Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/362477
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2014 16 THE Argus Group, parent company of the Malta based Argus Insurance Agencies Limited (formerly Fogg Insurance), has announced profits of 13.2 million Bermudan Dollars (€9.86 million), for the year end- ing 31 March 2014. The company's board has also declared an interim dividend on seven Bermudan Cents per share. Alison Hill, Chief Executive Of- ficer of the Argus Group, comments: "These positive results are under- pinned by strong business funda- mentals including continued strong performance by our core business operations, high client retention levels and efficient management of operating expenses. In addition, we continue to follow strong govern- ance and risk management process- es and to optimise the Balance Sheet and capital structure. The Group continues to make progress with its strategic goal of focusing on mar- kets where Argus can grow and earn higher returns within acceptable risk tolerances. Accordingly, we remain confident that the Argus Group is well positioned for the future." Shareholders' Equity now stands at BM$106.9 million (€79.88 mil- lion), representing an increase from BM$94.4 million one year ago, which is substantially in excess of the statu- tory capital required to conduct the Group's various insurance and in- vestment related businesses. The re- sult for the year represents a return on average Shareholders' Equity of 13.2 percent. The earnings per share for the year were $0.63 compared to $0.61 last year. As at 31 March 2014, the Group's total assets stood at BM$2.1 billion (€1.57 billion). Vanessa Borg, Chief Executive at Argus Insurance Agencies Limited, said, "Argus is committed to build- ing a stronger presence in Malta and to offering our clients a greater range of products coupled with excellent service. Argus also views our coun- try as a potential hub for regional operations. "As such, Argus Insurance Agencies Limited is key to the Group's strat- egy of expanding into new markets that offer opportunities for growth. These positive results, which include an increase in net premiums written of BM$3.0 million (€2.24 million), are very encouraging and augur well for continued investment in product development and support for the Maltese business, which in turn will benefit our customers." Events The Argus Group announces BM$13.2 million profit Emirates innovates with inflight entertainment for the visually impaired EMIRATES, the global connector of people and places, continues to set industry standards by becoming the first airline to introduce Audio Description on movies for visually impaired customers on its inflight entertainment system, ice Digital Widescreen. Emirates' ice (information, com- munication and entertainment) was recently awarded the 'World's Best Airline Inflight Entertainment' award at the SKYTRAX World Air- line Awards for the 10th consecutive year. ice now offers Audio Descrip- tion soundtracks on 16 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures films in- cluding Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, Cars 2, Monsters University , Mar- vel's The Avengers, Toy Story 3 and all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Audio Description, increas- ingly common in cinemas and TV, is a recorded narration explaining the scene during the gaps in dialogue, while the film soundtrack continues at its normal pace. In 2007, Emirates also worked with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to introduce Closed Captions, the technology used by the hard of hear- ing, for the first time in inflight en- tertainment. This August ice Digital Widescreen will offer over 50 movies with Closed Captions. "Making entertainment accessible to our diverse customers is very im- portant to us. It was our motivation to introduce movies that can be enjoyed by customers with visual difficulties. Our greatest satisfaction comes from delivering an exceptional customer experience, which we hope our con- stant innovation fulfils," said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates' Vice President Corporate Communications Prod- uct, Publishing, Digital & Events. Emirates' award-winning ice Digital Widescreen offers a staggering choice of over 1,800 channels of entertain- ment, including over 400 movies from around the world, hundreds of hours of TV and thousands of hours of music from contemporary to clas- sical. Customers onboard Emirates' new Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 air- craft will now be able to enjoy the ice system on larger personal TV screens with HD resolution: 27-inch in First Class, 20-inch in Business Class and 12.1 inch in Economy Class. Emirates currently operates daily scheduled flights from Malta to Du- bai using a Boeing 777 aircraft. Malta Airport - ALIVE2014 Cycling Challenge exceeds its target THE second edition of the Malta Air- port - ALIVE2014 Cycling Challenge was a success as the Foundation ex- ceeded its target of €65,000. The funds collected will be shortly announced and once again donated to the Univer- sity of Malta's Research Trust (RIDT) for a specialised programme in breast cancer in Malta. This year, forty-five cyclists lived up to this tough challenge, covering almost 1,100Km in seven days across five countries in hot temperatures, wet weather, steep hills and rough terrain. The challenge kicked off from Prague on July 10. The group cycled to Vienna, then through Bratislava, Bu- dapest and Belgrade, covering a daily average of 155Km. This year's route was notably hilly and much tougher than last year's with one particular el- evation reaching 2,600m. "Throughout the challenge we kept our spirits high," said Nicky Camilleri, Chairperson of ALIVE Charity Foun- dation. "Although we encountered varied weather conditions and hilly routes our spirits were not dampened. Exhausted in the sweltering heat and drenched in the heavy rain and hail, we were all determined to complete the challenge knowing that every kilo- metre cycled and every euro collected was going to help raise funds for fur- ther research in breast cancer." For the past years, the University of Malta in collaboration with Mater Dei Hospital Breast Clinic, has registered progress in particular biochemical pathways in breast cancer. Involved in this research are the Physiology and Biochemistry Department, the Anatomy Department and the Clini- cal Pharmacology Department within the University of Malta. "We need to sustain this crucial re- search study along the coming years. We therefore continue to rely on the generosity of the Maltese community," said Wilfred Kenely, Chief Executive of the University of Malta's Research Trust. The ALIVE2014 Cycling Challenge was sponsored by Malta International Airport and supported by Sky Spirits Fitness Lounge, Impressions Print, Signs and Displays, Go & Fun, Deben- hams, Gollcher Group, Pizza Petrus, Garmin, Express Group and KPMG amongst others. HSBC UK Contact Centre Team Manager to climb Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc IN an attempt to further in- spire and challenge himself, Samuel Scicluna from St Ju- lians will be climbing Monte Rosa in the Pennine Alps and Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps. Samuel, who works as Team Manager at HSBC UK Con- tact Centre Malta, will be undertaking the gruelling journey thanks to his thriv- ing workplace environment which features, among other facilities, a free full-fledged gym for all staff. "The gym at work has been vital for this mountaineering trip and has ena- bled me to continue training in sum- mer months, when it would have been too hot to go out trekking and run- ning," said Scicluna, who flew to Mi- lan, to join a team of other mountain climbing enthusiasts heading towards Valle D'Aosta to take the Staffal lift up to the Gnifetti Refuge at 3,600m ahead of the feat. After spending two days at the Ref- uge learning basic mountaineering skills and gaining high-altitude train- ing, Samuel and team will spend a night at the Margherita Hut; the high- est refuge in Europe at 4,554m in an attempt to acclimatise their bodies, before climbing back down to Valle D'Aosta. The team will then drive to Courmayer and take the lift up to Punta Helbronner, where they will be staying at the Torino Hut at altitude of 3,375m and subsequently cross the Valle Blance to the Cosmiques Hut at 3,613m. Here, the team – led by ex- pedition leader and guide Dr Gregory Attard – will stay put for three days so as to utilise their weather window to summit Mont Blanc. The team is aiming to summit in time to watch the sunrise from the "Roof of Europe" at an altitude of 4,810m. Back in Malta, and Samuel's col- leagues will be waiting in anticipation to hear the about the ascent, and to see Samuel's panoramic photo – na- ture photography is Samuel's second hobby. Employing more than 400 staff members trained to assist UK ac- count-holding customers, the Contact Centre is well known in Malta for its positive, informal, and highly sociable atmosphere thanks to emphasis on work-life balance. The in-house gym one of the few in Malta provides staff the op- portunity to keep fit through daily exercise under the guid- ance of an expert gym instruc- tor. Employees practising dif- ferent sports are able to use the air-conditioned gym to further supplement their per- sonal daily training schedules during their lunch breaks, or before or after their offices hours. The Centre further provides a range of unique support services to all of its employees. These include a concierge service, childcare subsi- dies, on-site medical health checks, discounted rates on home loans, life insurance and private healthcare, a shift swamping facility for flexible work hours. Owing to continued expansion, the Centre is inviting all prospective appli- cants to become part of its workforce. Apart from having a good command of English and IT skills, there are no specific qualifications for the role as the Swatar-based Centre provides a full induction training programme over a three-month period for all suc- cessful candidates, during which time all participants will receive full pay. More information about opportuni- ties at HSBC UK Contact Centre can be had at www.hsbc.com.mt/careers. An age neutral CV can be forwarded to malta.recruitment@hsbc.com by 31st August 2014.