MBR’s Finance and Investment B2B Networking Forum 2016
MBR Publication Ltd’s annual Finance and Investment Forum held last week at SmartCity proved to be yet another huge success for the organisers. The event brought together leading experts from different financial, tax, legal and SME business organisations to speak about issues and their perspectives regarding key topics in Malta’s financial sector.
The forum opened with a welcome registration and reception; guests were welcomed with a complimentary breakfast and were able to network before the event was officially opened. Minister for the Economy, Investments & Small Business Dr Chris Cardona interacted with delegates and exhibitors as he opened talks with a speech in which he hailed the forum as a gathering for the sharing of ideas.
Dr Cardona went on to list Malta’s desirable traits which make it “a place of substance with an appetite for business to do well”, describing the island as cost competitive and communicative with a high quality of life.
He said that “the level of growth in Malta outstrips most of those in the EU, and as a government we are grateful to those businesses who are succeeding in Malta and who spread the word. I think Malta’s best days lie ahead, as we have a global mind-set and the world is our market,” Dr Cardona concluded.
After a video showcasing the financial services Malta has to offer, Head Business Advisory at Grant Thornton, Dr George Vella discussed access to finance and how one of the biggest issues banks in Malta face is liquidation.
Mr Vella said that despite banks being strong, they are in fact over liquidated as 52 per cent of their assets are held in cash. He claimed: “The financial service industry is doing well, our mentality is strong and we’ve managed to attract a lot of financial institutions, but is this actually trickling into the rest of the economy?”
One of the keynote protagonists of the day was EU funding, innovation management and business development specialist Anamaria Magri Pantea; who took centre stage to deliver a passionate She stimulated the room with her take on EU funding for innovation, where she described the creative sector as a horizontal way of thinking, and drove home the importance of innovation in all sectors.
Head of Sales at Go Beyond Investing, Jean Paul Barthet spoke about the importance of investing in start-ups; there is a common misconception that in order to be successful they have to become a household name. He explained, “Angel investing isn’t a high risk game for only the rich, and successful start-ups don’t have to become a verb in our vocabulary in order to be successful. The seed of angel investing and innovation has been planted in Malta, and there is the potential to earn high returns and to positively affect the economy.”
After a networking coffee break there was a surprise speech from property entrepreneur Simon Debono, of Simon Estates, whose witty humour and knowledge convinced guests on the stability and benefits of investing in Maltese property.
Managing director of Tameflow Consulting, Steve Tendon, followed with a resounding rendition and discussion of the unstoppable disruption of the financial service industry themed “Blockchain”, which was voted the best presentation of the event, followed by Dr Marina Grech, who discussed opportunities for the Maltese Investments Market and explained the legal logistics of Malta’s finance sector.
Before guests were treated to a complimentary three-course lunch, Malta Stock Exchange CEO Designate Simon Zammit concluded the conference with an overview of the Maltese Capital market during which he explained Malta’s role as an effective source of capital for large organisations and SMEs.
Attendees left with a different outlook on finance in Malta, with a fresh appreciation for innovation and new knowledge to last them until next year’s forum.