Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/747633
46 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 Premier Capital to invest €50 million in new stores in three years PREMIER Capital plc, the Mc- Donald's division of Hili Ven- tures, is to invest €50 million in its six-country restaurant net- work between next year and 2019. The investment will cover the opening of 24 new McDonald's restaurants in Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania, the renovation of specific restau- rants, and the relocation of oth- ers. Premier Capital is the Develop- mental Licencee for McDonald's in Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithu- ania, Malta and Romania, cur- rently operating 133 restaurants in six countries. Its McDonald's restaurant network includes 68 Drive Thru and 40 McCafe op- erations. The plans for additional restau- rants includes eight in Greece, one in Latvia, four in Lithuania, one in Malta, and 10 in Roma- nia, to bring the total number of stores to 157 in six markets by 2019. Premier Capital also plans to modernise all its existing restau- rants to feature the innovate SPA ordering system and upgrade its kitchen preparation processes in all restaurants across its footprint by 2021. SPA allows McDonald's crew to prepare all meals at the time of order according to the custom- ers' requests. The system permits more flexibility, improves serving time and customisation while en- hancing food quality. Banif's Business Accelerate: a solution for SMEs Following the exciting news of Banif Bank's agreement with the European Investment Fund, we caught up with Melvin Pellicano, Head of Business Strategy at Banif, to learn all about Banif Business Accelerate and what it means for Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs). There seem to be quite a few financial options available to SMEs already, both those offered by Banif and by other banks. What exactly is Banif Business Accelerate and what sets it apart from the competi- tion? This solution offers excellent financing opportunities and was designed to cater for a wide ar- ray of SMEs operating in differ- ent sectors, and with different requirements. Whilst Banif Business Acceler- ate is packed with benefits and boasts very competitive inter- est rates, what really stands out is that the amount of collateral needed much lower than that which is normally requested. This means that SMEs can inject new capital into their business with no or minimal security depending on the risk profile of the client. What type of businesses is this suitable for? Banif Business Accelerate can be used by start-ups looking to get their business going and by SMEs who have already established their operations and seek to grow or break new ground. To be eligible, SMEs must be operating in one of the following sectors amongst others: tourism related activities; wholesale and retail services; manufacturing; ICT products and services; arts, entertainment and recreation; and research, development and innovation activities. Ok so we know who can use it. Now, what exactly can the funds be used for? The possibilities are endless. SMEs can make use of the funds obtained through Banif Business Accelerate to upgrade their equip- ment, ICT or even their premises. They can be used to fund a new research-based project, to de- velop a new product or service or to penetrate a new market. This product makes it possible for en- trepreneurs to realise their vision, whatever it may be. Sounds comprehensive! Are there any additional benefits for SMEs which apply for Banif Business Accelerate? Of course. This solutions also offers a variety of tools for a faster, easier and more convenient bank- ing experience including a current account with a cheque featur- ing a custom company logo, free Banif@st Internet Banking and a free Visa Debit Card. Banking with Banif means that SMEs will have a trusted part- ner in business banking. Our Re- tail and Corporate teams boast a wealth of professional experience and industry knowledge. Fur- thermore, our customer-centric model means that every cog in the Bank's structure is geared to- wards offering the best possible service to our esteemed clients in terms of efficiency, helpfulness and professionalism. For more information, visit ht t p://w w w.banif.com .mt/ ban- if businessaccelerate or call Cus- tomer Care on 2260 1000. Century 21 attends annual masters meeting in Tokyo CENTURY 21 held its Annual In- ternational Masters Meeting be- tween the 23rd and 27th of Octo- ber in Tokyo, Japan. This annual event brought together Century 21 master franchisors from all around the world to dis- cuss local, regional and industrial wide trends, together with best practic- es and nu- merous de- ve l o pm e nt opportuni- ties. F a m a l c o Group, the master fran- chisor for the Century 21 brand in Malta, was repre- sented in Tokyo by its recently appointed General Manager, Mr. Mario Psaila-Savona. The mar- keting summit meeting was ad- dressed by a host of international guest speakers at the Prince Park Tower Hotel in Tokyo. Century 21 is a highly recognized international real estate services brand, currently operating in 75 countries and territories world- wide. With more than 102,000 af- filiated sales professionals in 6,900 offices, the Century 21 System is the world's largest residential franchise real estate sales o r g a n i s a t i o n , p r o v i d i n g the use of iconic brand marks, a c o m p r e - h e n s i v e educational p l a t f o r m and market- ing support for its system mem- bers. Century 21 Malta has numerous business opportu- nities in store for prospective and hard working entrepreneurs. To learn more about how you can af- filiate yourself with this leading, global brand, send an e-mail to in- fo@CENTURY21.com.mt, or visit our branch in Mdina Road, Attard. CSB Group to attend MiGS and SiGMA upcoming events THIS month two highly antici- pated iGaming events will be taking place in Malta, namely the Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS) and the Summit of iGaming Mal- ta (SiGMA). By means of attending these events, CSB Group aims at main- taining its strong presence as a leading iGaming Services pro- vider in Malta. VacancyCentre, the specialist recruitment com- pany operated by CSB Group, will also be attending these two occasions. Both events represent an opportunity for the Group to strengthen its network with both major and emerging iGam- ing stakeholders while keeping abreast of important matters re- lated to the iGaming world. MiGS conference is due to take place from the 7th till the 9th of November and is expected to gather key people from the indus- try to discuss prominent materi- al relevant to a wide spectrum of iGaming sectors. Building upon last year's success, it is forecasted that the conference will attract over 400 delegates coming from across the globe. SiGMA, one of the largest iG- aming shows in Malta will take place from the 16th till 19th No- vember. This exhibition draws together the three distinct pillars of the iGaming industry in Malta – B2B, Affiliates and Operators. It is anticipated that noteworthy speakers from various sectors of the industry will be present to address all participants with sali- ent iGaming topics. As Malta has become such a stronghold of the iGaming In- dustry, such events are impor- tant to showcase the island as an iGaming hub and to drive the iG- aming business forward. CSB Group has been involved in the iGaming industry since its inception in Malta, assisting with the submission and pursu- ance of Malta iGaming licence applications with the MGA. For more information on how to at- tain a Gaming Licence in Malta, kindly contact CSB Group on info@csbgroup.com.