Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1472631
2 NEWS 7.7.2022 APS Bank plc has just launched its new capital-guar- anteed deposit account, the APS Kapital Plus 16. This new limited offer deposit account requires a minimum deposit of €5,000, fixed for six years. The APS Kapital Plus account pays regular inter- est of 0.5% p.a., paid annually. This account is being offered in Euro and there are no initial or annual charges. There is also the opportunity to earn po- tential additional bonus at maturity date, linked to the performance of the APS Multi-Asset Strategy 6% Volatility Target EUR Strategy No.1, a strate- gy designed to reflect the active market views es- poused by ReAPS Asset Management. Josef Portelli, Managing Director at ReAPS Asset Management and Head of Investment Manage- ment at APS Bank commented "We have designed the new Kapital Plus Deposit Account for investors looking for full capital protection, yet still being able to potentially earn an additional return that is intrinsically linked to capital market views generat- ed by ReAPS Asset Management." Visit www.apsbank.com.mt/kapital-plus-16 for more information. APS Kapital Plus 16 launched MEDIRECT Bank has revamped its brand with a promise of a bet- ter customer experience. As part of this new brand positioning, Me- Direct aims to bridge the gaps be- tween the old and new models of the banking sector. Born out of the traditional model and built for the digital age, MeDirect is now taking a step ahead by leveraging a digital investment platform making in- vestments simple and being acces- sible to all. By bringing money solu- tions to the market in a single and inclusive tool, MeDirect empowers its clients to manage money in their own way. is rebranding initiative is part of the larger transformation plan that aims to position MeDirect as a WealthTech. It embodies the new identity of MeDirect and sup- ports the longer-term delivery of a Wealth SuperApp. MeDirect is the third-largest banking group in Mal- ta with operations also in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. In 2019, the Group embarked on a transformation journey. Since then, it has shifted its focus from being a credit lender in the interna- tional corporate lending space, to a pan-European WealthTech leader and a specialised mortgage lend- ing platform. Alongside this shift in strategy comes a redefined mission: "To be a one-stop-shop for peo- ple's investments and savings and a place where they can manage their money, their way. is means pro- viding our customers with an app they can understand, navigate and trust. is also means making our customers feel included. Listening to them, speaking their language and guiding them forward — so they can make the choices that suit their values and needs." Arnaud Denis, Chief Executive Officer of MeDirect Group, stated: "e new MeDirect brand encap- sulates our mission and enables us to align our identity with our strategy. Changing our branding is not just about changing our logo. A brand should portray how an organisation makes people feel. At MeDirect we care about the way we express ourselves and how that comes across to our customers and the outside world. e financial world is not necessarily simple, but the MeDirect app is. With our dig- ital investment platform, we aim to make investing simple and accessi- ble for all." Denis said: "While MeDirect has always been customer-centric, we now offer our clients the tools nec- essary to empower them to navi- gate the complexity of the financial world and make them feel capable and in control, with confidence. With these tools, we are shifting our customers' perception of bank- ing from "we" to "me" – my money, my choices." "With an outstanding team across the Group, including nearly 170 employees in Tech and Digital channels, we deliver value to our clients by operating with an agile framework as a Fintech, yet as sta- ble as other regulated banks. Our clients can feel safe knowing that we are supervised by the Europe- an Central Bank, with capital and liquidity ratios well in excess of our regulatory requirements." MeDirect revamps for a better customer experience Majority of waiters, bartenders earn between €14,500 and €19,200 - survey PAUL COCKS WAITERS, servers and bartenders earned on average between €14,500 and €19,200 annually, according to a ma- jority of respondents participating in a survey carried out by the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE). e survey was conducted among 121 restaurants, which form 25% of ACE members, employing 1,044 full-time and 942 part-time employees. 72% of respondents said that the gross salary bracket paid to waiters and serv- ers is between €14,500 to €19,200 per annum. And 78% of respondents said the same salary was paid to bartenders. Dishwashers and cleaners earn less than €14,500 annually, according to 82% of restaurant owners. When respondents were asked about the gross salary bracket of restaurant managers, 73% said this varies between €19,200 and €34,000 per annum. 10% of respondents said they pay res- taurant managers a gross salary of more than €30,000 per annum. Head chefs are the highest paid em- ployees in the catering industry, with 90% of the survey respondents say- ing they paid their head chefs between €27,600 and €40,000 in annual gross pay. 40% of the respondents paid their head chefs more than €36,000 annually. Sous chefs are paid between €20,400 and €31,200, according to 78% of the re- spondents. Another 11% said they paid sous chefs more than €31,200 annually. 78% of the respondents also said that chefs de partie are paid an average annu- al salary between €14,500 and €19,200. Chefs tournant are paid between €15,600 and €23,000, according to 88% of respondents. ACE pointed out that most standalone restaurant owners pay an additional commission on sales, and it is estimated that each restaurant staff member earns an additional €3,600 euro in tips per an- num, over and above their monthly sal- aries. e survey results are based on a regu- lar 173 hour working month, and do not include any overtime, sales' commis- sions or customer tips.