Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/430850
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2014 17 Events Vodafone announces major enhancements to website AN essential aspect of Vodafone Malta's strategy is to continually ensure that the well-known slogan 'Power to you' is put into practice in every aspect of what they do. This means empowering the customer to access Vodafone's products and services in their own time and on their own terms. This applies particularly to Vodafone's official website, which is updated on a regular basis to allow the cus- tomer more facilities to access par- ticular services online in the most user-friendly manner possible. This is done regularly to ensure that Vodafone's online services are in line with the very latest tech- nological developments and also because the company is very aware that the use of a company website such as Vodafone's is no longer sim- ply a source of information about products, but is increasingly the channel through which customers now expect to service their own re- quirements quickly and easily. The Vodafone Malta official web- site has recently been extensively improved to introduce a number of new features for customers. This included a refresh of the site's gen- eral presentation and style, as well as a new and streamlined naviga- tion system that allows the cus- tomer to immediately identify the particular service that is required at the time and to complete any transaction required with minimal effort. For example, topping up an ac- count or purchasing a new bundle is now faster and simpler than ever. Other areas on the site, in particu- lar the My Vodafone area, have also been revamped to provide a better experience to the user. One of the most innovative fea- tures introduced through this up- grade is a 'device agnostic' layout for the website, which means that it is responsive to the device being used by the customer and adapts automatically according to the screen size of that device. This means that you get a picture perfect layout on any device used, making the frustration of navigat- ing a blurred sit a thing of the past and removing the need to zoom in to see relevant areas. This is the very latest concept in Web Respon- sive Design and Vodafone Malta is proud to be the first telecommuni- cations service provider in Malta to offer this improvement on their website. Further improvements will be im- plemented in the coming months all geared towards one main aim: empowering customers to get the very best out of the Vodafone web- site at all times, regardless of what service they require or what device they are using. Educational clinic for investment firms on CRD IV Package The Emirates App is now on iPhone HSBC Catch the Drop proposal submission deadline is 19 December FINANCEMALTA (FM), in col- laboration with the Malta Finan- cial Services Authority (MFSA), is organising an educational clinic for professionals working in invest- ments on the implementation of the Fourth Capital Requirements Directive and the Capital Require- ments Regulation, or as it is com- monly referred to as the CRD IV Package. The event is of particular interest to auditors, legal advisers and Cat- egory 2 (excluding fund managers) and Category 3 investment serv- ice providers. Those who attend will have to opportunity to learn first-hand from the UK Financial Conduct Authority about the UK's experience on the CRD IV Package, with a special focus on investment firms. The 'clinic' will also provide the audience, in particular the peo- ple who are directly affected by the CRR and CRD IV, with an update on the MFSA's approach to the pruden- tial supervision of CRD IV invest- ment firms in Malta. The educational clinic will be held on Friday 12 December at 13.15hrs (until 16.30hrs) at the MFSA in At- tard. It is open to FM members and the financial services community. In 2013, the original Capital Re- quirements Directive which previ- ously consisted of two European Directives (Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC) was divided into two different legal instruments: the Capital Requirements Regula- tion (CRR) and the Fourth Capital Requirements Directive (CRD IV), which together are being referred to as "the CRD IV Package". The CRR regulates the capital adequacy of credit institutions and investment firms and provides the methodology for calculating the amount of capital that should be held by institutions on an ongoing basis. It also introduces new regula- tory requirements for institutions, such as the requirement to hold a sufficient amount of liquid assets to cover liquidity risk and other regu- latory measures to prevent institu- tions from taking on excessive and unsustainable leverage risk. CRD IV contains less prescrip- tive rules and includes adminis- trative provisions relating to the powers and responsibilities of the national competent authorities. It strengthens the corporate govern- ance requirements of institutions and introduces a new limit on the variable remuneration (bonus). The Directive also introduces new rules relating to the maintenance of capi- tal buffers, as a result of the trans- position of Basel III into EU law. Speakers at the conference include Dr Bernice Buttigieg – FM's Head of Administration; Dr Christopher P. Buttigieg – Director, Securities and Markets Supervision Unit, MFSA – who will give a general overview of regulatory and supervisory devel- opments; Mellyora Ellul – Analyst, Securities and Markets Supervision Unit, MFSA - who will speak about the regulatory framework for CRD IV investment firms in Malta; An- drew Said – Analyst, Securities and Markets Supervision Unit, MFSA – who will talk about the Common Reporting (COREP) Framework; and Stephanie Buhagiar Camilleri – Analyst, Securities and Markets Supervision Unit, MFSA – will dis- cuss the offsite compliance work. Paul Rich - Senior Manager, Pru- dential Policy, Policy, Risk and Re- search Division, Financial Conduct Authority UK will give the UK's views on the future regulation of investment firms from a prudential perspective. For further information and to register, visit http://www.finance- malta.org/events/event/Education- al-Clinic-the-CRD-IV-Package/ BUILDING on the successful launch of The Emirates App for iPad earlier this year, Emirates air- line has now increased its mobile presence with the launch of The Emirates App for iPhone on the App Store. Already the most popular trav- el app in 25 countries with a 4.5 star rating, The Emirates App for iPhone has enhanced features such as the ability to check-in and down- load their boarding pass directly to Passbook. The App also features push notifications for check-in, f light boarding, gate changes, and baggage belt numbers, greatly im- proving the travel experience by proactively alerting customers to critical travel information. Customers can directly download the App or visit the App Store and search for 'Emirates'. The Emir- ates App for iPhone also makes it easier for Emirates customers to manage every aspect of their book- ing, whether on the road, in the air or in the comfort of their homes. They can book f lights, select seats and meals, manage their Emirates Skywards frequent f lyer accounts, check in online, and download their boarding pass directly from the app, amongst other features. Personal f light details, credit cards information, and product and service information are stored in the app, so users can view it of- f line too. "There is no doubt that our cus- tomers increasingly want to use their mobile devices and tablets to book and manage their travel. The Emirates App has been designed to address their needs, and make it easier and more convenient to in- teract with Emirates via their mo- bile devices," said Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, Mar- keting and Brand at Emirates. "We have seen tremendously positive response to both our iPad and iPhone apps to date. Down- loads and usage figures continue to rise, and feedback has been good. iPhone represents the majority of the mobile traffic to our web sites, and therefore we have launched on iOS first. Work is underway for an Android version, even as we con- tinue to look at new features for our iPad and iPhone apps." With The Emirates App, users can: • Book flights and view their personal travel itinerary on the go. • Store and use their boarding pass off line with Passbook in- tegration • Get push alerts for chauffeur- drive service, f light boarding, seat selection, gate changes, baggage belt numbers (Dubai) and check-in • Manage every aspect of their booking, from seat selection to dietary requirements. This feature is particularly useful for our frequent f lyers who can see all of their future trips in one place – and for person- al assistants who plan their manager's travel. • Book complimentary Chauf- feur-drive service for First Class and Business Class trav- ellers • Register for Emirates Sky- wards membership through the app. Start collecting Sky- wards Miles as they f ly, view their balance and history and use their Miles to pay for f lights and upgrades. Emirates operates a daily sched- uled f light between Malta and Du- bai via Larnaka, Cyprus. SCHOOLS and communities sub- mitting proposals for the HSBC Malta Water Programme – Catch the Drop have until 19 December to share their projects for scholastic year 2014-15, programme officials announced dur- ing a visit at Ghaxaq Primary School. Owing to immense interest, propos- als can now be submitted in either the School Outreach Programme or Com- munity Outreach Programme catego- ries. The winning proposals will be announced by end of January 2015. The School Outreach Programme aims to empower students as active contributors and will look specifically at actions that can be taken by individ- ual students with emphasise on water consumption reduction in Malta. Proposals submitted by schools and Local Councils, demonstrating how a project can reduce water consump- tion amongst parents, relatives of chil- dren, within the schools, and the sur- rounding communities, will be judged as part of the Community Outreach Programme. Earlier in October, more than 45 school representatives attended an information session hosted by HSBC Malta Water Programme – Catch the Drop to announce the initiative for scholastic year 2014-15. In the previous scholastic year, the campaign received a total of 30 pro- posals, out of which 21 ended up re- ceiving funding from the €500,000 re- served by the Bank for this three-year campaign. Beyond the new School and Com- munity Outreach programmes, the HSBC Water Programme – Catch the Drop will continue to raise aware- ness through a variety of separate ac- tivities. These will feature a travelling Forum Theatre, drama performances, educational shows, and presentations, and will be held at all the schools in Malta and Gozo by the HSBC Water Programme staff volunteers. So far, the HSBC Malta Water Pro- gramme – Catch the Drop staff vol- unteers have successfully conducted 305 presentations for 19,438 students – nearly half of the total number the three-year programme aims to reach by June 2016. The Catch the Drop campaign is an initiative of the Min- istry of Energy and Health. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt HSBC Malta Water Programme – Catch the Drop has become a grass-root movement calling for sustainable practices as the message reached nearly 20,000 students in 2013-14 scholastic year.