the team 

periodically gauging employee satisfaction. 

We consider ourselves to be an “employer of 

choice” and this helps us attract people who 

are passionate about the work they do, to join 

our dynamic team. 

MBR: Toyota is privately and family owned 

dealership. Is it getting harder to compete 

with dealerships that are part of larger 

groups? 

PC: The limitations of the automobile 

market in Malta have necessitated that low 

volume brand dealerships merge to create 

synergies that make better financial sense. 

The challenge is to give each brand in a multibrand 

portfolio its due focus. Here at MDL, 

the success of the Toyota brand scoring first in 

the market in eight of the last ten years meant 

that we could keep the focus on one brand 

giving it the required support. 

MBR: The big issue is trade. Why is it so 

important to dealers selling international 

brands? 

PC: Technology and globalization has and 

is still changing the way the world does 

business. In the automotive world there are a 

The limitations of the 

automobile market in Malta 

have necessitated that low 

volume brand dealerships 

merge to create synergies that 

make better financial sense. 

number of examples of this. Malta’s EU status 

implies that cars can be purchased anywhere 

in the EU and registered locally. Used cars 

and parts can be bought off auctions in Japan 

over the internet and shipped over to Malta. 

Probably the biggest recent example of this 

is the advent of online trading of new cars 

where pilot projects are underway in some 

European countries to sell new cars over 

the internet. There are still some legislative 

obstacles to overcome but this is surely a 

development that we will see more of in the 

years ahead, whether in Malta remains to be 

seen. 

MBR: As you look to the future, what 

are some of the trends you are watching 

closely? 

PC: The automotive world is set for a revolution 

of un-paralleled precedent in its history. 

Under pressure from global environmental 

needs, technological developments and the 

finite nature of fossil fuels, all manufacturers 

are investing heavily in alternative propulsion 

systems. The diffusion of electric cars will be 

the first major advancement in the medium 

term. Once cost and range/charging issues are 

addressed to a level that the market will deem 

acceptable, they will gradually replace fossil 

fuelled cars. This will have a very big impact on 

aftersales business with far fewer mechanical 

parts requiring servicing and replacement. 

Some manufacturers have developed the fuel 

cell technology with Toyota launching the first 

commercially available Mirai hydrogen fuel 

cell car in the US, Japan and UK. A hydrogen 

supply network is being gradually installed 

in these countries and Europe but this is a 

long-term project and seems a distant while 

away. Also, fast developing is the concept of 

driverless cars with a host of tech companies 

entering the fray aggressively competing with 

the establish car manufacturers. 

At current levels of global car population 

growth, the number of cars on the road 

will double by 2050. Obviously, this is 

unsustainable, so manufacturers foresee that 

the concept of car ownership will change to 

one of (autonomous) car sharing. 

In Malta, the issue of mobility is already a 

hard reality. Much is being said and proposed 

about a mass transportation system and 

other measure to lessen the use of private 

vehicles. All these have a potential impact on 

the business and we must be ready to adapt. 

MBR: How do you view your sponsorship of 

Malta’s Best Entrepreneur Awards 2017 and 

why is this significant? 

PC: Sponsoring the Malta’s Best Entrepreneur 

Awards gives us an opportunity to participate 

in the recognition of some of the best 

entrepreneurial talent in Malta. It’s important 

to reward and recognise these achievements 

in business and also their contributions to 

society, as well as their efforts to take their 

businesses to the next level of success. 

Activities such as this may help inspire existing 

and future entrepreneurs to aim high and 

innovate in the way they do business with 

the ultimate aim to be profitable, socially and 

environmentally responsible and with the 

highest of ethical standards. MBR 

16 17 



TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 

EXPRESS TRAILERS STRENGTHENS GROUPAGE SERVICES 

to and from Poland and Turkey 

Express Trailers is announcing improvements 

and developments in its consolidated weekly 

groupage services to and from Poland and 

Turkey. 

“Express Trailers has already been assisting 

Maltese businesses in their trade relations 

with business partners in Turkey and Poland 

for a number of years. However, we have 

been noticing increased activity from these 

countries, specifically in the import of 

furniture, food & beverage, retail and other 

products,” explains David Fleri Soler, Head of 

Sales and Business Development at Express 

Tailers. 

“We wanted to help Maltese businesses be in 

a position to offer more commitment to their 

business partners and this is why we decided 

to organise an advanced consolidated weekly 

groupage service between Malta and Turkey 

by sea loading on the first available vessel 

as well as a fixed departure on Thursday 

between Poland and Malta by road arriving 

on Monday.” 

“We are offering guaranteed weekly 

departures, easy booking and tracking 

facilities, competitive tariffs and five-day 

transit time. We also offer door to door 

collections and deliveries, customs clearance 

and transportation of hazardous and 

temperature-controlled foodstuffs from both 

countries thanks to our partnership with 

reputable partners in Turkey and in Poland,” 

Express Trailers’ agents in Turkey are Yusen 

İnci Logistics whereas in Poland, they are 

Piast Cargo. The reliability of these new 

consolidated groupage services can only be 

guaranteed through our collaboration with 

our respective agents in Turkey and Poland. 

Only by working with reliable and trusted 

partners in the respective countries we can 

ensure peace of mind to all our clients. 

Only by working with reliable 

and trusted partners in the 

respective countries we can 

ensure peace of mind to all our 

clients. 

Franco Azzopardi, Chairman and CEO of 

Express Trailers said that, “the experience and 

backup that a trusted transport and logistics 

partner such as Express Trailers can offer, has 

become a crucial factor when companies 

decide to start doing business with relatively 

new markets to Malta.” 

“Whereas Poland is within the EU, Turkey is 

not and therefore, certain regulations, health 

and safety conditions, documentation and 

procedures are best handled by those who 

have the know-how and the experience 

to ensure that all the risks involved can be 

handled effectively,” said Franco Azzopardi. 

“Being able to service new markets and 

routes is the result of the experience, the 

capabilities and the people that who over the 

years have made Express Trailers the most 

trusted company when it comes to transport 

and logistics,” added Franco Azzopardi. MBR 

At times, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

This is when the collective becomes a bigger strength. 

This is us. 

We achieve because we achieve together. 

This is why we are One. 

This is why we are ORANGE. 

#WeAreOrange 

We deliver your cargo from wherever to anywhere, and however, 

whether by road, sea freight, airfreight or multimodal 

We are experts in total logistics. 

PHOTO: IN THE SPORTS EVENTS WE SUPPORT, WE RUN AS A TEAM. THE WE ARE ORANGE TEAM 

Express Group Malta 

Velbro House, Qormi Road, 

Luqa LQA 9040, 

MALTA 

Tel: (+356) 21 242311 

Email: info@expressgroup.com 

www.expressgroup.com 

18


ENERGY/TRANSPORT 

ENERGY/TRANSPORT 


Kevin Kelly 

If you are a virtual reality enthusiast, you 

probably read Kevin Kelly’s April Wired cover 

story on Magic Leap, “The World’s Most 

Secretive Startup.” Kelly is one of the few 

people who have seen the much-hyped 

mixed reality technology being produced 

by the Fort Lauderdale company and was 

suitably impressed by it. “While Magic Leap 

has yet to achieve the immersion of The 

Void,” he wrote (referring to the Utah-based 

immersive experience company), “it is still, 

by far, the most impressive on the visual 

front — the best at creating the illusion that 

virtual objects truly exist.” 

As the co-founder of Wired, publisher of the 

Cool Tools website, and former publisher and 

editor of The Whole Earth Review, Kelly has 

always been prescient about these things. In 

his new book, The Inevitable: Understanding 

12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our 

Future, he compellingly outlines a set of 

behaviours and trends that will change the 

way we live. We recently spoke with Kelly 

about the themes of the book, and of course, 

the latest developments in VR. 

[The interview below has been edited for 

clarity, and condensed.] 

MBR: There Is Only R: The first question 

I have to ask: what do you think of the 

Pokemon Go phenomenon? Given what 

you have written about the VR and AR, 

what’s your take on it? 

KK: I think it’s just wonderfully thrilling to 

see — I think perhaps the only unexpected 

thing about it is its apparent suddenness. 

I was just walking around last night in our 

neighborhood, and there were all these 

little Poke stores and everything. It was kind 

of piggybacking on [prior AR app] Ingress 

sort of like, I don’t know, like a sleeper cell or 

something. People including me have been 

talking about GoogleEarth and GoogleMaps 

as kind of a bed for VR for a long time, and 

I think what it’s shown is how you could do 

mixed reality and what that might be like. 

And I think no matter what happens to 

Pokemon Go, I think there will now be a 

lot more tries, a lot more attempts to do 

something on top of it. I am trying to think 

what the equivalent would be. It’s sort of like 

OUR INEVITABLE 

FUTURE: 

A conversation with Kevin Kelly about VR, Digital Socialism, and his new book 

the early days of video arcade games, where 

they were good enough to improve. You had 

Pong and you had Pac-Man, and people saw 

that people would pay money for those, and 

then we had this explosion where everybody 

else was trying to do something better. 

MBR: I wonder if just the simplicity of 

Pokemon Go made it popular. You can pretty 

much figure out how to play Pokemon Go 

if you know nothing about Pokemon or AR 

even. 

KK: I’m assuming they just tapped into the 

interface in a way that Ingress did not. And 

there obviously were network effects. You 

saw people doing it and that propelled you to 

try it, and the more people that tried it, the 

more obvious it became. 

So that wonderful thing about the public 

aspect of it is, I don’t know if it’s going to be 

repeated again. Because later when people 

are doing it, you will not know what they are 

doing. There will be all these games and right 

now when you see somebody out on the 

street looking at [a device], there’s only one 

thing they could be doing. 

MBR: When you write books like this where 

you are making some hard predictions about 

the future, I would imagine that somewhere 

between the book going to press and it 

actually coming out, some of the things 

you write about actually happened. Is there 

anything that happened with this book? 

KK: Well, I did a lot more on VR which is 

your kind of domain, that I wish New York 

publishing was fast enough to put into the 

book. The text for The Inevitable was actually 

completed a year ago. I finished writing the 

stuff for VR in December. So I had a lot more 

first-hand experience and additional thoughts 

on what VR and AR mean to the world that’s 

not in the book. I wish I could’ve included it. 

There are lots of different ways to deal with 

complex ideas. I think, and I write about this 

in my book under the screen chapter, where 

there’s this marriage of text and moving 

images — video that you read, books that you 

watch. I think there’s something there that I 

want to explore, this convergence marriage 

by Elizabeth Spiers 

of text and moving images together. I have 

another project that I’m thinking of for VR. 

It’s really hard to kind of invent both the 

medium and content at the same time, and 

I’m not actually that interested in inventing 

the medium. I would prefer to take some of 

that stuff that exists and make content for 

it because every attempt I have seen in the 

past for someone to try and do both, it just 

does not work. They are really two different 

mindsets, I think. And my inclination right 

now is to let others invent the medium and I’ll 

try and make some content. 

MBR: When I see VR experiences that are 

a little bit less impressive, I always think it’s 

because the creators are trying to take 2D 

formats and translate them directly. 

KK: Yeah, absolutely, and in the early 

days of the internet, we used to call [that 

phenomenon] shovel-ware, because you 

would take content from your magazine and 

you would just shovel it onto the web. And it 

was very evident to everybody that that was 

not going to work. So we actually had a whole 

separate editorial team working on content 

for the digital side of Wired, completely 

independent of the magazine side because 

we just knew it was going to require a 

different logic, a different workflow, different 

frequency. 

With VR, there’s definitely a tendency to 

make some of these narratives like movies 

and movie people are making them. And it 

will take some years before we figure out 

what the new norms are — what works, what 

doesn’t work. 

And this is something you can’t figure out by 

thinking about it. The smartest genius in the 

world could be applied to figuring this out 

in theory, but it is something that we only 

figure out by using VR. And no amount of 

preconception, pre-visualizing it is going to 

be able to solve this. I think we are going to 

need like 10,000 hours of experience in order 

to make any changes, to move in the right 

direction. 

MBR: So who do you think is going to be on 

the forefront of that? Who do you think is 

going to do the really innovative stuff and 

most experimental content creators are 

going to be? 

KK: My bias is that the studios will spend a lot 

of money trying this, but it’s the Buzzfeeds 

of the world that will come along and make 

something that will actually work. I think we 

are far from even seeing, even formation of 

these companies that will succeed. I think 

they haven’t been formed yet, or maybe 

they’re forming in the basement right now as 

we speak, but it’s still years away. 

My bias is that the studios will spend a lot 

of money trying this, but it’s the Buzzfeeds 

of the world that will come along and make 

something that will actually work. 

I think some of the gaming companies, 

people you know, might have the first round 

of successes, but I think it’s going take five 

years for the other forms. It’s going be a little 

slow in the beginning. I don’t see any kind of 

VR unicorns happening within five years. 

MBR: When you submitted the book — had 

you seen Magic Leap yet? 

KK: No, I had not. I had not seen Magic Leap 

when the book was done. I had not seen Meta, 

and I had not seen Hololens and I had not seen 

The Void, so I had not seen the major players 

when I wrote the chapter on VR in my book. 

I’d only seen The Oculus prototypes — the 

DK2. And I had seen the early stuff of Jaron 

[Lanier]’s. So that’s something I would like to 

have updated. 

MBR: Yeah, you talk a little about being in 

Jaron’s lab in ’89 or ’90. [Jaron Lanier was 

an early VR pioneer who coined the term 

“virtual reality.”] What do you think he 

really got right at the time and what were 

people working in VR at that stage wrong 

about? 

KK: I do not think they were wrong about very 

much. The quality of the experience at that 

time was actually not that far off from say, the 

Oculus. The resolution was not as great, but 

depth of feel was not that different. You had 

hands [in the experience] — you had gloves 

which were actually higher resolution than 

Oculus. And it was social. You had more than 

one person, and they had an articulated body. 

Other experiments that were going on were 

pretty sophisticated. The thing that they sort 

of did not get right or the thing they did not 

have was that they were not cheap. They 

were just way too experimental and also they 

were too expensive in two ways — one was 

the money, and two was the maintenance. 

So keeping those systems going required 

professional hacking help. You needed a 

person to maintain them, so it wasn’t just 

My take on a lot of the anger, 

frustration that’s being 

represented by both the British 

exit and Trump, is that they are 

derived from the fact that we 

have technological changes 

the purchase price, it was the fact that these 

things were temperamental and the tracking 

was always going off. It was not plug and 

play level. The thing that happened in those 

intervening years was not so much that 

the quality drastically improved, but simply 

that the price changed by three orders of 

magnitude. So now we’re at this level where 

they you have a great flywheel effect. 

MBR: Earlier I read an interview with Ray 

Kurzweil in Playboy from a few months ago. 

He has kind of a different scenario for AI 

and VR that’s a little bit more sci-fi. He says 

that by 2030 we’ll have VR tech embedded 

in our nervous system, like chipped into the 

neocortex or something like that. What do 

you think of that scenario? Does that seem 

plausible to you? 

KK: Not in 2030. There are none of the 

precursors necessary for that to happen in 

2030. I think as soon as you start messing 

with the human body, you are talking about a 

different time scale. Digital stuff can progress 

at this exponential rate, but if you’re messing 

with the human body, you have to do more. 

We are susceptible to what I call “thinkism”, 

which is this idea that thinking about things 

can solve problems — that if you had an AI 

that was smart enough, you could solve 

cancer because you could think about it. 

But we do not know enough. We do not 

have enough data, we do not have enough 

experiments. You have to actually do a whole 

lot more experiments on cells, and human 

biology, and humans before you could solve 

it. You can’t just solve it by thinking about it. 

And so then it’s same thing with this implant 

idea. It doesn’t take into any account the fact 

that you have to experiment on animals long 

before you get to humans, and that just takes 

biological time. [Kurzweil] will say, well, you 

can simulate them. But that doesn’t work. 

We just don’t know enough. I think someday 

we’ll figure this out, but not anywhere near 

the ’30 year because we don’t have enough 

experimental data to do that. 

MBR: Speaking of those politics, when you 

talk about digital socialism, how do you 

envision that affecting, for instance, social 

justice movements like Black Lives Matter? 

KK: I think it’s a very complicated answer 

because on one level it doesn’t have a direct 

effect. On other levels, it’s obvious that there 

are things like tracking, ubiquitous cameras 

everywhere, and that makes a difference. 

The technological environment in which 

everything is filmed all the time will have a 

huge impact. In the end the cops are filming, 

and they should be filming, and the citizens 

should be filming — and citizens should have 

access to everything the cops film. The net 

effect will be good overall if everything is 

captured. Over time the greater good would 

be served by having that evidence. But at the 

same time, it doesn’t address the fundamental 

problems, so I think it’s complicated. 

MBR: It’s a little bit of a subversion of the 

way we think about surveillance, where 

it’s always state down. And we think of it 

as a way for the state will hold the citizenry 

accountable, but it seems like what we’re 

seeing now is a reversal of that. Given that 

you turned in the book about a year ago, 

is there anything you thinking about while 

you were writing that seems particularly 

poignant right now, given the very odd 

political environment we’re in? 

KK: My take on a lot of the anger, frustration 

that’s being represented by both the British 

exit and Trump, is that they are derived from 

the fact that we have technological changes, 

changes in people’s livelihoods. Technology is 

taking away some of their jobs, and makes it 

hard for them to find work and have meaning 

in life. And they’re frustrated, and it has 

nothing to do with Mexico, or China or the 

immigrants in Syria. It has everything to do 

with the fact that automation is coming, will 

continue to come and that some of those 

changes will continue to happen. 

The most common occupation in America is 

truck driving. There are three million truck 

drivers and their lives and livelihoods are 

going to be disrupted hugely by AI automated 

cars, so we are not at the end of this. This is 

still going to continue. So I don’t think we’ve 

heard the end of it. MBR 

Creditline: LinkedIN 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Elizabeth Spiers (born 

December 11, 1976) is an 

American Web publisher 

and journalist, the founder 

of Gawker.com, a media 

gossip blog, and of Dead 

Horse Media, now called 

Breaking Media, which 

has published blogs and 

websites in the fields of Wall Street, the law, 

fashion industry, and business management: 

Dealbreaker.com, AboveTheLaw.com and 

Fashionista.com. 

20 21 



ENVIRONMENT 

THE OCEAN IS 

EVERYBODY’S 

BUSINESS 

by Sir Richard Branson 

I love the ocean. Most people around the 

world love the ocean too. That’s a great 

starting point for us all, but it is not enough. 

We need to put our time, our energy, and our 

money where our hearts are to protect and 

restore our most precious natural asset, the 

blue in our blue planet. 

The Ocean is probably the biggest business 

in the world. It provides half the oxygen we 

breathe, it has absorbed a quarter of our CO2 

emissions, and puts food on our plates. 

But it is in danger. You may not be able to see 

it from above the surface, but the threats 

are many and the risks are real: plastics are 

choking our sea life; pollution is causing ‘dead 

zones’; our corals are dying; climate change is 

heating our Ocean, making it more acidic; and 

too many boats are chasing fewer and fewer 

fish. 

Yet it’s not too late to solve this crisis. The 

Ocean is amazingly resilient and could recover, 

but it needs each and every one of us to play a 

part. We need business leadership more than 

ever in the absence of political leadership 

and will. Whether your company’s business 

activities are linked directly to the Ocean or 

not, there are many actions that can be taken 

that will have a direct impact on promoting a 

healthier, cleaner, safer and more productive 

Ocean. 

The Ocean is amazingly 

resilient and could recover, but 

it needs each and every one of 

us to play a part. 

The only way we will solve the Ocean crisis is by 

working together, with businesses involved as 

part of the solution. Our goal in launching the 

“The Ocean is Everybody’s Business” initiative 

is to raise awareness within the corporate 

sector of the impact businesses have been 

having on the Ocean, and to encourage as 

many companies as possible to get involved 

in Ocean conservation and sustainability – to 

enable us to reverse the current trajectory of 

decline to one of recovery. 

To assist companies on their voyage to a 

healthier Ocean, there are a number of key 

activities that will help achieve the Ocean 

Sustainable Development Goal targets (SDG 

14: Life Below Water) and go further towards 

adopting the measures needed to secure a 

sustainable and fair “blue” future. 

We believe that many companies are eager 

to meet these challenges and to take bold 

actions to “blue” their businesses. They need 

to hold themselves accountable, by being 

transparent about their activities. MBR 

To begin their ‘blue voyage’, businesses can commit to at 

least one or more of the following: 

Take Action 

Companies can play a huge role in driving 

positive change for the Ocean 

Committing to adopt a business model that is 

both environmentally and socially responsible 

will have multiple positive effects for the 

planet, its people and the economy. The 

private sector has a strong and compelling 

voice and major reach in terms of its 

consumers, staff and business partners. 

Net-Zero carbon 

emission by 

2050 

Significantly 

reduce plastic 

waste 

Support ocean 

regeneration 

zones 

Only consume 

sustainable 

seafood 

Today, more than ever, we need business 

leadership to drive positive change. Whether 

your company’s business activities are directly 

linked to the Ocean or not, there are many 

actions you can take that will have a direct 

impact on promoting a healthier, cleaner, 

safer and more productive Ocean for people 

and the planet. 

Ocean Corporate 

Social 

Responsibility 

Reduce marine 

water pollution 

Support innovation 

and science and 

share best practices 

Courtesy: Virgin Group Digital © 2017. The Ocean is Everybody's Business - All Rights Reserved. 

22


MSE 

Brighter future for the Malta Stock Exchange 

Availability of credit in Malta and in the EU is 

constrained by the willingness of the banks to 

extend it to those seeking it. A stronger capital 

market will seek to address such shortfall, 

Minister for Finance Prof. Edward Scicluna 

said. 

Speaking at the Malta Stock Exchange, 

Minister Scicluna addressed the importance 

of facilitating access to credit to entrepreneurs 

through various avenues, such as rendering 

the Stock Exchange more accessible through 

a well thought-out strategic plan. 

Finance Minister Prof. Edward Scicluna made 

reference to the harmful campaign against 

the Maltese Financial Sector in the European 

Parliament, which campaign was spearheaded 

for partisan gains. He mentioned that on 

Tuesday and Wednesday he is accompanying 

the Prime Minister for meetings in Strasbourg 

to defend the country’s reputation. 

Minister Scicluna concluded by stating that 

he will be giving more attention to the Stock 

Exchange than ever before, to make sure that 

the initiatives which were proposed by the 

present Board will be implemented. MBR 

End of roaming charges in the 

EU: Joint statement by three 

As of tomorrow, 15 June 2017, roaming 

charges in the European Union will no longer 

apply. President of the European Parliament 

Antonio Tajani, Prime Minister of Malta 

Joseph Muscat on behalf of the Maltese 

Presidency of the Council of the European 

Union, and President of the European 

Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, issued the 

following statement: 

“The European Union is about bringing 

people together and making their lives 

easier. The end of roaming charges is a true 

European success story. 

From now on, citizens who travel within the 

EU will be able to call, text and connect on their 

mobile devices at the same price as they pay 

at home. Eliminating roaming charges is one 

of the greatest and most tangible successes of 

the EU. Over the last 10 years, our institutions 

have been working hard together to fix this 

market failure. Each time a European citizen 

crossed an EU border, be it for holidays, work, 

studies or just for a day, they had to worry 

about using their mobile phones and a high 

phone bill from the roaming charges when 

they came home. Roaming charges will now 

be a thing of the past. As of tomorrow, you will 

be able to remain connected while travelling 

in the EU, for the same price as at home. 

It has been a long time coming, with many 

actors involved. By working closely together, 

the European Union has delivered a concrete, 

positive result for European citizens. We are 

proud that the EU has put an end to very high 

roaming prices and thankful to those who 

EU institutions 

showed the determination to overcome the 

many challenges and pursue this goal. 

At the same time, the EU has managed to find 

the right balance between the end of roaming 

charges and the need to keep domestic 

mobile packages competitive and attractive. 

Operators have had 2 years to prepare for the 

end of roaming charges, and we are confident 

that they will seize the opportunities the new 

rules bring to the benefit of their customers. 

The end of roaming charges is at the 

foundation of the EU's Digital Single Market 

and is another step towards building a united 

and sustainable European digital society, 

accessible for all our citizens.” MBR 

Credit: DOI/Government of Malta 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

MBR: You have said recently that DataByte 

Ltd’s now focusing on the “new style” of IT? 

What does that mean for DataByte and its 

focus for 2017/18? 

FM: The ‘new style’ is based on harnessing the 

cloud technology and building cloud software 

systems which are offered as a service to our 

clients. This ‘new style’ gives us the ability to: 

• deploy to any local or foreign client 

immediately; 

• enable streamlined support; 

• interact with a client to support/train 

online; 

• deploy without limitation of location, 

hardware platform, operating system, 

etc.; 

• push frequent update to our clients; 

• monitor the performance of our systems 

and scale our infrastructure resources 

accordingly; 

• offer a completely new way for 

management of client data, backups and 

recovery; 

To be able to do this we needed to: 

• select a serious cloud platform to deliver 

the scalability, features and performance 

we wanted; 

• develop our own core framework to 

provide the security and features we 

needed; 

• adopt a new approach to how we sell 

our software (Software as a Service 

(SaaS)) 

• adopt a new way of developing and 

updating software; 

SPECIAL PULL-AND-KEEP SUPPLEMENT: 

MALTA'S BEST ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR 2017 

Increasing Performance 

and Usability 

WORKFORCE – our very latest cloud HR 

suite offered as a SaaS, is testament to this. 

We are very happy and proud of the initial 

market response about this product. This 

should propel us to a challenging and bright 

2017/2018 market reality. 

Innovation is about being ahead 

of the curve, quickly identifying 

new trends, understanding 

what our products are and how 

to make them better 

MBR: How does DataByte deliver IT 

infrastructure efficiency for businesses? 

FM: Mindful of the features listed above, 

the benefits of the new infrastructure to our 

clients are: 

• no need to buy specific hardware; 

• no need for database/application 

servers; 

• offer online evaluation of demos; 

• allow our clients to procure software 

licenses and pay online; 

• give our clients global reach to our 

systems; 

• remove on premise implementations; 

• employ a far smaller IT admin footprint 

and headcount; 

• increased managed data backups; 

• offer enhanced audit trails to our clients; 

• improved performance with fully 

integrated systems with a standard 

intuitive interface throughout; 

MBR: What has DataByte done to focus 

on small and medium-sized enterprises? 

(SMEs) 

FM: Our experience in working with SMEs 

taught us that SMEs want: 

• secure and cost effective solutions that 

work and are reliable; 

• to avoid infrastructure procurement and 

management; 

• to remove administration and training 

headaches; 



Frederick Micallef, Managing Director with Databyte Limited tells us why we 

need to adhere to a policy that our solutions need to be smart, practical and 

useable, which in turn enables us to interact with clients while we make their 

journey more successful. 

• want to be up and running in a fast 

turnover cycle; 

• cost effective software solutions; 

• more affordable automation; 

• software that is easy to use and leads 

the user on without excessive training 

requirements; 

WORKFORCE is built on these SME 

considerations as a primary focus but would 

benefit the larger enterprises as well. 

MBR: How has DataByte continued to 

innovate to compete and what are the new 

types of legacy business lines? 

FM: Innovation is about being ahead of 

the curve, quickly identifying new trends, 

understanding what our products are and 

how to make them better in a continuous way. 

Innovation is about effectively addressing the 

customer’s dynamic story and how we can 

help make it a greater story. To achieve this 

we need to: 

• do continuous research on what our 

customers need; 

• listen carefully to new ideas and 

suggestions from our clients; 

• encourage employee dynamic 

participation with innovative ideas; 

• adhere to a policy that our solutions 

need to be smart, practical and useable; 

• constantly optimise our system to 

increase performance and usability; 

• encourage continuous technology 

updates and internal competence; 

MBR: What is your favourite part of working 

at DataByte? 

FM: Every customer has his own journey in 

business and we feel that we can help make 

that journey easier by providing software 

tools that make sense. The favourite part of 

working for DataByte comes from interacting 

with clients while we make their journey 

more successful. MBR 

24 


25




Delivering Excellence 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

SPECIAL FEATURE: MBEOTYA 2017 


Global Tech Managing 

Director Neal Azzopardi 

sat with MBR to 

explain how the 

company has become 

an independent 

and economically 

empowered multiservice 

company 

specialising in energy, 

fire and security 

solutions and 

engineering services, 

comprising also in 

general procurements. 

Global Tech Managing Director Neal Azzopardi 

MBR: Was technology and solar energy 

something you had wanted to do or was 

it just the easiest option open to you to 

embark in this sector? 

NA: My first experience as an entrepreneur 

was in a completely different sector; my 

natural choice was catering. Embarking on 

this venture actually came by accident and it 

started off with me extending a helping hand 

to an old friend. I never imagined that I would 

venture in this sector but it was a challenge 

that gradually hauled me in. The projects 

we get entrusted with have that special thrill 

about them that keeps you coming for more. 

MBR: What was it about you personally and 

professionally that made you take the next 

step, one that many entrepreneurs think 

about but never follow? 

NA: I have always ranked amongst the high 

achievers when I was an employee with other 

Fear is what stands between a 

man and his dreams, so I stare 

fear in the face and I take the 

plunge 

companies. My mother always said that I was 

born business minded and I think that same 

instinct made me reason that if I can do so 

well for others, I can probably do even better 

for myself. Personally, I believe that fear is 

what stands between a man and his dreams, 

so I stare fear in the face and I take the plunge. 

MBR: What makes Global Tech a different 

proposition from other players tackling this 

space? 

NA: What I believe sets Global Tech apart 

from the rest, is the way we present ourselves. 

Coming from a catering background I am very 

adamant on presentation. Secondly, but not 

less important, is seeing things through with 

attention to service and detail. I stress a lot on 

delivering excellence to our clients, whoever 

they are. Last but not least, are the brands 

we have partnered with. Being entrusted by 

leading global brands such as LG is an honour 

that helps us level the playing field with our 

competitors and more often than not we 

manage to exceed expectations. 

MBR: What difficulties with setting up a 

business in Malta surprised you most and 

what problems do you still face today? 

NA: Setting up the business is an easy task 

compared to the rest, the trick lies in running 

the business and doing so successfully. The 

employees are the pillars to a successful 

business and I believe that the most 

challenging aspect every entrepreneur faces 

is finding and keeping the right talent. You 

have a baby and you trust it in the hands of 

your employees, so you must choose well and 

you need to constantly invest in your people 

so that they are happy enough to share your 

dream; to stay and grow with you. 

MBR: Has the way sales is taught changed 

over the years? How would you describe 

the methods used today? 

NA: Sales techniques are in a constant state 

of flux, they are always evolving to meet the 

demands of consumers. In a market where 

social media has become such a dominant 

medium of communication, we have seen the 

rise of the social media salesperson. A huge 

chunk of sales are nowadays generated online 

with the general likelihood of closing a sale 

through a Facebook chat following a series of 

online interactions through posts and blogs. 

Regardless of this phenomenon, we still 

believe in the power of human contact and 

we always strive to make ourselves available 

to meet people in the comfort of their homes 

and offices. 

MBR: What are some of the most important 

aspects of the company’s culture at the 

moment? 

NA: Our company culture is driven by our 

values, which are passion, determination, 

positive attitude, family spirit, delivering 

excellence, adopting a professional 

approach, pursuing lasting relationships and 

transparency. Our passion, determination 

and positive attitude together with our aim of 

delivering excellence are the most important 

facet of our culture at the moment as these 

keep us abreast of the numerous challenges 

that a business growing at a fast pace is faced 

with on a day to day basis. 

MBR: How important is that social element 

in keeping people going, keeping them 

participating, helping with those full 

participation rates? 

NA: Having built a company with a family 

spirit, naturally fosters a sense of belonging. 

We spend 80% of our time together and we 

relate to each other just like a family does. 

We work hard, we have a good laugh, we 

argue and we support each other through 

rough times be it a personal or a professional 

Our passion, determination 

and positive attitude together 

with our aim of delivering 

excellence are the most 

important facet of our culture 

struggle. The social element here is the sense 

of belonging to this ‘extended family’ with 

one common goal; fighting for the same goal 

is second nature to us. 

MBR: What does the future hold for you 

and your aspirations? 

NA: Our motto is “the sky is the limit”. We 

aspire to become one of the key players in 

the local market with Europe on the horizon. 

Our goal is to open branches around Europe, 

a goal that we are actively pursuing since 

we have recently opened our first overseas 

branch in Montenegro. 

MBR: How do you decide where you want 

to focus your philanthropic efforts? 

NA: Deciding who you are going to help is not 

an easy decision. There’s a lot to take into 

consideration and one would always like to do 

more than they actually can. We try to focus 

our resources on who needs it more and 

where we hope it will make most fruition. We 

are currently working on an important project 

for a leading NGO, the nature of which we 

cannot yet reveal and to which we are very 

proud contributors. MBR 

26 


27




Developing Business 

ENSURING SUCCESS 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 




MBR: How do you define the role of 

a shipping, transport and logistics 

entrepreneur today? 

Jimmy Cutajar, Managing Director, Global Freight Solutions 

Settled over the centuries by tradespeople from across 

the region, Malta’s outstanding economic performance 

stems from the entrepreneurial spirit of its population, 

which continues to this day. Jimmy Cutajar, Managing 

Director, Global Freight Solutions is a shining example 

of the Maltese entrepreneurial drive to succeed. He spoke 

to the Malta Business Review about his experiences. 

JC: From my standpoint, today’s shipping, 

transport and logistics entrepreneur does 

not have an easy task. Being an entrepreneur 

is about focusing on what is essential to the 

business and above all to the customer. 

Logistics in itself is very vast and challenging 

and today’s entrepreneur has to decide which 

part of Logistics he will venture and excel in. 

A good entrepreneur knows how to engineer 

his scope of works, align performance and 

services according to his/her knowledge and 

abilities which have been achieved during the 

work experience. 

MBR: When you took over at GFS as M/ 

Director you stressed the need ‘to put a 

face behind the organisation’, the need for 

innovation and renewal. What initiatives 

have you implemented so far? 

JC: The Company is in the initial stages, only 

three years old. We can say it is an infant, 

however all the experience gained over 20 

years of working in this sector is being put to 

good use. The company is emerging into the 

cut-throat market as a reliable, efficient, trust 

worthy and an excellent service provider. 

We are not selling just a brand name; my 

belief is that we are selling our reputation 

to our clients. Therefore, a face is of utmost 

importance in my humble opinion. It shows 

to our present and prospective clientele 

that behind the name there is a person full 

of expertise which will make the utmost to 

satisfy the client’s requirements without fail 

MBR: What are the core issues that motivate 

you and can you define the personality of 

GFS? 

JC: GFS believes that when our clients are given 

an excellent service, good value for money, 

reliability and a face-to-a-voice commitment, 

it will self-emit the professionalism that we 

strive to achieve. Our core values dictate that 

we are available to the client when issues 

arise, discussing viable options, offer solutions 

to the problems, and give reliable solutions 

and alternatives to ensure client is satisfied 

at the end. All these factors combined are 

defining the personality of GFS. 

MBR: What is your entrepreneurial strategy 

to attract and retain talent? 

JC: I will quote one of the best entrepreneurs 

Sir Richard Branson- “Train people well 

enough so they can leave, treat them well 

enough so they don’t want to leave”. I believe 

in this philosophy. A talented person must 

enjoy what he/she is doing. We spend a 

minimum of eight hours at work, why should 

it not be fun? 

MBR: In terms of entrepreneurship, where 

does the company look to expand its 

product offering and further strengthen its 

brand position? 

JC: Our company name is a statement in itself 

“Global Freight Solutions”. We have invested 

heavily to be part of a global network that is 

covered globally. Our strength is being able 

to offer services worldwide through our 

network. A prospective niche market for me is 

the North African Continent. The potentiality 

of that market is astounding, although the 

situation at the moment is not as desirable 

for business as one would wish. 

MBR: What issues should entrepreneurs be 

aware of today, and what further obligations 

do you see coming down the line? 

JC: In my point of view the entrepreneur has 

to have a defined objective, be passionate and 

proud of what he/she is doing. Being a startup 

is the hardest of it all, and putting thoughts 

and ideas to action is somehow an astounding 

feat. Obtaining finances to start with is a huge 

feat in itself. Once the business start growing 

the enterprises and entrepreneur obligations 

will develop according to the growth, he/she 

should focus on building solid foundations, 

ensure that the finances are strong and can 

sustain growth. Not the least however and 

We treat failure as a way to 

learn and improve our chances 

of success 

an entrepreneur should not be sitting behind 

his/her desk, he should be obliged to develop 

the business to ensure success. 

MBR: Is there a good understanding among 

the talent pool about the type of innovative 

career that you offer? 

JC: Unfortunately, the local market is limited in 

terms of talented people in the Logistics field. 

Most businesses are family run companies 

and the amount of employees are limited. 

Inappropriately, we have to poach talented 

people from other logistical companies, which 

really and truly is not ideal. Logistics is not 

seen as a career nowadays, and regrettably 

the younger generation are not seeing our 

industry as an innovative career. 

MBR: What else, besides your core values, 

differentiates GFS’s from some of the larger 

firms? How do you compete? 

JC: I believe that the knowledge we emanate 

to our customers and the “can do” attitude 

are the main contributors of our success story. 

When a client calls our office, we answer 

back with the possibilities and can produce 

an immediate reply to his/her queries. 

Accordingly, the one-to-one contact and the 

positive attitude, outstanding performance, 

and reliability together with trustworthiness 

that we offer to our clients is the essence 

to our success. We treat failure as a way to 

learn and improve our chances of success, 

thus ensuring that customer’s satisfaction is 

guaranteed at all times. 

Michael Quattromani 

MBR: It seems like culture is a chiefly 

important element of GFS’s mantra. Can you 

outline this culture? 

JC: I believe that our mantra is quite unique. 

We try to cultivate the ideology that we enjoy 

what we are doing. I believe that being happy 

and dedicated at the work place provides the 

feel good factor to our esteemed clientele. 

We have invested heavily to be a one-stop 

shop. Client satisfaction is our selling point 

and literally our clients are becoming an 

extension of our sales team. 

MBR: What would you highlight as GFS’s 

biggest achievement during 2016/17? 

JC: 2016/2017 are very challenging for us. 

We are seeing a constant growth which 

have driven us to continually invest in our 

infrastructure. We have invested in one of 

the latest designed software applications to 

ensure continuity in our activity. However 

I believe that the biggest achievement is to 

have successful been awarded ISO9001:2015 

certification. 

MBR: Looking across what core values 

should a winning entrepreneur uphold? 

JC: Having fun at what an entrepreneur is 

going to do or doing is the key ingredient 

which is often underrated and is the key to 

achieving success. If you do not enjoy what 

you do, than the entrepreneur should venture 

elsewhere. 

By being passionate about your objectives, 

and a strong believer in your business, this 

means all the difference between failure 

and success. The fundamental question one 

has to ask him/herself is: “If I am not proud 

of what I am doing, why should anybody else 

be?” MBR 

28 


29




Ideas, Energy 

and Enthusiasm 

A R C H I T E C T U R E A N D D E S I G N 

PERITI 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 




KEIRO Architects have risen to become one of the most celebrated and well-respected architects locally working today. Their 

architectural work is widely recognised and covers extensive ground ranging from educational facilities, residences, retail 

design, office design, public utilities and master planning. Keith Schembri, Architect co-founder of KEIRO A RArchitects, C H I T E C T U R E A N D shares 

D E S I G N 

his insight with us, telling us that despite entrepreneurial knowledge and experience can be gained, there are some intrinsic 

personal aspects such as the love to take risk which are hard-wired in an individual and difficult to teach. 

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN 

complimented by ensuring that our work 

is the best it can be through our service to 

others and contribution to a more sustainably 

built world. 

Every day we are fortunate enough to see 

creativity bring projects to life through work 

in portfolios but also the stories behind these 

jobs. Knowing that we have fulfilled clients’ 

hopes and dreams gives us the drive to 

embark on new projects. 

In essence we are privileged to be able to 

make a difference. 

MBR: How challenging is it to show 

differentiation in a business like this? 

Husband and wife duo, Perit Keith and Perit Rosianne Schembri, co-founders of KEIRO Architects (photo by Brian Grech) 

Architect Keith Schembri (photo by Brian Grech) 

MBR: What has been the secret of your 

success? 

KS: The secret to success at the multifocused 

KEIRO studio is the ability to benefit from 

having various service models under one 

house umbrella. Using a network of multidisciplinary 

consultants to provide a versatile 

team with an extensive knowledge helps 

KEIRO meet its aim to design buildings that 

improve the owner’s life quality through our 

consistent efficient production of high quality 

design. 

Success in this industry is related to personal 

as well as professional preferences which is 

facilitated when natural talent and skill meet 

personal passion. KEIRO’s ethos is building 

a lasting relationship with each customer by 

embracing the ideas, energy and enthusiasm 

of our clients. 

MBR: What is it about your make-up that 

compels you to both create and build 

business? 

KS: At KEIRO we use a simple and collaborative 

approach to ensure that our clients’ needs 

are fully understood which includes offering 

personal insight and expertise. We keep a 

close eye on the developments during the 

building phase so that the project is delivered 

to the tiniest detail of the client’s specification. 

While good relationships lie at the heart of 

success across all professional and personal 

ventures, the design and construction 

industry is one that is fundamentally built on 

strong relationships. KEIRO and clients agree 

on the critical nature of these relationships, 

and this approach has proved successful 

in securing a substantial amount of repeat 

business. 

MBR: How do you define purpose in your 

work, and how do you measure the impact 

when you are looking at that type of an 

objective? 

KS: Architecture is about serving others 

through the design of the built environment 

KS: We are working in a multicultural 

world, with distinct value systems, requiring 

architects to be open to an enormous 

multiplicity of values, interpretations, and 

readings. We need to be intellectual and 

follow set standards, but at the same time 

relativist. 

The easiest building to design is a cube, but 

KEIRO Architects do not design cubes. We 

aim at turning conventions and assumptions 

upside down, and combine contrasting 

possibilities in imaginative and playful ways. 

Taking risks to do something out of the 

ordinary is part of KEIRO’s creative field by 

rethinking, reimagining, and inventing new 

ways of doing the same old thing. This is not 

to say that everything requires innovation 

or bold action, but looking at a challenge 

through a different lens. 

Every architect’s design process is extremely 

personal and nuanced. 

MBR: For a company of KA’ size and scale, 

where do you see your growth coming 

from? 

KS: In the past years, KEIRO has grown in 

size as well as reputation. The launch of its 

new Studio in Zebbug follows the team’s 

adaptability to a multi-professional approach 

which has enabled this start-up set up to 

embark projects of different natures and 

scale. 

MBR: Is the message out about the critical 

role that companies like KA play and about 

how dynamic this industry is? 

KS: Younger generations tend to appreciate 

more the benefits of teaming up with startup 

practices lead by young professionals 

who harness energy and enthusiasm 

whilst enriching their portfolios with new 

ideas. Exposure to internet, travel and 

multiculturalism has lead people venturing 

to new styles and expanded its frame of 

reference far beyond accustomed ‘safe-zone’ 

horizons leading to more shopping around for 

specific professionals. 

MBR: Behind that employee base, you 

have also put diversity and inclusion at 

the forefront. How critical is it that your 

consumer profile is mirrored within the 

workforce? 

KS: At KEIRO, we love bringing the individuality 

out of a project and we can only do that when 

we understand our clients’ journey. Clients 

are prepared to invest trust in those who 

can deliver their vision and collaboration is 

essential between a client and an architect. If 

We are working in a 

multicultural world, with 

distinct value systems, requiring 

architects to be open to an 

enormous multiplicity of values, 

interpretations, and readings. 

all parties involved have similar likes and ideas, 

the project can be an exciting time filled with 

brain storming sessions and site visits. 

Co-founded by two architects, each bringing 

to the drawing table different academic 

backgrounds, KEIRO’s work eclipses each of 

their prior resumes. Between the two, rather 

varied, approaches and the onboarding of 

other professionals in the team lies a wealth 

of success in the architectural environment. 

MBR: Is it hard to not become so engaged 

when you see something done differently 

than how you would do it, and do you have 

to take a step back? 

KS: In our industry, we come across 

uncomfortable situations where it might be 

difficult to guide the client to accept that the 

design presented is the best outcome to their 

wish list and site potential. This may be the 

result of clients’ lack of experience in the field 

which ultimately affects the quality of the 

design or also unfamiliarity with local policies. 

This is about getting them to see that the 

design satisfies their requirements and 

contains everything they want. The final 

decision falls to the client, but we have a 

responsibility to do everything in our power 

to convince the client that the design meets 

their expectations in the best appropriate 

ways. 

MBR: Is an entrepreneurial spirit something 

you are born with or it can be taught? 

KS: The entrepreneur gene is debatable 

but experience does lead to believe that 

people with certain genetic characteristics 

and personality traits are more likely to 

be successful entrepreneurs than others. 

Personality and the ability to bear risk are 

key factors. In this industry, passion and 

determination also help to focus energy 

around a project which leads to rewarding 

success. The ability to seeing 'outside the 

box' to imagine new and innovative ways of 

solving current and forthcoming issues help 

the enriching and continuous development 

of one’s entrepreneurial spirit. 

Most startups go through challenging periods 

in their growth, and if you are not persistent 

enough to 'slog through the mud', the project 

may never live long enough to succeed. MBR 

30 


31


Accessible and 

Affordable Property 




Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 




MBR: Can you please give us a brief 

overview of NotGreedy? 

John Luke Zammit, director and co-founder of NotGreedy 

John Luke Zammit and Keith Camilleri, directors and 

co-founders of NotGreedy chat with Martin Vella 

about their real estate start-up, explaining how the 

innovative property company offers buyers affordable 

property powered by technology, honest culture and a 

commitment to social good. 

NG: NotGreedy is a real estate company 

created with the sole purpose of helping 

property buyers save thousands of euros 

when purchasing their property. This, in turn, 

also helps property sellers sell their property 

faster as it becomes more affordable to 

buyers and therefore increases viewings and 

the chance of a sale. Our business model is 

simple- charge the buyer only a fixed fee of 

less than 1% vs. the customary high street 

real estate agencies who charge 5%- leaving 

an incredible saving. 

MBR: How does NotGreedy not 

compromise on service when it comes to 

guiding their clients through the buying 

process? 

NG: NotGreedy would not and never will 

compromise on client service. In fact, a great 

personal service to each and every client 

is paramount to our business. We guide 

our clients from their initial enquiry to the 

potential final sale. We do this by being cost 

effective and removing totally conventional 

tools which we feel are not necessarily 

important today ex. the opening of expensive 

offices all around the Island. We let our state 

of the art website do most, if not all, of the 

work itself, yet still maintain personal client 

interaction. 

MBR: How are you aiming to disrupt Malta’s 

already booming property industry? 

NG: Our aim is not to disrupt the property 

market but simply to change it. We believe 

that our business model makes property 

more accessible and affordable to everyoneespecially 

to first time buyers who now have 

a realistic chance to get onto the property 

ladder. Anyway, rich or not so rich, everyone 

likes to save money and that is exactly what 

we are doing. Ultimately all concerned are 

winners. 

MBR: Why should someone already 

struggling to buy a property pay an extra 

five per cent to a real estate agency? 

John Luke Zammit and Keith Camilleri, directors & co-founders of NotGreedy 

NG: NotGreedy was created for this very 

reason, especially when one considers that 

5% commission on even a modestly priced 

property could mean a whole years salary for 

some. Ultimately, it is not for us to judge, but 

for the property purchasers themselves. 

MBR: Do you think there is a lack of 

transparency, and unjustified agency 

profitability in Malta? 

NG: We do believe there is a lack of 

transparency in the whole process. We have 

met many clients who were not even aware 

that the listed price of a property they were 

interested in already included the 5% real 

estate fee. At NotGreedy we've addressed 

that problem by listing the actual property 

price, our fee including VAT (less than 1%) as 

well as the total savings. You can't be more 

transparent than that. Again, it's not for us to 

judge about how other companies derive their 

profitability, and we leave that judgement to 

the real estate agencies themselves and their 

clients. 

MBR: Can you explain the NotGreedy 

model? 

NG: The NotGreedy model is not only one 

which saves money for our clients but also 

one which assists our clients throughout 

the buying or selling process with some 

very innovative tools. With the use of our 

one of a kinds website, one may not only 

With regards to leadership in 

business it is paramount for 

every entity to have leadership 

that inspires, excites and 

energizes all aspects of the 

business. 

sift through the properties listed, but also 

arrange viewings with our agents, list their 

property directly online and even negotiate 

between themselves. A notary is also 

available to answer any questions. Our model 

ensures that, since property prices are everrising 

and wages are remaining the same, a 

property is offered to buyers at the best price 

possible. We don’t believe in making more at 

the unjustified expense of others and would 

rather sacrifice that extra profit and gain your 

respect in the long run instead. 

MBR: How do you define success and how 

do you measure impact of what leadership 

means in the business world of today? 

NG: Success in business is seeing ones hard 

work, ideas and determination bearing the 

fruit you desire. On the other hand, personal 

success is different and in our opinion it means 

getting your life balance just right. As regards 

to leadership in business, we believe it is 

paramount for every entity to have leadership 

that inspires, excites and energizes all aspects 

of the business. Without leadership there 

simply can be no success. 

MBR: How important is corporate social 

responsibility to NotGreedy? 

NG: Very important- it's who and what we 

are. We believe that our company’s business 

model of saving property buyers, especially 

first time buyers, thousands of euros and 

keeping property prices to the public 

constantly lower is a strong statement of our 

corporate social responsibility to everyone 

concerned. 

MBR: How important is it for you to maintain 

client interaction? 

NG: Client interaction is of vital importance 

to NotGreedy. As a real estate company our 

main objective is to be there for our clients 

from start to finish. Interaction comes in many 

different forms from using our state of the art 

website to social media and most importantly 

meeting our clients personally for thorough 

viewings. We are not just a website and are 

there for the client in every way possible. 

MBR: How do you define your brand and 

how critical is it for your message to be 

consistent? 

NG: Our brand is what it is , a real estate 

company that saves people thousands. Our 

direction will never waver so we are confident 

our message will get through. MBR 

32 


33


Pushing the Boundaries 


Jonathan Azzopardi, founder of Springbox Media 

MBR: How do you define the role of a media, 

PR and marketing entrepreneur today? 

JA: That’s a very expansive question but in it’s 

simplest form I define it as being an expert in 

gaining the right kind of attention in a world 

filled with noise, constant distraction and 

competition. Our role is about mastering 

several marketing channels, be able to pick 

the right ones for a particular campaign, 

communicate clearly with consumers in order 

to create disruption, maximize the Return of 

Investment and achieve the desired results. 

MBR: What innovative initiatives have you 

implemented when growing Springbox 

Media? 

JA: Innovation is what you will find at the 

core of Springbox Media. Automation has 

been a big part of our growth. If the exact 

same process is repeated fivetimes then it 

probably can be automated and having good 

developers surely helps with this. Instead of 

hiring another developer we have developed 

applications that can build applications. We 

use CRM and marketing automation where 

it serves and this way we can do much more 

with less. It keeps our team lean and everyone 



gets to work on what they’re supposed to and 

avoid mundane tasks as much as possible. 

MBR: What are the core issues that motivate 

you and can you define the Springbox 

philosophy? 

JA: The Springbox Philosophy is one of 

limitless possibilities. It’s about constantly 

improving and finding new ways to challenge 

ourselves, whether it’s improving an internal 

process or breaking a record. It’s about doing 

good business and building long lasting 

relationships with our clients, being proud of 

the work we do, being proactive rather than 

reactive and remaining reliable to our clients. 

Being a digital marketing agency means 

having to get immersed into various different 

business verticals, finding unique ways 

to reach an audience, drawing up with a 

strategy, executing and excelling possibly 

without having any previous experience in 

that particular market. This motivates me. 

Coming in with no experience to figure out 

what makes a market tick and delivering 

outstanding results to our clients in a few 

months is a great feeling. But it doesn’t stop 

there. What works today will not necessarily 

Jonathan Azzopardi, founder 

of Springbox Media, truly 

believes the most important 

business strategy is to make 

every person on your team 

feel appreciated and valued, 

and that they must feel that 

there is a sense of growth as 

an individual and as part of 

the team. 

work in four months’ time, and we have 

to constantly find new ways to reach new 

audiences. 

MBR: What is your entrepreneurial strategy 

to attract and retain talent? 

JA: What works well for me is for me to be as 

good as humanly possible in all facets of our 

business in order to set a high bar from the 

get-go. Being a small business I don’t mind 

rolling my sleeves and getting in the trenches 

with my team and this creates a bond, a 

camaraderie and ultimately respect for being 

an expert in the field. 

Good retention starts before the hiring 

process. I only choose to work with people 

with a very good work ethic, a passion for 

what they do and a good combination of 

confidence and humility. It’s this concoction 

of personal traits that is key to success as an 

individual and as part of my team. 

In terms of remuneration I believe in paying 

what they are worth to my business, and I 

always reward good performance. When we 

had an unpaid intern with us last summer 

who did outstanding work, I made sure she 

got a bonus as well. If the business does well, 

everyone does well, and everyone who works 

with Springbox knows this. 

MBR: In terms of entrepreneurship, where 

does the company look to expand its 

product offering and further strengthen its 

brand position? 

JA: We are gaining traction in highly 

competitive fields such as the retail and 

hospitality industry and our clientele is 

growing rapidly. We intend to keep growing in 

those areas internationally. 

We are excelling in lead generation services 

and we have come up with a new service this 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

Special 

Feature 

MBEOTYA 2017 

year that is going to take Malta by storm. It’s 

an amazing service that’s going to flip the old 

and outdated advertising model on its head 

and so many companies we are speaking to 

are getting on board at lightning speed. I’ve 

never seen anything quite like it and I’m very 

exciting to launch it in the coming months. 

MBR: What issues should entrepreneurs be 

aware of today, and what further obligations 

do you see coming down the line? 

JA: While the core principles of business, sales 

and marketing have remained practically the 

same since the beginning of time, there are 

many more opportunities and channels that 

can benefit your business and your clients’ 

businesses. The game is constantly changing 

and we are obligated to be on the lookout, to 

test and optimize our business processes and 

our strategies. Keep fixing until it’s broken and 

then take a step back. It’s amazing what can 

be achieved. 

MBR: What else, besides your core values, 

differentiates Springbox from some of the 

larger firms? 

JA: Being a small business (by choice) means 

less overheads and therefore we don’t need 

a large volume of clients to cover our costs. 

Because of this we get to choose who we 

work with and work with who we want 

to, not because we have to. This creates a 

very special relationship with our clients. 

Every client is our favourite client. We get 

to immerse ourselves in their businesses 

including getting involved in their day-today 

to truly understand their business, their 

motivations and their customers’ motivations 

and needs. We see what’s working great for 

Ben, Jonathan, Steve & Chris 



I truly believe that the definition 

of a winning entrepreneur 

means being able to win in both 

business and in life and not 

sacrifice one for the other, it’s a 

great balancing act. 

them and we put it on steroids or we fix and 

optimize what’s not. 

It’s business but it’s also personal. We don’t 

have contracts which are longer than six 

months and the reason is simple. You keep 

working with us because you like what we 

are achieving for you not because you are 

contractually obligated. I am proud to say 

that all businesses who have given us the 

opportunity to work with them for six months 

never changed us with another marketing 

agency. High retention due to high results. 

Being a small business who also invests in 

creating their own products and business 

ventures means that we practice what we 

preach, we put our money where our mouth 

is and we apply the same principles to our 

clients. 

MBR: What would you highlight as 

Springbox’s biggest achievement during 

2016/17? 

JA: Springbox’s biggest achievement is that 

we keep pushing the boundaries of what’s 

possible. I am very proud that we broke all 

our records from previous years including 

most traffic generated, most leads/business 

generated and most importantly, projects 

we were involved in generated over a million 


Euros in digital sales; all this while keeping a 

very small. 

We have also worked on a campaign for 

Springfield where we did one week of Social 

Media Marketing strictly in Maltese. The 

campaign went viral, people were going 

nuts over it and engaged heavily, tagging and 

sharing with friends, some of our followers 

even wrote poems about Springfield in 

Maltese. It brings a smile to my face just talking 

about it. It was disruptive in its uniqueness, 

brought a lot of joy and reached a 3rd of the 

Maltese population with a very small budget. 

That’s what I call outstanding success. 

MBR: What are the core values that a 

winning entrepreneur should uphold? 

JA: I truly believe that the definition of a 

winning entrepreneur means being able 

to win in both business and in life and 

not sacrifice one for the other, it’s a great 

balancing act. Therefore the values a winning 

entrepreneur should uphold are: 

Think Long Term but stay laser focused on the 

present. Be Accountable, make big promises 

to your clients, your partners and your team, 

and work hard and smart to (over) achieve 

them. Be Flexible, learn to adapt quickly. Be 

Fearless but remain cautious. Make money 

with your clients not off them. Be a Winner 

who’s not afraid to lose. Be a leader but 

also follow feedback and advice to improve 

and grow. Enjoy your success but don’t 

get complacent. Make sure you are happy 

and enjoying the process. Be Ambitious at 

attaining your goals but not at the expense of 

your integrity. MBR 

34 


35


DataByte Workforce 

The Cloud HR suite 

High-Flying Dentistry: 

The patient’s choice! 

HEALTHCARE 


By Dr Jean Paul Demajo 

The Modules 

Leave Management 

Time and Attendance 

Payroll 

Rostering and Scheduling 

Timesheets 

Visitors’ Management 

HR Management 

Performance Appraisal 

The Benefits 

DataByte Ltd 

Ewropa Business Centre, Dun Karm Street, Birkirkara Bypass, Birkirkara BKR 9034 - Malta 

Tel: +356 23456 300 | Email: info@databyte.com.mt 

w Accessible – Cloud based solution 

w Easy to use – User friendly design 

w Multi-Tenant (Multi Company) design 

w Efficient – Online processes 

w Flexible – Handles any type of process 

w Intuitive – User friendly calendar and user interface 

w Complete – Many reports and dashboards to work with 

w Secure – Covered by full audit trail 

w Integrated – all modules within the WorkForce 

HR Suite are fully integrated. 

www.databyte.com.mt 

Porcelain veneers are thin slivers of porcelain 

used to recreate the natural look of teeth, 

while also providing strength and resilience 

comparable to natural tooth enamel. Your 

dentist will most likely begin by consulting you 

on your smile and requests, determining what 

steps are necessary to achieve the smile you 

desire. In addition, your dentist may create a 

diagnostic mock-up that will allow you to “try 

on” veneers and other procedures to see if the 

final result is actually what you’re looking for. 

A computer-generated image or a provisional 

fitting of veneers may also allow you to view 

your new smile prior to commencement. 

USES OF VENEERS 

1. Straighten teeth: often due to age or 

timeframe patients do not wish to go down 

the road of braces. As a result veneers 

offer patients an immediate quick fix 

straightening misaligned teeth. 

2. Tooth colour: Patients might not respond 

well to tooth whitening procedures. 

Veneering teeth gives an immediate 

permanent colour to your teeth. 

3. Close gaps in between teeth: In some cases 

even when teeth are already aligned, with 

time spaces appear. This is often due to the 

small size of the teeth or large size of the 

jaw. In either of these cases veneers fix this 

very elegantly. 

4. Angulation: Rotated or inclined teeth may 

be aligned with veneers 

5. Irregularly shaped and sized teeth: Some 

patients have micro-teeth or so-called 

micro-donts, often irregularly shaped and 

sized. Bonded veneers restore them back 

to normality. 

6. Bruxism: Bruxists, or patients who grind 

their teeth often display unaesthetic wear 

facets with reduced tooth height. Veneers 

may restore these teeth to their natural 

dimensions and prevent further toothwear. 

ADVANTAGES OF VENEERS 

1. Custom-made veneers are almost 

impossible to tell from your natural teeth. 

2. Veneers resist coffee, wine, tea and 

cigarette stains thanks to the high caliber 

materials used and are the only permanent 

method of tooth whitening. 

3. Veneers are very conservative of the tooth 

structure as a minimal tooth preparation is 

required 

4. For teeth that resist whitening, veneers can 

make even the darkest teeth appear bright 

white. 

Extra-Oral pre-operative 

Intra-oral pre-operative 

Extra-oral post-operative 

DIS-ADVANTAGES OF VENEERS 

1. Removal of tooth tissue is irreversible 

2. Cost: veneers may be quite costly. 

3. Some initial sensitivity to hot and cold. This 

typically disappears within a few days. 

4. Although they’re very strong, veneers are 

also brittle. 

5. De-bonding of veneers: If you have a habit 

of grinding or clenching your teeth, your 

dentist may fit you with a night time bite 

guard so you do not damage your veneers. 

Veneers offer great results to those patients 

who wish to have a perfectly symmetrical set 

of teeth, but also to those patients who wish a 

more natural even look, not necessarily polar 

white but graded according to the natural 

aesthetics of their adjacent teeth. Of course 

beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ask your 

dentist! MBR 

A Case Study: 

A young woman in 

her late 20s who 

refuses to undergo 

orthodontic 

(brace) treatment 

due to timeframes 

opts for a 

quick fix and a 

simultaneous laser 

whitening of her 

teeth. The photos 

show before and 

after images 

following the 

placement of four 

porcelain veneers 

and whitening. 

DR JEAN PAUL DEMAJO 

Dental and Implant Surgeon, 

Trained in London working in 

private practice in Malta 


37


Committed to Providing the 

Best Education Learning Experience 

eie educational group 


OUR MISSION 

To enhance the level of Academic 

training and Tuition of both pre and 

post graduate levels by: 

Learning a language or obtaining an academic 

qualification is more important than ever in 

the global economy. eie Educational Group 

provide students with a first-class educational 

teaching and training service at a fair price. 

Students ask 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 

38 

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. MBR 

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 

• 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. 

Through its companies, the EIE EDUCATIONAL GROUP is able to 

offer the following services: 

Academic programmes 

Training programmes 

English Language courses 

Student Accommodation 

Internships 

Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master degrees in various 

subjects for young and mature adults are offered through eie 

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of Further and Higher Education – License Number 2005-TC- 

001); 

Business courses, thematic seminars for business excecutives 

offered through eie Mangement Centre; 

English courses at Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, 

Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Business English and 

Advanced levels are offered through Unilang International 

School of Languages, Valletta (Licensed by the EFL Monitoring 

Board – License Number 249/MB16) 

Provision of quality accommodation around Malta ideal for 

students offered through eie Residences 

Organisation of Work placement and Internships for 

international students offered through eie internships. 

Commitment to 

EXCELLENCE 

The eie 

Educational 

Group 

eie Educational Group, Valletta Buildings, South Street, Valletta 

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

www.eieEducationalGroup.com 

is an acknowledged leader 

in international education 

Higher Educational courses - eie Institute of Education 

(NCFHE License Number 2005 - TC - 001) 

English Language Courses - Unilang International 

School of Languages (EFL License Number 249/MB16) 

Executive and Business courses - eie Management 

Centre 

Internship services - eie Internships 

Student Accommodation - eie Residences 

International Educational services - eie International 


39


INTERIOR DESIGN 

BANKING 


COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN 

VERA SANT 

FOURNIER - 

DESIGN STUDIO 

will create a 

stimulating and 

avant garde work 

environment. 

"WE ARE A FAMILY, IT'S OUR PASSION THAT TRULY BRINGS OUT SOME 

OF THE MOST UNIQUE INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECTS IN MALTA" 

Commercial Interior Design work on projects 

such as retail, corporate, hospitality, events, 

exhibition and communication, and public 

buildings are much larger and more complex. 

Vera Sant Fournier collaborates with builders, 

joiners, plasterers, textile designers, artists, 

and furniture designers, as well as architects, 

engineers and technicians to fulfil the job. 

It takes skill in order to create interior 

environments that are functional, safe, and 

adhere to building codes, regulations and 

requirements, all to ensure that people 

can work, live, and learn in an innocuous 

environment that is also aesthetically 

pleasing. 

Creating working environments that are 

stimulating and avant garde, The team at 

Vera Sant Fournier - Interior Design Studio 

can guide clients in the latest approach to 

pursuing the project from a holistic point of 

view. Together we can develop and maximise 

not only your space but the performance of 

your team by creating a stimulating and avant 

garde work environment. 

The studio at Vera Sant Fournier - Interior 

Design, is precisely how a design studio 

should be, adorned with samples of various 

materials, movement with uplifting and 

inspirational music, the latest catalogues of 

the best brands in the industry, walls with 

barely any blank space. 

Art in all mediums, organised chaos, ringing 

telephone lines, emails and those long hours 

of team chatter where all put there thinking 

hats on to bring out the best potential 

creative new approach to one's home or 

one's business. We have been known to 

'read' clients, to help them learn more about 

themselves and their wishes, needs and 

wants. The studio educates clients in what 

is the latest approach & the best solutions 

which are suitable for them and their lifestyle. 

We are a family, it's our passion that truly 

brings out some of the best Interior Design 

projects in Malta. Our flagship Studio 

Boutique will open its doors in 2016, our new 

studio will have exclusive brands on display 

and our permanent Art Gallery. MBR 

FIMBANK launches digital banking platform 

FIMBank announces the launch of FIMBank 

Direct, a secure digital banking platform 

targeting the evolving needs of both personal 

and corporate customers. This channel 

provides an integrated solution where 

customers can manage their finances and 

banking requirements in a secure, versatile 

and easily accessible manner. FIMBank Direct 

comes with a comprehensive service suite 

which includes savings accounts, fixed term 

deposits, and local and cross border payments 

with a selection of available currencies. 

The Bank’s CEO, Mr Murali Subramanian, 

explained that “FIMBank Direct will enable 

us to better adapt to the needs of today’s 

online consumers, who are actively seeking 

more convenient, efficient, and secure ways 

to manage their finances.” Mr Subramanian 

also highlighted FIMBank Direct’s importance 

in strengthening the FIMBank brand, “The 

Bank’s goal remains that of building a loyal 

customer base by offering a wide range of 

trade finance products, now boosted by an 

efficient internet banking platform covering 

all general banking services, including deposit 

products offered at attractive rates and 

supported by an excellent customer service.” 

FIMBank Direct also comes with a high-level 

protection security technology, provided by 

its authentication app, the FIMBank CAM. 

With this app customers have the added 

benefit of accessing FIMBank Direct and 

performing online transactions wherever 

they are, without the need for a physical 

internet key or hardware token. 

Direct 

Meanwhile, the established Easisave platform 

has also been integrated within FIMBank 

Direct, providing customers with competitive 

interest rates on their savings accounts and 

fixed term deposits, in both Euro and USD 

currencies. “Through the introduction of 

FIMBank Direct, we aim to provide a platform 

which further establishes the FIMBank brand, 

and which is well equipped to meet current 

demands, while continuing to invest further 

in the development of its capabilities”, 

concluded Mr Subramanian. 

For more information about FIMBank Direct, 

one can visit www.fimbank.com/direct, or 

contact the dedicated FIMBank Helpdesk 

on [+356] 21322102, or email: helpdesk@ 

fimbank.com MBR 

Renault Crossovers 

Fall in love with driving all over again. 

KADJAR 

Starting at €24,500 

DY 1.2 Turbo 130 BHP 

CAPTuR 

Starting at €18,800 

EX 1.5 CDI 90BHP 

Scrappage scheme available 

Models shown for demonstration purposes only 

Reg. No. S063 

Kind’s, Auto Sales Ltd 

Mosta Road, Lija LJA 9011. Tel: 23311126 / 23311131 

Mgarr Road, Xewkija XWK 9012. Tel: 21550962 

Kind’s 

www.renault.com.mt 

Vera Sant Fournier 

40 


41



HERTZ MALTA CELEBRATES 20 YEARS 

OF CAR LEASING SERVICES 

LEASE WITH EASE 

THE RIGHT SOLUTION 

FOR YOUR BUSINESS 

Hertz Malta is celebrating its 20th anniversary 

in the car leasing sector, providing individual 

and corporate customers with flexible long 

term car rental products. 

“Hertz has been successfully operating its 

business in Malta for 55 years, having added 

its leasing services 20 years ago to ensure 

customers’ long term car rental needs were 

also fulfilled. United Garage Ltd., the company 

that operates Hertz in the country, boasts 

a longstanding experience in the leasing 

business, which was certainly instrumental to 

consolidate our brand portfolio,” explains Ron 

Scerri, General Manager, Hertz Malta. 

Hertz Malta’s leasing business and professional 

fleet management service offer customers 

bespoke, complete leasing packages, totally 

shaped as per their specific needs. 

“Clients want flexibility and a personalized 

approach through the complete freedom 

of choosing the model, leasing plans and 

packages that best suit their requirements. 

Strengthening our leasing service means 

putting customers in the driving seat, 

matching their requests for preferred model, 

leasing plans and packages and supporting 

them with additional practicality, convenience 

and added-value.” 

“Our corporate lease offer and professional 

fleet management service help customers 

optimise costs and efficiencies while freeing 

up their time and resources so they can 

concentrate on running their business,” 

added Ron Scerri. 

Further information about Hertz Leasing can 

be found on the new website 

www.hertzlease.com.mt 

Why Lease? 

Many people, once they buy a car, a new 

one is on the market and they wish they had 

waited a bit more before buying. One of the 

main advantages of leasing a car is that when 

you feel the need to upgrade to a newer, 

nicer model, you can just do so without the 

hassle of having to first sell your car before 

upgrading. 

For businesses considering a new fleet of 

cars, leasing will never entail a huge capital 

outlay and therefore, the saved capital can 

be invested in other core business activities 

without risking that such capital gets locked 

into expensive depreciating assets that 

require constant maintenance. 

As an individual, your personal requirements 

or preferences may change from time to 

time. And if you are an organisation, you want 

to operate according to the particular nature 

of your business 

Why Hertz? 

At HERTZ MALTA, our Leasing solution can 

be the ideal one you rare looking for because 

we have recognized the advantages brought 

by leasing and we have built a Leasing 

proposition round this reality because we 

want to put out customers in the driving seat, 

matching their requests for preferred model, 

leasing plans and packages and supporting 

them with additional practicality, convenience 

and added-value. Moreover, you get to enjoy 

Hertz’s long years of experience in helping 

you choosing the right lease solution for you 

or your business. MBR 

United Garage Ltd, 

HERTZ INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISEE 

62, Qormi Road 

Luqa LQA9042 Malta 

Phone: +356 2247 5910 

E-mail: info@hertzlease.com.mt 

HERTZLEASE.COM.MT 

42 43 



ERC STORY 

ERC STORY 


WHEN TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERS 

MIGRANT WOMEN 

CAN ALGORITHMS STEAL 

ELECTIONS? 

PROJECT DETAILS 

PROJECT DETAILS 

Researcher (PI): Phil Howard 

Social networking platforms and other 

online activities can enable women 

migrants to maintain the links with their 

home countries, but also to connect 

to each other, thus encouraging their 

emancipation. Digital media could hence 

be rethought as a tool for participation 

and integration. These are preliminary 

findings of Prof. Sandra Ponzanesi’s study 

focusing on migrant women in three 

different European countries. 

In recent decades, the migration of women 

to and within Europe has increased. 

In specific waves - for instance, those 

connected to family reunion, arranged 

marriages, and care demand - women are 

more numerous than men to migrate. 

While they are often autonomous migrants, 

they are underrepresented in the news 

or perceived as victims of the migration 

process, which is usually portrayed as 

violent and men-dominated. 

New communication technologies not only 

help migrant women overcome isolation 

and distance from their home countries, but 

they seem to provide them with novel tools 

of active participation and emancipation. 

With the project CONNECTINGEUROPE 

a team of researchers based at Utrecht 

University, aims to understand if and how 

digital technologies enhance European 

integration or foster segregation. 

To do so, Prof. Sandra Ponzanesi, who leads 

the project, is analysing the online activities 

of migrant women aged 18-40 from Somali, 

Turkish and Romanian backgrounds, living 

in London, Amsterdam and Rome. The 

internet is not always a safe space for 

women and according to the researcher, 

it can reflect, if not magnify, dynamics 

of exploitation and racism, most notably 

through racist hashtags on social networks. 

At the same time though, digital platforms 

allow women to connect around specific 

topics that identify them as an online 

community and to share information to 

which they would otherwise not have 

access. 

The internet is not always a safe 

space for women and according 

to the researcher, it can reflect, 

if not magnify, dynamics of 

exploitation and racism 

Prof. Ponzanesi, for example, has examined 

with her team the feminist poetry of 

Somali-British writer Warsan Shire. After 

going viral for being quoted in pop singer 

Beyonce’s latest album Lemonade, her 

work has connected and mobilized women 

from African and Somali diasporas in 

digital media platforms worldwide, on 

issues of race and womanhood, but also of 

immigration and refugees. 

By combining media and communication 

studies with gender and postcolonial 

studies, Prof. Ponzanesi will further examine 

how digital connectedness influences the 

interaction among and between different 

Researcher (PI): Sandra Ponzanesi 

Title: 

CONNECTINGEUROPE 

Digital Crossings in Europe: Gender, 

Diaspora and Belonging 

Host Institution: 

UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT, 

Netherlands 

ERC call details: 

ERC-2014-CoG, SH5 

Max ERC Funding: 

1 992 809 € 

diasporic groups, as well as new forms of 

participation and citizenship in postcolonial 

Europe. Her research will thus contribute 

to the development of postcolonial digital 

humanities. 

Sandra Ponzanesi is Professor of Gender 

and Postcolonial Studies at Utrecht 

University (The Netherlands), and Head 

of Department Humanities at University 

College Utrecht. She specialises in gender 

and postcolonial studies, cinema, and 

digital media studies, among other fields. 

Prof. Ponzanesi is also founder and director 

of the Postcolonial Studies Initiative (PCI), 

a platform for research into postcolonial 

issues. 

Find more examples of projects in the 

brochure: Migration and asylum: The 

contribution of frontier research to the 

understanding of human mobility across 

frontiers. MBR 

The effect social media have on political 

discourse has been subject of intense 

discussion, especially since the UK 

referendum and US elections in 2016. 

A researcher funded by the European 

Research Council (ERC) is trying to shed 

light onto the ways politicians use online 

social networks and the murky world of 

political algorithms. 

"The majority of young people these days get 

their political news over the social media," 

says Phil Howard, Professor of Internet 

Studies and ERC grantee at the Oxford 

Internet Institute. "It's very difficult to grow 

up without developing so political opinion 

that has been shaped by the content you 

see from your friends and family over a social 

network platform." 

Social media offer a medium where everyone 

can express and distribute their views, 

changing the way we share and absorb 

information. 

(View Computational propaganda and fake 

news from European Research Council on 

Vimeo: https://erc.europa.eu/projectsfigures/stories/can-algorithms-stealelections) 

But for all the benefits these platforms bring, 

they do have their drawbacks. Professor 

Howard, who leads an ERC-funded research 

project on computation propaganda, studies 

how politicians manipulate people on 

internet. His team, consisting of IT experts and 

social scientists, specialises in the processes of 

using algorithms to deliver messages to large 

numbers of people over social media. 

Algorithms and fake news go hand in hand 

Hoaxes and misinformation cause harm 

because of the automatic distribution by 

social media bots. Automated political bots, 

unlike human beings, are able to disseminate 

information and opinions throughout the 

day quickly, strategically and without rest. 

They can influence public opinion and drive 

political agenda. "Algorithms and fake news 

go hand in hand," says Prof. Howard. 

The consequences of online 

misinformation are serious and 

spill over also outside politics 

The team at Oxford Internet Institute has 

monitored three major votes in the UK, US 

and France and collected data from the weeks 

leading up to them. In a recently published 

paper they showed for example that French 

voters share less fake news than voters in the 

US or Germany. 

The consequences of online misinformation 

are serious and spill over also outside politics, 

according to Professor Howard. For instance, 

the number of people who think climate 

change may not be so real is increasing, as 

the number of people who are not sure that 

tobacco causes cancer, explains Howard. 

Title: 

COMPROP 

Computational Propaganda: 

Investigating the Impact of 

Algorithms and Bots on Political 

Discourse in Europe 

Host Institution: 

THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND 

SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 

OXFORD, United Kingdom 

ERC call details: 

ERC-2014-CoG, SH2 

Max ERC Funding: 

1 980 112 € 

"In part this is because of very effective social 

media campaigns that erode the contributions 

of science. There are very important public 

health issues that are being impacted by the 

combination of fake news and social media." 

In April 2017, Professor Howard received a 

top-up funding from the ERC through a Proof 

of Concept grant. Using the data his team has 

collected over the last few years, Howard's 

next project is to design an online tool that 

would allow social media users to evaluate 

the authenticity of suspicious social media 

accounts. MBR 

Courtesy: European Research Council 

44 45 



INDUSTRY & TECHNOLOGY 

CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL DU VIN 


Dealing with the Fourth Industrial Revolution 

by Pierre Mallia 

Amongst a number of proponents of the 

concept of “Waves of Innovation” one finds a 

number of Marxist and Soviet economists and 

thinkers. One of these is the Soviet economist 

Nikolai Kondratieff, who was the first to bring 

these observations to international attention 

in his book ‘Major Economic Cycles’ (1925), 

alongside other works written in the same 

decade. 

Since the early part of last century, 

technological progress has marched forward 

at sharp rate, albeit with the so called “waves” 

coming hard and fast as a north easterly storm 

on the coast. After a surge in innovation in the 

field of information technology dating back 

to the 1970s, with the emergence of the first 

“personal” device – the PC and stretching 

well into the early years of this century, we 

seem poised on what could become a very 

big wave. Some economists have posited 

the idea that we are about to embark on the 

“Fourth Industrial Revolution”. Personally, I 

don’t think it will be just an industrial one, but 

will have huge long term societal impact and 

implications. 

I am referring to the rise of Artificial 

Intelligence (AI). For the past few decades 

of wide scale diffusion of information 

technology, companies invested in 

automating routine and repetitive tasks. 

In the past two decades, as market access 

has been liberalised and globalisation has 

facilitated free trade, businesses have found 

themselves competing on an international 

scale often with companies far larger than 

them. This drove companies to think how 

they could “globalise” cost efficiently by 

taking to the online world and differentiating 

on customer service with a strong degree 

of personalisation. This latter trend has 

driven the CRM (customer relationship 

management) wave and continues to do so 

today. 

Fundamentally though, many companies 

have not undergone the transformation 

which may be required, to see them survive, 

as the Fourth Industrial Revolution begins. 

Largely, for companies it has been a case of 

bolting on “band-aid” type of technology 

investments. 

Will this be enough as the dawn of the age 

of AI glimmers in the distance? 

AI has been with us for a long time. Alan 

Turing, the father of computing, dreamt of a 

thinking or intelligent machine. AI was already 

an active area of research in the 1960s and 

by the 1980s was an area of considerable 

academic interest, but still very much not in 

the mainstream of what was going on in the 

industry. 

Over time a number of developments, 

independently brought about the ingredients: 

ever powerful computer processors and 

miniaturisation led to a situation that today 

most of us, carry around a considerable 

amount of computing power in our pockets 

and on our wrists. 

The standard mantra that 

technological change would 

indeed destroy some jobs but 

in the process create new ones 

higher up the skill chain is very 

likely to break. 

The widespread deployment of networks and 

bandwidth followed by the huge growth in 

available data sets in the public domain put in 

place some of the final missing parts of the 

puzzle for AI. Combining all these elements 

with “learning” algorithms (also commonly 

referred to as deep learning AI) brought about 

situations that these voracious programmes 

are enabling computers to handle far more 

complex and non-routine tasks. The standard 

mantra that technological change would 

indeed destroy some jobs but in the process 

create new ones higher up the skill chain is 

very likely to break. 

The writing is on the wall; reports of financial 

institutions going completely virtual are NOT 

vastly exaggerated. Whether blue collar or 

white collar – AI is colour blind in this respect. 

So in business terms, this is leading to a 

new “arms race”. This is not the incremental 

improvement that most companies are used 

to making. Also, in a rare paradox, by combing 

big data and deep learning, AI threatens many 

technology companies themselves. 

What does it mean for you as a business 

leader/owner? 

First off, choose wisely! I am referring to 

the selection of who you choose to partner 

with in terms of your plans to prepare for the 

Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

You ought to be looking at the long term and 

seeing how to leverage tech/change experts 

in areas which you most probably don’t 

have in-house. You ought to be focusing less 

on buying a product – than on choosing to 

work with someone with the right vision and 

strategy in terms of where they are going with 

their own business. 

A good sign of being in discussion with the 

right sort of partner, is if they have their own 

survival strategy for this new age. 

You need to have access to people who 

have more than just technical prowess – 

ideally they have the right mix of approach, 

experience as well as technology with an 

acute understanding of how to graft emerging 

tech with business. 

Once you’ve made a choice of strategic 

partner, you have to work hard on the 

relationship. The traditional arm’s length of 

supplier / customer will not stand the test. 

Build close relationships and virtual teams 

which span your collective human capital. 

This also means you need to have the right 

people on your side of the table – managers 

need to be savvy, risk takers and ideally with 

a visionary streak too – but they also crucially 

need to be team players. 

This is a tall order, I know. Some of what I have 

proposed may not sit comfortably with our 

culture of not trusting “outsiders” with the 

intimate nature of our business. But do you 

have a choice? Either hire everyone you think 

you need or watch paralysed the wave as it 

comes gradually towards your shore. MBR 

Creditline: Imovo 

Gold and Bronze for Delicata’s 

Topflight 2016 white wines 

Their passion and craftsmanship earned 

Delicata, Malta’s most-awarded family of 

winemakers two prestigious medals at 

The 2017 Challenge International du Vin 

in Bordeaux, France, which is probably the 

longest running major international wine 

competition. 

Delicata’s Gran Cavalier Chardonnay won 

Gold whereas their Grand Vin de Hauteville 

Viognier earned a well-deserved Bronze. 

The two Delicata wines were Malta’s only 

medallists. 

Both superior dry white wines are of the 

D.O.K. Malta appellation and made from 

hand-picked bunches and sorted grape 

berries of the challenging 2016 vintage. 

The coveted medals are testimonial to 

Delicata’s ever-growing reputation for being 

craftsmen of top-notch boutique wines. 

This is again excellent news for team 

Delicata. It follows hot on the heels of the 

commendations for two other wines in the 

winery’s Gran Cavalier flagship range, firstly 

by Europe’s largest wine magazine Vinum 

for the 2015 barrel-matured Syrah, and also 

for the 2014 Merlot served together with 

the 2013 Grand Vin de Hauteville Moscato 

at a gala dinner at one of Milan’s best 2-star 

Michelin restaurants. 

Since his maiden vintage, chief winemaker 

Matthew Delicata has taken an impactful 

lead with consistently high-scoring premium 

Maltese wines and Delicata’s signature labels 

have gained recognition as sought-after 

quality wine gems. 

But the recent Bronze Medal for the Grand 

Vin de Hauteville Viognier is especially close 

to the winemaker’s heart since it shows that 

Viognier can thrive in deeper Maltese soils. 

Tasting Notes 

GRAND VIN DE HAUTEVILLE VIOGNIER, 

D.O.K. MALTA, SUPERIOR, 2016 

Maltese Viognier grape bunches 

You’ll love the wine’s scent of sweet pie crust, 

its aromas of honeysuckle and lily, the delicate 

flavours of green melon, mango and lychee, 

which will get more distinctive with a few 

months of bottle age. 

Enjoy this unique Maltese Viognier well 

chilled, on its own or match it with firm fish, 

lobster and crab, noodle dishes like Pad Thai, 

of best of all, a fruity chicken tajine. 

by Georges Meekers 

Delicata’s Gran Cavalier Chardonnay is 

another real uplift of a wine which is skilfully 

vinified from quality grapes from only two 

specially earmarked Maltese clos or walled 

vineyard parcels, one in Wied ta’l-Isqof and 

the other in Buqana. 

Both the Gran Cavalier Chardonnay and the 

Grand Vin de Hauteville Viognier are rich, ripe 

and expertly recommended. MBR 

GRAN CAVALIER CHARDONNAY, 

D.O.K. MALTA, SUPERIOR, 2016 

This flavour-packed dry white premium is 

a creamy, barrel-fermented Malta-grown 

Chardonnay with a pleasant whiff of wet 

gravel and dewy hay and delectable hints 

of brioche and buttercream in fine contrast 

with an invigorating zesty lime and pear drop 

palate. 

Malta’s Gold-winning Chardonnay is packed 

with flavour and complements fine rich fish, 

pumpkin ravioli and late summer vegetables, 

seared or roast shellfish, and mild curries 

such as Chicken Makhani. 

46 47 



CRN’S 2017 WOMEN OF THE CHANNEL 

THE MALTESE PRESIDENCY of the council of the European Union 


Simonetta Mercieca of Parallels 

Honored as one of CRN’s 2017 Women of the Channel 

RAS. We accomplished this by offering them 

higher margins, more direction, and more 

resources to communicate with their clients. 

Now, with this program in place, we have 

managed to drive Parallels RAS sales higher 

than ever. We have been especially effective 

in the EMEA region, which is where I focused 

our team's efforts. 

Maltese Presidency secures common rights 

for EU consumers of digital content – 

one of four deals struck by Malta in a single meeting 

CRN: What are your goals for your 

company's channel business over the next 

year? 

Simonetta Mercieca, Director of Sales for Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) 

Parallels is honored that CRN®, a brand of 

The Channel Company, has named Simonetta 

Mercieca, Director of Sales for Parallels 

Remote Application Server (RAS), to its 

prestigious 2017 Women of the Channel 

list. Last year, Maria Dinallo, Parallels Senior 

Director of Channel Sales, was also named 

by CRN as one of the 2016 Women of the 

Channel. The executives who comprise this 

annual list span the IT channel, representing 

vendors, distributors, solution providers and 

other organizations that figure prominently in 

the channel ecosystem. Each is recognized for 

her outstanding leadership, vision and unique 

role in driving channel growth and innovation. 

CRN editors select the Women of the Channel 

honorees based on their professional 

accomplishments, demonstrated expertise 

and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. 

Mercieca, who was born and is based in 

Malta, has been director of EMEA sales 

at Parallels for the past four years. Before 

joining Parallels, Simonetta graduated from 

the Chartered Institute of Marketing and 

already had over a decade's experience in 

the channel by working her way up through 

GFI Software's sales department. In her 

current role, Mercieca supervises and directs 

the sales efforts for Parallels, especially 

with regard to Parallels RAS. Her efforts and 

leadership have led to Parallels RAS becoming 

one of the company's leading solutions. She 

has also been instrumental in launching 

the new and free Parallels Partner Program 

which provides several levels of benefits and 

resources to all registered partners, including 

access to training and marketing materials 

and dedicated partner email sales support. 

“These extraordinary executives support 

every aspect of the channel ecosystem, 

from technical innovation to marketing to 

business development, working tirelessly to 

keep the channel moving into the future,” 

said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel 

Company “They are creating and elevating 

channel partner programs, developing fresh 

go-to-market strategies, strengthening 

the channel’s network of partnerships and 

building creative new IT solutions, among 

many other contributions. We congratulate 

all the 2017 Women of the Channel on their 

stellar accomplishments and look forward to 

their future success.” 

CRN’s 2017 Women of the Channel issue 

features an interview with Mercieca about 

her professional experience, as well as advice 

for women who want to begin careers in 

technology. Highlights of some of her answers 

to CRN’s questions include: 

CRN: How have you personally helped 

advance your company's channel business 

over the past year? 

Mercieca: Following our transition from 2X 

to Parallels in 2015, 2016 was the first year 

we could move our application and desktop 

virtualization solution, Parallels RAS, into the 

market with full force. To best do this, I spent 

the past year helping out as best I could with 

the channel, strategizing with my colleagues 

to find leads and then turning them into sales. 

After some research and client liaising, I found 

that the best way to further our growth was 

to increase the benefits to our partners. As a 

result, we started formulating a new partner 

program that made it more advantageous for 

people to join us. This was my main project 

for the year, and by its end, my colleagues and 

I launched a program that greatly increased 

the number of partners interested in Parallels 

Mercieca: After such a successful year, we 

cannot afford to take our foot off the pedal. 

It is important for us to keep on pushing 

forward, capitalizing on the goodwill we 

managed to create and making Parallels RAS 

as popular as it can be. To do this, we are 

looking at continuing to support our partners, 

increasing awareness of our solutions, 

marrying Parallels RAS to popular solutions as 

we did with Microsoft Azure, and dispersing 

more information to our channel to keep 

empowering them through their offerings for 

the private, hybrid, and public cloud. 

CRN: What advice would you give to young 

women who want to begin careers in 

technology? 

Mercieca: Be prepared for the challenge, 

but don't be afraid. It is becoming easier 

for women to do more, even in this maledominated 

industry. I firmly believe that we 

women offer unique qualities for building 

relationships, and in a business built on 

relationships, that gives us a tremendous 

advantage. So, take heart in the women who 

have succeeded before you, and be ready 

for a challenge, but also be very confident in 

yourselves and in the changing times. 

CRN: If you could be any movie character 

for one day in real life, who would you be 

and why? 

Mercieca: I'm a big fan of Erin Brockovich 

from the movie of the same name. I've 

always really admired her as a person and 

am very grateful to be living in a world she 

has changed. As a bit of an environmentalist 

myself, and someone who wants to enjoy 

nature in as clean a state as possible, I am 

so grateful for her work. As a woman, seeing 

her overcome adversity while maintaining 

her independence and mastering such a 

challenging job, I can't help but feel inspired 

by her. This drives me to do more. MBR 

Photos: Maltese Presidency 

The Maltese Presidency of the Council of 

the EU marked its last Council meeting of EU 

Justice ministers by securing the successful 

approval of no less than four separate and 

important legislative files. 

At the beginning of its semester, the Maltese 

Presidency committed to prioritise legislation 

which brings tangible results to EU citizens. 

Following many months of negotiations led 

by Maltese officials, today ministers agreed 

to adopt a Council position, based on a 

compromise text of the Maltese Presidency, 

setting out new rules for business-toconsumer 

contracts for the supply of digital 

content and digital services. 

The objective of the new rules is to provide 

a high level of protection and legal certainty 

to European consumers, in particular when 

buying cross-border, as well as to make it 

easier for businesses, especially SMEs, to sell 

throughout the EU. 

Be it online music and films, Apps, services 

such as Facebook or YouTube, these new 

rules will give more certainty to consumers 

and suppliers when purchasing and selling 

cross-border. It is an ambitious, yet delicate 

and balanced, compromise that is about 

guaranteeing rights for European consumers, 

while allowing for the possibility to create 

new business opportunities for EU companies 

through the promotion of innovation and 

competition. 

Another important agreement at today’s 

meeting was the approval of legislation setting 

out the details of the functioning and role of 

a new European Public Prosecutors Office 

(EPPO). While Malta, together with several 

other Member States, will not participate 

in the EPPO due to its bipartisan domestic 

opposition to EU competency in fiscal 

policies, the Maltese Presidency nonetheless 

committed to ensure that today’s agreement 

would be reached during its term. 

EPPO has been under negotiation within 

Council for about four years, and the Maltese 

Presidency took it on itself to ensure that talks 

did not drag on any longer. Today’s agreement 

fulfils this commitment, and will see the EU 

have more tools to prosecute EU fraud and 

other crimes affecting the Union's financial 

interests. 

The third agreement secured by the Maltese 

Presidency was on a Council position on a 

proposed Directive on countering money 

laundering by criminal law. This new legislation 

will target those who carry out terrorist or 

other criminal activities by eliminating their 

access to money. The objective is thus to 

disrupt and effectively cut off the financial 

sources of criminals. It is a key dimension of 

the EU fight against terrorism, and that is why 

the Maltese Presidency has set a high priority 

on this file. 

Finally, the Maltese Presidency secured a 

Council position on a Regulation on the 

processing of personal data by EU institutions 

and bodies. This legislation will ensure that 

the personal data amongst EU institutions 

is protected, in line with the very highest of 

standards, and is an important element in 

ensuring that the EU respects everyone’s right 

to privacy. 

All these agreements will now be negotiated 

with the European Parliament, with a view 

to having them enter into force as soon as 

possible. 

The Maltese Presidency is delighted with the 

outstanding results achieved today. They are 

a true testament to the dedication and hard 

work of so many Maltese officials in seeking 

to bring about real results that benefit all 

Maltese, and Europeans, alike. MBR 

Credit: DOI 

48 


49


ICT CLOUD 


J.M. Vassallo Vibro Steel Ltd 

Mdina Road, Zebbug, ZBG 9019, Malta www.jmvibro.com sales@jmvibro.com 2146 7421 

Rearchitecting the Capital Markets: 

The Cloud Cometh 

By Brad Bailey and Arin Ray 

Green products for structural strengthening 

Celent has released a new report titled 

Rearchitecting the Capital Markets: The 

Cloud Cometh. The report was written by 

Brad Bailey and Arin Ray, both with Celent’s 

Securities & Investments practice. 

Cloud-based models are transforming capital 

markets. The report examines where major 

transformation is taking place, and how 

market participants and solution providers 

are utilizing the cloud to create new models 

for market data, trading, risk, and operations. 

The cloud has emerged to solve 

many of the current challenges, 

such as cost pressure, lack 

of scalability, flexibility, and 

innovation 

As the capital markets move forward, cloud is 

proving to be a great enabler in creating an 

automated, data-centric, AI future. The cloud 

has emerged to solve many of the current 

challenges, such as cost pressure, lack of 

scalability, flexibility, and innovation. It offers 

firms a more agile infrastructure that enables 

them to address ever-evolving regulatory 

requirements and the proliferation of trading 

applications, as well as the need to rapidly 

connect to multiple liquidity sources. 

The implications for core IT infrastructure are 

profound. The cloud model is becoming the 

blueprint for infrastructure transformation 

across the front, middle, and back offices. In 

parallel, the capital market space is seeing 

a need for better connectivity. Private, 

dedicated cloud access is better suited 

for capital market requirements, offering 

better speed and latency as well as superior 

performance and security. 

The public cloud is also gaining traction in 

strategically chosen functions and segments. 

The cloud cuts the cost of failure and allows 

firms large and small, as well as fintech 

providers, to test alternative business models 

in a low-risk manner. 

“Saving money is only the starting point with 

the cloud. The end game is a new type of 

data-centric, analytically robust capital market 

firm,” commented Bailey, a Research Director. 

“The cloud sits at the center of all major trends we 

see today in the capital markets: cost reduction, 

focus on core, automation, operational efficiency, 

data primacy, analytics, and machine learning,” 

added Ray, an Analyst. MBR 

Credit: Celent 

ABOUT CELENT 

Celent is a research and advisory firm 

dedicated to helping financial institutions 

formulate comprehensive business and 

technology strategies. 

Celent publishes reports identifying trends 

and best practices in financial services 

technology and conducts consulting 

engagements for financial institutions 

looking to use technology to enhance 

existing business processes or launch new 

business strategies. 

With a team of internationally experienced 

analysts, Celent is uniquely positioned to 

offer strategic advice and market insights 

on a global basis. Celent is a member 

of Oliver Wyman Group, which is a 

wholly-owned operating unit of Marsh & 

McLennan Companies [NYSE: MMC]. 

KERAKOLL. 

Products and services 

to build healthy homes 

that are kind to the 

environment. 

INNOVATIVE 

ECO-FRIENDLY 

RECYCLABLE 

HEALTHY 

50 51 



BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION 

CLIMATE CHANGE 


INFOGRAPHIC 

The Evolution of 

Underfloor Heating 

# 1 

#2 2,500 BC-1,400 ad 

5,000 BC 

by Amy Blackwell 

The earliest example of underfloor heating was found in Korea. 

There is evidence to suggest they had baked or heated floors called Ondol meaning "warm stone". 

In 500 BC the Greeks and Romans began usign hypocausts, a system that involved the floor being built 

on pillars so that hot air could pass through the spaces beneath. 

In 700 AD you could find hypocausts in wealthy homes and public baths in the Mediterranean. 

In 1400 AD hypocausts were being used for Turkish baths in the Ottoman Empire. 

# 3 

#4 early 20th century 

19th century 

Research in to surgace reflectivity, thermal conductivity and surface emissivity was conducted. 

Aiming to develop the first water boilers and piping systems in Europe. 

In 1899 German scientist Hans von Pechmann accidentally discovered polymethylene. 

This plastic would go on to be an important component of all wet underfloor heating systems. 

European Parliament's President Antonio Tajani 

European Parliament's President Antonio 

Tajani reacted to the announcement by U.S. 

President Donald J. Trump to withdraw from 

the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

“Pacta sunt servanda. The Paris Agreement 

must be respected. It is a matter of trust 

and leadership” said European Parliament 

President Antonio Tajani (EPP, IT). "This 

Agreement is alive and we will take it forward 

with or without the US administration" he 

said. 

"Those who choose to remain on the outside 

will miss a historic opportunity for citizens, the 

EP President Tajani: “the Paris agreement 

is alive and we will take it forward” 

planet and the economy. The EU will continue 

to lead efforts against climate change and 

be a global pole of attraction for investment, 

innovation and technology, creating new jobs 

and boosting competitiveness" he added. 

Environment Committee Chair Adina- 

Ioana Vălean (EPP, RO) also reacted to the 

announcement: "We deeply regret this 

decision, and hope that this is only ‘see 

you soon’ and not ‘farewell’ from our U.S. 

friends", said Ms. Vălean. "To ease the 

transition to a low-carbon economy is simply 

to be pragmatic. The global community is 

committed to the Paris Agreement. Civil 

society, industry and public awareness have 

evolved. The United States still shares our 

planet, and we are entitled to hope that, 

beyond the decision of just one man – even 

if he is the President of the United States – 

America will, in the end, come back on our 

side in the fight against climate change”, she 

added. 

“In the meantime, we shall continue 

leading, together with China and the High 

Ambition Coalition. What is more, given the 

threat of global warming, this is a fight for 

multilateralism, for international cooperation, 

and for peace. And for we Europeans, an 

existential one", she concluded. 

Facts 

The European Parliament is currently 

working on three legislative measures 

implementing the Paris Agreement: the 

post-2020 carbon market (EU ETS) reform 

(rapporteur Julie Girling), the 2030 targets 

Effort Sharing Regulation (rapporteur 

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy) and the Regulation 

on greenhouse gas emissions and removals 

from land-use, land-use change and forestry 

(rapporteur Norbert Lins). MBR 

In 1907 English Professor Arthur H. Barker invented a system to warm panels using small pipes. 

In 1930 Oscar Faber started heating and cooling homes with water pipes, inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright. 

He designed the first Usonian home in 1937 using underfloor radiant heating. 

A feature of all Usonian homes. 

In 1945 the first big development using water based heating was developed by designer William Levitt. 

# 5 

lATE 20TH CENTURY 

Following research in to potential heating materials by Dr J. Bjorksten the first polyethylene plant was 

built in Canada in 1953. The first underfloor heating system using water pipes was installed in Canada 

in 1960. In 1965 Thomas Engel managed to cross-link molecules to stabilise polyethylene, an idea that 

he later sold to pipe producers in 1967. In 1980 floor heating became fairly common in residential and 

non-residential developments across Europe. 

#6 2000 and beyond 

Since the millennium HVAC systems have been introduced in Europe. 

Underfloor heating and cooling systems are used for integrated climate control in many developments. 

Adding luxury and improved comfort to homes and public spaces. 

About the author 

Amy Blackwell is an Editorial 

Account Manager. 

Creditline: LinkedIn 

52 53 






Waterproofing 

when the heat is on 

By Antoine Bonello 

them with technical assistance should the 

need arise. The more you know the better, 

especially when it comes to waterproofing. 

Every job is different from the previous one 

and different supports require different 

preparations. The ability to know which 

materials are to be used and for what reason 

is the secret of a successful Installer. 

The Malta Waterproofing and Resin Flooring 

Association provide technical knowledge and 

professional formation to all Maltese installers 

who wish to improve their workmanship or 

start a carrier in the waterproofing business. 

The Association also assists its members 

by providing the services of a profession 

advisor when facing challenging situations 

or other difficulties during their works. 

The Association also provides its qualified 

members the Certified Installers Card. This 

is done to reassure the general public that 

the person is able to carry out the requested 

job at its best. All this is being made possible 

thanks to the Resin and Membrane Centre 

and NAICI International Academy. 

For further information with regards the 

Malta Professional Waterproofing and Resin 

Flooring Association visit the website on 

www.maltawaterproofing.com or call on 

27477647 MBR 

Malta is an island with little rainfall and 

plenty of sunshine, needless to stress on the 

importance of solar panels, however two 

important issues must be addressed before 

installing them. We must first install a very 

good waterproofing membrane made from 

quality resins and reinforced with fiberglass as 

it would be very difficult to apply between the 

panels afterwards. While the second avoid 

fixing the panels directly to the roof with bolts 

and nuts. It should always be mounted on 

separate elevated metal structures. 

Nowadays thermal insulation in buildings 

is another important factor as it reduces 

unwanted heat loss or gain and can decrease 

the energy demands of heating and cooling 

systems. All this change in the building industry 

brings new opportunities and new solutions. It 

is these unaware problems that drive serious 

pro-environment companies like NAICI to find 

simple yet innovative and effective solutions 

for this havoc. We were ecstatic when 

we heard about the new GUAINA REFLEX 

thermal membrane; it is a simple yet effective 

solution. This revolutionary product is the 

perfect answer for our flat roofs here in Malta. 

Besides its strong waterproofing properties, 

this new resin liquid membrane has thermal 

properties, making it unique and hence 

reduces by far heat intake inside buildings by 

90%. Better environments in our houses or 

workplace. But the most astonishing property 

of this innovative product is the ability to 

increase the efficiency and the intake of solar 

panels by redirecting the sunrays horizontally 

towards them. This means more money in 

the owner’s pocket and an increase of cleaner 

energy. 

The following standards and certifications 

should be clearly visible on each and every 

can for reassurance of a good quality product. 

• UV stability – the ability to withstand sun 

rays. 

• Elongation - the elasticity of the product. 

It is measured in percentages. Elongation 

of 150% means that the membrane can 

stretch to one and half times its length 

when pulled. 

• Tear Resistance - it gives a fair idea of 

tearing resistance 

• Chemical stability -. If it is harmful to the 

environment and to humans during 

application 

• Case Studies - visit the manufacturer 

internet site or ask the importer to see 

the product data sheet to determine 

the right application modalities, also if 

possible inquire where and why that 

particular product was implemented. 

• CE Mark- European Standard. 

Preparation and proper product application 

are the secret to prevent a piss poor 

performance. It sounds simple when you read 

it but it requires dedicated people with a lot of 

good will and the desire to always learn new 

things in order to be achieved. 

One also has to consider who will implement 

the waterproofing works. REMEMBER 

never let anyone experiment with your 

home. Delicate works like waterproofing 

should be carried out by professionals 

and properly trained people. Always make 

sure that the persons commissioned for 

the works are affiliated with the Malta 

Professional Waterproofing and Resin 

Flooring Association and in possession of 

the Certified Installers Card. This way you 

are assured of their trustworthiness to carry 

out the waterproofing works to the stringent 

requirements of the trade. 

The Malta Professional Waterproofing and 

Resin Flooring Association was established 

to teach all its members the proper working 

modalities, product knowledge and provides 

54 55 



FOOTBALL BRANDS 

Real Madrid becomes 

Football’s Most Powerful Brand 

· Real overtakes Barça as the most powerful club brand 

· However, a superior commercial strategy makes Man United the most valuable brand at US$1.733 billion 

· Premier League clubs account for 46% of total football brand value, more than double other leagues 

· Newcastle is the fastest growing brand, up 92% from 2016, following promotion 

Valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance 

conducts an annual study, calculating the power and 

value of the world’s leading football club brands. A 

brand’s power/strength is assessed (based on metrics 

such as stadium capacity, squad size and value, 

social media presence, on-pitch performance, fan 

satisfaction, fair-play rating, stadium utilization, and 

revenue) to create a ‘Brand Strength Index’ (BSI) score 

out of 100. This is used to determine what proportion 

of a business’s revenue is contributed by the brand, 

which is projected into perpetuity and discounted 

to determine the brand’s value. The Brand Finance 

Football 50 report is the first of any kind to take 

into account the full sporting results of the 2016/17 

season. 

Real Madrid’s superb season sees Los Blancos eclipse 

rivals Barcelona to become the world’s most powerful 

football club brand. The brand power of both clubs 

was already formidable and unmatched worldwide. 

The fierce rivalry of El Clásico, their dominance on 

the European stage and footballing styles, that are as 

beautiful as they are effective, served to create brands 

that are unparalleled by German, French, English 

or Italian rivals. Barça had remained just fractionally 

ahead of Real in recent years, until now. After claiming 

yet another La Liga title and a record 12th Champions 

League victory, Real’s Brand Strength Index score is up 

from 94.6 to 96.1, edging ahead of Barcelona on 95.4. 

However, whilst Real can bask in the glory of its 

unparalleled reputation, it could be doing a lot more 

to capitalise on its on-pitch success. Despite being 

football’s most powerful brand, in terms of brand 

value, it still trails Manchester United by a considerable 

margin. United, despite finishing a disappointing 6th 

in the Premier League, is the most valuable brand in 

football, worth US$1.733 billion to Real’s US$1.419 

billion. 

United’s success is partly the result of an enduring 

halo effect from the good times under Alex Ferguson. 

However, the most crucial ingredient has been the 

club’s commercial nous and ability to convert its 

success into lucrative deals across dozens of industry 

sectors and national territories. In contrast, while Real 

has blockbuster deals such as its reported billion euro 

agreement with Adidas, it has not leveraged its brand 

equity to the same extent as United, failing to pursue 

the same range of partnerships. 

Real could perform significantly better in growth 

markets outside Europe too. In some, such as the 

Middle East, Real is popular, yet Brand Finance 

research into the vast and therefore critical Chinese 

market demonstrates that Real has a lot of work to do; 

it lags behind not just United but also Bayern Munich 

in popularity. 

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, commented: 

“Real must now pay as careful attention to its off- 

pitch strategy as it does to its on-pitch performance. 

Newfound status as the world’s most powerful brand 

ought to provide the club with ammunition in ongoing 

discussions with Emirates to renegotiate the shirt 

sponsorship; Real must not miss the opportunity.” 

Premier League clubs continue to lead the world when 

it comes to commercialising their brands; six of the top 

ten most valuable football brands are English. Title 

rivals Chelsea and Tottenham have recorded some of 

the biggest gains this year after successful seasons that 

saw Chelsea regain its status as England’s best, under 

dynamic new manager Antonio Conte. Commercially, 

Chelsea stand to gain significantly through a reported 

£900 million, 15 year deal with Nike as well as from a 

near 50% increase to the capacity of Stamford Bridge. 

Tottenham is also expanding its home; the new White 

Hart Lane has been innovatively designed and will 

offer 61,000 spectators the opportunity to see Spurs 

on home turf. Tottenham’s brand value is up 58% on 

last year and Chelsea’s 61% to US$1.248 billion. 

All Premier League teams continue to benefit from the 

vast revenues brought in by the latest broadcasting 

rights deal with Sky and BT. The relatively equitable 

split is particularly helpful to smaller clubs and helps to 

explain how a club such as Bournemouth (which joined 

the Premier League just two years ago and comes 

from a town of just 180,000 inhabitants) controls a 

more valuable brand than much longer established 

European top tier clubs such as Olympique Lyonnais, 

Inter Milan, and AS Roma. The costs of missing out on 

Premier League status are clear too. Another season 

in the Championship for Aston Villa and relegation for 

Sunderland see both drop out of this year’s list. 

Sunderland’s loss has been Newcastle’s gain. The 

Magpies’ promotion will see revenues return and 

restore international exposure to the Tyneside club. 

As a result, brand value is up 92% to US$247 million, 

making Newcastle this year’s fastest growing brand. 

Juventus’ Serie A win and full Champions League 

run helped improve brand strength by three points, 

putting the Italian club in the top 5 for brand strength. 

Brand value has improved significantly too, growing 

72% since 2016. However, like Real Madrid, Juventus 

has not fully leveraged the strength of its brand for 

commercial purposes. Foreign tours, marketing 

investment, strategic partnerships with brands and 

even non-commercial organisations can all help to 

improve willingness to purchase, whether that is 

merchandise, match-day tickets, or subscriptions to 

broadcasters of Serie A matches. Juve is somewhat 

constrained in its ability to strike marquee deals by the 

duration of its existing partnerships with Adidas and 

Fiat. Nonetheless, Italy’s most valuable football club 

could do better. 

Bayern Munich has stayed level in 5th. The Bundesliga 

title has increasingly come to seem Bayern’s by 

right. The club is so dominant locally that glory can 

really only come from the international stage, so a 

failure to reach the Champions League semi-finals 

could mean 2017 is interpreted as a rather mediocre 

season. Though this year’s on-pitch performance 

might possibly be seen as underwhelming, Bayern is 

making great strides off the pitch to enhance the value 

of its brand. The club is trying to make up for financial 

differences with European rivals by investing in China. 

Its new Shanghai office is the first of any European 

football club to open in mainland China. The club has 

also launched two football schools in Qingdao and 

Shenzhen this year, which has increased the brand’s 

familiarity among young players, as has its intensive 

investment in social media. Bayern’s hard work is 

paying off. Brand Finance’s research shows that the 

club has a very strong presence in China, while the 

Bundesliga (generally less widely broadcast than La 

Liga or even Serie A) is China’s most watched foreign 

competition after the Premier League. 

Zenit St Petersburg is Russia’s only entry in the top 50. 

Its €168 million commercial revenues (led by headline 

sponsor Gazprom) are the primary driver of brand 

value, putting it significantly ahead of the two major 

Moscow clubs CSKA and Spartak. The soon to open 

Krestovsky Stadium should help Zenit pull further 

ahead of the pack; its 68,000 capacity is more than 

50% larger than any other club arena, allowing Zenit 

to leverage its brand through enhanced match-day 

revenue. The stadium will be a key venue for next 

year’s FIFA World Cup. 

At present, the Russian Premier League creates limited 

interest outside the CIS, however as billions of fans 

focus their attention on the country, 2018 could be the 

perfect opportunity for Russia’s clubs to strengthen 

their brands and build a following in Asia in particular. 

There are risks too though. Hooliganism was once 

known as the English Disease but is now more closely 

associated with Russia, which is also seen as a laggard 

on issues such as racism and homophobia in sport. 

Russian clubs must be mindful of the fragility of this 

once-in-a-generation opportunity, plan carefully to 

improve awareness, win fans, and secure commercial 

partnerships. MBR 

Media Credits: Robert Haigh, Marketing & Communications Director, 

Brand Finance 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

For more definitions of key terms, methodology, 

and more stories, including the profiles of top 10 

club brands, please consult the Brand Finance 

Football 50 report document. 

Brand values are reported in USD. For 

conversions into other currencies, please hover 

over the ‘i’ button on the web version of the table 

and select. 

World 

Next Top 

Model 

Malta 

Today Gaffiero Productions proudly 

announced that Christina Ellul Vincenti will 

be representing Malta in the World Top 

Model contest that will be held in Lebanon 

next July. This news was announced by 

the Director of Gaffiero Productions Ivan 

Gaffiero after a meeting he had with Cristina 

the second runner up in the World Top 

Model contest held last April. 

Due to personal reasons and other 

commitments, Ms Qormi the winner of the 

Christina Ellul Vincenti 

title World Top Model 2017 will be unable 

to represent Malta in Lebanon. During this 

prestigious contest, Cristina Ellul Vincenti will 

compete with other models representing 

fifty different nations. She is honoured and 

excited to represent Malta and she will 

continue to work hard to make Malta proud. 

Good luck Christina. 

MBR 

FASHION & LIFESTYLE 


Food festival happening at Palazzo Castelletti 

Local gastronomes will have the chance 

to snack their way through the culinary 

offerings at Palazzo Castelletti’s first food 

festival on Sunday 2 July 2017. 

“Our goal is that our diners could taste their 

way through the best food and signature 

cocktails while promising a Summer roof top 

experience like no other,” explained Kim Pace, 

General Manager, Palazzo Castelletti. 

Our food philosophy is simple. We make 

really tasty food that people want to eat again 

and again. We steer clear of gimmicks and 

stick to delicious, satisfying food made with 

the finest ingredients. Our food festival menu 

is no different – the quality is fabulous and it 

tastes fantastic- the difference is in the style 

and presentation. 

Live music will be provided throughout the 

evening. MBR 

56 


57


GARDENING & LANDSCAPING 

JONATHAN CALLUS 

the man behind some of the most 

beautiful gardens 

What had started off as a "playful hobby" 

for young Jonathan, playing with plant seeds 

along with his father years ago, has now 

evolved into one of Malta’s garden centres. 

Jonathan Callus, Managing Director of Callus 

Garden Centre explains about his love affair 

with plants, and the journey towards the 

growth of his landscaping business. 

Prompted by his father’s job and passion for 

gardening, Jonathan started out by offering 

grass-cutting services at a very young age. He 

began with one client and within a couple of 

months, had a gradual increase. He started 

working for a number of clients – his goal 

was to service a number of clients every day 

by taking care of their garden maintenance. 

Twelve years down the line his vision had 

changed into the creation of Callus Garden 

Centre - a company that offers quality work 

to achieve the total satisfaction of our 

customers. 

Speaking about the landscaping business, 

Jonathan explains how at Callus Garden 

Centre one understands the various nuances 

associated with pairing the correct landscape 

to one’s home, property and surroundings. 

Simply put, that means we believe that less 

is more and one has to avoid over planting. 

We make sure that one’s landscaping always 

accentuates one home’s architecture while 

striving to create a colourful landscape for 

the home that is easy to maintain. We know 

there’s more to landscaping than meets the 

eye. We pride ourselves in providing custom 

landscaping solutions utilizing the latest 

techniques. 

For someone who grew up growing plants at 

his family, Jonathan attributes his success to 

his upbringing, discipline and family admitting 

that starting a business does not come 

without any challenge. He explains that there 

are hard days and one needs to push through 

as long as one understands and believe in 

his own venture. Starting my own business 

has made me realise the various challenges 

one has to face in order to keep up with the 

business – the administration aspect whilst 

ensuring a seamless customer experience. 

Nowadays, at Callus Garden Centre we have 

set our roots in providing a reliable service 

Jonathan Callus, Managing Director of Callus Garden Centre 

with competitive prices. The Company is 

gradually growing to the point where we 

can supply a single plant for a terrace, or 

design and install an entire landscaped 

garden for a villa. Since our opening we have 

developed into a more retail focused garden 

centre offering a broader, seasonal range 

of products. Set in the stunning outskirts of 

Siggiewi, Callus Garden Centre offers a wide 

range of trees, plants and outdoor products 

thus being the ideal place for everything to 

make one garden grow. 

Callus Garden Centre, way more than a 

garden centre and plant nursery, is literally 

an inspired collection that includes unusual 

plants, artisan-created decorative pieces 

and a constantly changing array of items that 

bring beauty and flavour to the home and 

garden. The garden centre is one’s entry to a 

symphony of colours and fragrance that can 

infuse one’s indoor and outdoor living spaces 

with personal warmth and beauty. “Hard work 

and determination are all vital ingredients to 

a successful way forward,” explains Jonathan. 

“We thank all our customers for the ongoing 

support; we always strive to bring to our 

customers the best experience possible 

whilst making constant innovations and 

improvements to ensure we can achieve a 

high level of service”. MBR 

THE VERA SANT FOURNIER 

BRAND HAS EVOLVED TO 

FLEXIBLE ECLECTIC ELEGANCE... 

SUCCESSFUL IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, ON ANY PLATFORM 

Our one stop solution is ideal for individuals who 

do not have the creative vision or time to trawl the 

internet or go from one shop to another coordinating 

all that is needed to create beauty and practicality in 

order to achieve that unique look. 

Vera Sant Fournier - Design Studio can tend to 

every single detail of your project, from residential to 

commercial, from private events to wedding décor, We 

will create your personal space, from the positioning of 

electrical sockets to suitable artwork, light fittings, soft 

furnishings etc. With meticulous care we ensure that 

elements such as the correct blend of materials, the 

feel of a particular texture as well as the specific mood a 

colour evokes combine in unison to create your very own 

personal space. 

No assignment is too big or small for Vera Sant Fournier 

- Design Studio, our costs are based on how much 

involvement you require from us. Our fee structure and 

project approach allows our clients to decide precisely 

the level of involvement Vera Sant Fournier - Design 

Studio has in their envisaged project. Additionally, our 

clients benefit from the good prices afforded by trade 

accounts with various manufacturers and distributors we 

use across the globe & whole budget spectrum. 

58

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