Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545608
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 JUNE 2026 COMMERCIAL HSBC Malta celebrates the people and relationships behind its success CUSTOMERS and colleagues took centre stage over recent weeks as HSBC Malta hosted a series of events and celebratory moments that highlighted the people and relationships behind its success. While each event served a different purpose, they all reflected the values and rela- tionships that continue to under- pin and shape the Bank's success. From its annual Townhall to a customer event and the bank's staff summer celebration, each occasion reflected HSBC Malta's continued commitment to in- vesting in its people, strengthen- ing customer relationships and fostering a culture built on collab- oration, inclusion and excellence. Together, the events highlighted the values that continue to define the bank as it looks confidently towards the future. The programme began with HSBC Malta's annual Townhall, where colleagues from across the organisation came together to reflect on achievements, discuss strategic priorities and look ahead to the next chapter of the bank's journey. The event reinforced HSBC Malta's culture of open- ness, collaboration and account- ability, while recognising the collective contribution colleagues make every day in delivering ex- ceptional service to customers. Employees also heard a clear and direct message: as the bank tran- sitions to CrediaBank, the people who built the bank's success will continue to drive it forward post transition. The celebrations continued with a customer summer event, bringing together clients, part- ners and guests in recognition of the longstanding relationships built on trust, loyalty and shared success. The evening reflected HSBC Malta's appreciation for the con- fidence customers continue to place in the bank and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting them through every stage of their financial journey. The series concluded with HS- BC Malta's annual staff summer celebration, providing colleagues with an opportunity to celebrate achievements, strengthen con- nections across the organisation and recognise the teamwork and dedication that continue to drive the bank forward. Beyond cele- brating success, the event reflect- ed the importance HSBC Malta places on creating an engaging workplace where colleagues feel valued, connected and empow- ered. Collectively, the three events underscored a simple but en- during message: HSBC Malta's greatest strength lies in its people and the relationships they build every day. Whether supporting customers, collaborating with colleagues or engaging with the wider community, these relation- ships remain the foundation of the bank's continued success. Commenting on the events, HS- BC Malta CEO Geoffrey Fichte said, "The continuity of people, relationships and expertise is the foundation of our transformation and upgrade programme to Cre- diaBank. Our greatest strength has always been our people and the relationships we have built with our customers over many years. These events were a cele- bration of the trust, collaboration and sense of community that de- fine HSBC Malta and continue to shape who we are today. HSBC Malta CEO Geoffrey Fichte opening the all Employee Townhall THE Company is pleased to announce the appoint- ment of Ms Ewa Tokarska, residing at 210 FL 4, Triq Manwel Dimech, Tas- Sliema, SLM 1050, Malta, as Chief People Officer of the Group, effective im- mediately. She will be succeeding Ms Denise Cortis, who has resigned from her position as Chief People Officer. The Company thanks Ms Cortis for her services and wishes her success in her new en- deavours. Ms Tokarska is a sea- soned human resourc- es executive with over 15 years of international experience leading end- to-end people functions across the technology, e-commerce, financial services, and retail sectors. In her most recent role, Ms Tokarska led the HR function across Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, supporting a workforce of over 600 employees with- in a larger international organisation of more than 4,000 employees, while aligning regional opera- tions with the global peo- ple strategy. Prior to this, she held senior leadership positions overseeing large and diverse workforces, including responsibility for organisational design, workforce planning, per- formance management frameworks, and com- pensation strategies in complex and fast-growing environments. Ms Tokarska holds a Master's Degree in Psy- chology from the John Paul II Catholic Univer- sity of Lublin, Poland, a Master of Business Ad- ministration (MBA) from the University of Gdansk, Poland, and further qual- ifications in human re- sources management and labour law. The Board is confident that Ms Tokarska's expe- rience and leadership will support the Group's continued growth and strategic development. There are no matters that require disclosure under Capital Markets Rules 5.20.5 to 5.20.9. Company announcement cvs 121: Change in Chief People Officer BOV Foundation proudly supported the restoration of one of Malta's few 15th-Century retables THE BOV Foundation sup- ported the conservation and restoration of the pala d'al- tare at the Parish Church of St George in Qormi, dating back to the 15th century. Following the completion of the three-year restora- tion project, the retable has now been returned to the church. The retable is cen- tred around The Lamen- tation, a highly significant 15th-century panel painting attributed to an unknown Sicilian artist active during the first half of the centu- ry. It is flanked by two later 15th-century side panels, St George and the Dragon and St Gregory with a Fe- male Saint, attributed to a Northern Italian workshop, probably of Lombard prov- enance. Although now vis- ually associated as a single ensemble, the three panels were created by different artists and at different times, before being brought to- gether within the devotional and liturgical history of St George's Parish Church. By the mid-17th century, the panels had been reunited on the Pietà altar, where they were mounted separately within a stone framework. It was also during this period that the associated painted crucifix was incorporated into the ensemble. The con- servation works, entrusted to PrevArti Laboratories, included technical exami- nation, photographic and graphic documentation, in- frared and X-radiographic investigation, consolidation of unstable paint and wood- en supports, cleaning, the controlled removal of de- teriorated varnish and later overpaint, structural repairs, filling of losses, reversible retouching and the applica- tion of protective varnish. The project also included the design and installation of a suitable hanging system for the safe display of the re- stored ensemble. Pierre Bugeja, Founder and Senior Conservator at Pre- vArti, noted that this con- servation project revealed important historical and iconographic information. Infrared reflectography and cleaning showed that later overpainting had substan- tially altered the appearance of St George and the Drag- on, obscuring original de- tails of the dragon, armour, reins and other narrative elements. In the right-hand panel, conservation also clarified the identity of the female saint accompanying St Gregory: a vessel previ- ously altered by overpaint to resemble a book was re- vealed to be an ointment jar, supporting her identifica- tion as Mary Magdalene. This project stands among the most significant con- servation and restoration initiatives supported by the BOV Foundation. Ernest Agius, BOV COO and Dep- uty Chair of the Foundation, stated, "Through the BOV Foundation, we are proud to support initiatives that pro- tect and preserve Maltese national heritage, ensuring they can be appreciated by present and future genera- tions." The pala d'altare was the titular painting of the parish church from the mid- 15th century to 1632, when it was replaced by a new tit- ular painting of St George and the dragon, depicted by Gaspare Formica.