Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1499533
4 NEWS 18.5.2023 FinanceMalta publishes its annual report for 2022 MCAST lecturer participates in international space forum FINANCEMALTA released its annual report for 2022, highlighting the organi- sation's work throughout the year to pro- mote Malta as an international financial centre and to contribute to the develop- ment of the Maltese financial services sector. For FinanceMalta, the year under review was characterised by a high level of activity, leading to an outstanding track record on both the domestic and interna- tional front. e annual report was ap- proved by the Founders of FinanceMalta during the AGM held in April. In 2022, FinanceMalta played an impor- tant role in promoting Malta as a financial centre in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and following the removal of Malta from the FATF greylist. Finance- Malta's efforts were targeted towards highlighting Malta's advantages and pro- moting its reputation as a safe, reliable, and cost-effective jurisdiction. To achieve this end, along with showcasing Malta's diverse portfolio of financial services and products, FinanceMalta embarked on and executed a business development strategy that combined targeted digital marketing campaigns, public relations initiatives, in- ternational events and lobbying. In 2022 FinanceMalta also commemo- rated its 15th anniversary and unveiled its new branding to update its image, in line with its modern and professional stature, and to usher in the renewed drive with- in the organisation. e new brand was rolled out across all communications, including the channels hosting Finance- Malta's official online presence, such as FinanceMalta's website, which is regu- larly updated with relevant multimedia content, and the e-newsletter "Insight". FinanceMalta also increased its follower base on all social media platforms, re- vamped its #FinTalks podcasts and par- ticipated in five virtual events. As part of its internationalisation strat- egy, FinanceMalta was granted the 'full member' status within the World Alli- ance of Financial Centers (WAIFC) on the occasion of the WAIFC Board Meet- ing that was held in Casablanca, Moroc- co, on 9-21 October 2022. FinanceMalta also contributed to the EU Roundtable of Financial Centres and Federations in Lux- embourg on 21-22 November 2022. During the year, FinanceMalta partici- pated in 30 in-person events, both locally and overseas. e Foundation, with the contribution of its members, promoted the jurisdiction in some 20 international events which covered all sectors of the financial services, from funds and as- set management, to insurance, private wealth, FinTech and capital markets. Locally, the Foundation hosted several sectoral networking events with the aim of gathering the local industry following the pandemic. ese efforts culminated in the 15th Annual Conference themed "Learning from the past: Looking to the Future", that was addressed by 30 speakers and attended by over 300 del- egates. FinanceMalta further boosted its promotional efforts by participating in a number of events organised locally by its founding associations, members, government entities and other stake- holders. Commenting on FinanceMalta's perfor- mance, Chairman George Vella remarked that: "2022 was the year in which we ful- ly resumed our activities following the pandemic. We organized local gatherings for the various sectors of the industry, we have strongly increased our digital marketing activities and, most impor- tantly, we are glad that many members of FinanceMalta showed great interest in promoting the jurisdiction international- ly, which is the core objective of Finance- Malta. is shows that the industry ap- preciates our offering and is keen to work with us to attract business to Malta. We are extremely satisfied that this interest is further increasing in 2023: more and more members are keen in joining our delegations internationally and we will continue to provide them with such op- portunities". Besides the impact of FinanceMalta's endeavours on the financial services sec- tor at large, a total of 191 companies that are registered members of FinanceMal- ta, including six companies that employ over 200 workers each, benefited from FinanceMalta's initiatives including rep- resentation and participation at interna- tional events, sponsorships, specialised training in marketing and PR, and direct networking opportunities. FinanceMalta membership is open to entities operating within the financial services and legal industry, and to those contributing to the growth that Malta's fi- nancial services industry is experiencing through the work of FinanceMalta. FinanceMalta launched its new branding at its 15th annual conference in December 2022 MCAST Institute of Engineering and Transport (IET) senior lecturer Dr Leonardo Barilaro participated in the EuroSpaceHub Ibiza Forum 2023. is event brought together some of the leading innovators in the aerospace and aviation industry. Dr Leonardo Barila- ro was invited as a guest speaker and an expert in aerospace technology and measurements for research on space debris topics. Barilaro spoke during two panels. e first focused on technologies for space- craft repair after space debris impacts and the importance of collaboration for innovation. He presented his space music composition in the second panel, ZER0, streamed from the International Space Station. Moreover, he was invited to perform Maleth for the opening cere- mony in space last August 2022. e forum aimed to enhance innova- tion and collaboration within the space and aviation innovation ecosystem by bringing together academia, industry, startups, and governments. Barilaro's participation in the EuroSpaceHub Ibiza Forum 2023 demonstrates the potential of MCAST for aerospace research in hy- pervelocity impacts and Space Art. His contribution to the forum is expected to inspire conversations and ignite collabo- rations within the space and aviation in- novation ecosystem, opening significant opportunities for MCAST students. e consortium supporting this forum has five full partners, including Vilni- us Gediminas Technical University in Lithuania, International Space Univer- sity in France, Complutense University of Madrid in Spain, Lunar Explorers Society in the Netherlands, and Collab- with Group in the Netherlands. ese partners are supported by 12 associate partners from the space ecosystem, in- cluding one ESA business incubation centre, two venture capital networks, three higher education institutions, two photonics and aerospace research cen- tres, one technology park, one space foundation, and the Ministry of Eco- nomics in Lithuania. Prof. Bernard Foing, ex-ESA and CEO of EuroSpaceHub expressed interest in collaborating with MCAST. Foing is a Professor of Astrophysics at Leiden University and CEO of Lunex Euro- moonmars; Principal Project Scientist for SMART-1 and president of the IAF International Committee for the Cul- tural Utilization of Space (ITACCUS). EuroSpaceHub Ibiza Forum 2023 al- lowed leading minds in the space and aviation industry to collaborate, inno- vate, and create an inclusive and sus- tainable space community. Dr Leonardo Barilaro was a guest speaker at the EuroSpaceHub Ibiza Forum 2023