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7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 SEPTEMBER 2026 COMMERCIAL HSBC Malta partners with FinanceMalta and MFSAC to showcase Malta's financial services in London HSBC Bank Malta today an- nounced it has entered into a partnership agreement with FinanceMalta in support of the flagship London reception or- ganised by the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council (MF- SAC) and FinanceMalta, to be held on Wednesday 25 Novem- ber 2026 at the Great Hall of the Guildhall. The reception, which is be- ing hosted for the fourth time, brings together senior stake- holders to promote Malta's financial services sector inter- nationally and to strengthen en- gagement with the UK market. The initiative also supports the wider momentum behind the sector's national strategy, led through joint efforts by regula- tors and industry. Geoffrey Fichte, HSBC Mal- ta's CEO said, "our bank has a long-standing commitment to supporting the island's growth and its international connec- tivity. This partnership reflects our shared ambition to present Malta's financial services offer- ing with clarity and confidence on a global stage, and London remains an important place to do that." Fichte added, "Events like the London reception help open doors for dialogue, investment interest and collaboration. They also give international audienc- es a practical sense of Malta's capabilities, professionalism and long-term direction." Joseph Zammit Tabona, Chair- man of the MFSAC commented, "We are grateful for HSBC's con- tinued support of this important initiative. The London reception is an invaluable opportunity to further promote Malta's finan- cial services overseas and to demonstrate the progress being made through the country's fo- cused Financial Services sector strategy as well as through the close cooperation between the public and private sectors driv- ing implementation." George Vella, Chairman of Fi- nanceMalta, said, "This partner- ship strengthens the platform we've built in London to con- nect Malta's financial services sector with key international de- cision-makers. Showcasing our capabilities and the progress of our national strategy helps re- inforce confidence in Malta as a forward-looking, well-regulated and collaborative jurisdiction." With a significant proportion of the original initiatives in the sector's long-term strategy al- ready delivered, the MFSAC is now working on an updated strategy for 2027 to 2032. Con- tinued collaboration across the sector and key stakeholders will be important to sustain this mo- mentum. The partnership agreement was signed at HSBC Hub in Qormi, with HSBC Bank Mal- ta, FinanceMalta and MFSAC now working closely together on the final event logistics arrange- ments ahead of the London re- ception in November. Left to right: George Vella, Chairman of FinanceMalta, Geoffrey Fichte, CEO at HSBC Malta and Joseph Zammit Tabona, Chairman of MFSAC, signing the partnership agreement at the HSBC Hub in Qormi. Customer and employee feedback drives recognition of BOV's CX Stars BANK of Valletta has celebrat- ed colleagues who are making a meaningful difference in cus- tomers' lives through its CX Stars recognition programme, an initiative that places the customer's voice at the heart of employee recognition and rein- forces the Bank's commitment to delivering exceptional cus- tomer experiences. The programme forms part of the Bank's ongoing Voice of the Customer (VoC) initiative, through which customers share feedback about their experienc- es across the Bank's channels. This feedback helps BOV un- derstand what matters most to customers, shape service im- provements, and recognise col- leagues who are making a real difference. Through CX Stars, frontline employees who receive mul- tiple positive mentions from customers are celebrated, giv- ing customers a direct voice in recognising exceptional service. Employees across the Bank were also encouraged to nomi- nate colleagues in support and brand protection roles whose work strengthens the overall customer experience. This re- flects the fact that great service is not created only at the front- line, but through the combined efforts of teams who simpli- fy processes, remove friction, strengthen controls, and help customers bank with confi- dence. Addressing the nominees, Bank of Valletta CEO Ken- neth Farrugia explained, "At BOV, customer experience is everyone's responsibility. What makes the CX Stars programme particularly meaningful is that it combines the voice of our cus- tomers with the appreciation of our colleagues. Customers help us identify those who have made a genuine difference to their experience, while employ- ees can recognise peers whose work supports and enables that experience behind the scenes. Together, these recognitions reinforce our commitment to putting customers at the centre of everything we do." The recognition programme is part of BOV's broader customer experience journey, which con- tinues to strengthen the way the Bank listens, learns and acts on customer feedback. It also rein- forces a culture where feedback is not simply measured but used to drive meaningful improve- ment. CX Stars is also a remind- er that every role contributes to the customer experience — from colleagues serving customers directly, to those supporting teams, improving processes, developing solutions, and strengthening the Bank's operational and governance frameworks. By linking customer feedback with employee recognition, Bank of Valletta continues to turn insight into action while celebrating the people who bring its customer-first values to life every day.