Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543797
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 MARCH 2026 COMMERCIAL APS Bank continues Holy Week tradition with Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle FOLLOWING the success of previous editions, APS Bank will present Gioachino Ross- ini's Petite Messe Solennelle on Tuesday 31 March 2026 at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary, San Pawl tat-Tarġa, Naxxar. Building on last year's perfor- mance of Mozart's Requiem in D minor, this year's Holy Week concert continues the Bank's tradition of bringing sacred masterpieces to local audienc- es. Organised in collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Michael Laus, the concert will feature soprano Gillian Zam- mit, alto Claire Massa, tenor Alan Sciberras, bass Andrew Louis Cassar, together with The New Choral Singers. Ross- ini's Petite Messe Solennelle blends sacred reflection with operatic warmth, with its ex- pressive contrasts and unmis- takable Rossinian style offering a fitting musical experience during Holy Week and a mo- ment for shared reflection. Liana DeBattista, Chief Strat- egy Officer at APS Bank, com- mented: "Our Holy Week con- cert has become an important date in the Bank's cultural calendar. Following last year's performance, we are pleased to present Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle on 31 March. Or- ganising events like this form part of our ongoing commit- ment to culture and commu- nity, particularly during sig- nificant moments such as Holy Week." Tickets for the APS Bank Ho- ly Week Concert are available here. The Phoenicia Malta GM attends Forbes Travel Guide Summit 2026 ROBYN Pratt, General Man- ager of The Phoenicia Malta, attended the Forbes Travel Guide Summit 2026 in Feb- ruary as Malta's International Delegate. She was one of just 51 country representatives selected world- wide for the invitation-only event. Held at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, it brought to- gether global luxury hospitality leaders for keynotes, network- ing and industry-defining dis- cussions. Her appearance also coin- cides with The Phoenicia Malta being awarded a Forbes Four- Star rating, for the second con- secutive year. Find out more about The Phoenicia Malta at www. phoeniciamalta.com. CrediaBank announces its financial results for 2025 CREDIABANK, the Greek bank that is confirmed to acquire the 70.03% of HSBC Malta by Q1 of 2027 subject to all required regu- latory approvals, concluded 2025 on a strong growth trajectory, delivering record-breaking per- formance across all key financial indicators, reaffirming its posi- tion as one of the most dynamic banking institutions in Greece. 2025 was the first full year after the merger of Attica Bank and Pancreta Bank, therefore a year that was marked by transforma- tion to realize the synergies post the merger, strategic decisions and expansion, continuous re- structuring, but also the rebrand- ing of the Bank. Throughout the year, the Bank achieved credit expansion in line with its annual targets, while maintaining adequate liquidity levels and recording an all-time high in deposits. At the same time, capital adequacy was fur- ther strengthened, and recurring pre-provision profits reached a new historic peak, driven by a sol- id increase in net interest income despite a declining interest rate environment. This performance was comple- mented by a marked improvement in loan portfolio quality, along with business developments, fur- ther enhancing CrediaBank's re- silience, sustainability and long- term growth prospects. Operational developments 2025 marked a defining year for CrediaBank, as the Group entered a new phase of growth driven by strategic initiatives. A key mile- stone was the launch of the new identity under the new brand name «CrediaBank», signaling the beginning of a new era following the merger of Attica Bank and Pancreta Bank. The successful completion of the operational in- tegration of systems in September 2025 sealed the merger and creat- ed a unified operating platform. As part of its new identity, Cre- diaBank inaugurated «New Ex- perience» branches in Athens, Crete & Thessaloniki introduc- ing an innovative, human-centric banking model that prioritizes accessibility, personalized service, and inclusion, through advanced technology and purpose-designed infrastructure. Moreover, through its partnership with Euronet, the Bank now offers free cash with- drawals and balance inquiries at more than 2,500 ATMs in Greece, which is the largest ATM network in Greece. Besides the ATM cov- erage, the cooperation agreement with Euronet envisages a strategic partnership across the areas of cards issuing, merchant acquiring, and payments including also digi- tal wallets. At the same time, CrediaBank actively reinforced its balance sheet and risk profile. The Bank agreed to acquire a portfolio of performing residential mortgage loans (Project Galene) from Un- ión de Créditos Inmobiliarios S.A. E.F.C. and successfully completed its second Synthetic Securitization of performing exposures (Project Perseus II). These transactions delivered substantial risk transfer, reduced risk-weighted assets, and supported an enhancement of the CET1 capital ratio. Enhanced product offering and revenue diversification remained a key item to the Bank's strategic agenda. In this context, the Credi- aBank initiated exclusive discus- sions for the acquisition of a 70% stake in Pantelakis Securities S.A., one of Greece's leading brokerage firms and, some years ago, the brokerage arm of HSBC Greece.