The Malta Independent on Sunday
Thomson Reuters confirms main sponsorship for FinanceMalta Conference
Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of news and information for professional markets has confirmed its sponsorship for the forthcoming FinanceMalta conference, ‘Finance without Frontiers’ which will be held on Thursday, 17th May at the Hilton Conference Centre, St Julian’s.
Teaming up with Thomson Reuters and a line-up of high calibre speakers is Michael Imeson, senior content editor of Financial Times Live and a Contributing Editor of The Banker who will be moderating the conference.
To add to the quality of speakers, FinanceMalta has also invited Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, Silvio Schembri, to address dele- gates about Malta’s achievements in financial services and the digital economy, and its progress as a leader in DLT technology.
Commenting about Malta’s successes, Schembri remarked that the recently presented bills, The Malta Digital Innovation Au- thority Bill, Innovative Technology Arrangement and Services Bill, and Virtual Financial Asset Bill, are now in their second reading and are one step closer to becoming an actual Act. These laws, which are a ‘first’ in the world, will continue to drive the country forward in becoming a leader in DLT regulation, Schembri said, noting that the purpose of such legislation is to create a strong eco-system, offering peace of mind both for customers and investors, achieving stability and market integrity. Once in force, these bills will help Malta deliver its own objective of becoming the Blockchain Island, he concluded.
On the theme of the conference, Mr Imeson said: ‘Finance without frontiers’ reflects the fact that the European Union’s single market in financial services presents countless opportunities for firms operating in this sector. Barriers still remain, of course, but these are being addressed by harmonising legislation, like the Insurance Distribution Directive and PSD2, and initiatives such as the European Commission’s Fintech Action Plan. However, Brexit raises a big question. When the UK leaves the EU, how freely will financial services flow across UK/EU frontiers?
Mr Imeson added: “If you work in financial services in Malta, this year’s conference is a must-attend event. You’ll get to hear senior executives from banks, fund management companies, professional services firms, fintech firms and other businesses talk about the sector, what they’re doing to improve customer service, and the pitfalls they’re trying to avoid. They will be joined by leading public sector officials from Malta and other member states.”
This year’s conference will address a wide range of themes focusing on contemporary and current topics affecting the financial services industry, including sessions on business start-ups, GDPR, cyber security, MiFiD II and MiFiR. The conference will start with a pre-conference networking event on 16th May.
Other partners and sponsors include Konnekt, RiskCap International Ltd, Dolfin Asset Services Limited, Vacancy Centre, Fenech & Fenech Advocates, BDO (Malta), and Estera. Further information and tickets for the conference can be found online at www.financemalta.org/conference-2018