Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/881840
49 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2017 From Brexit to Maltentry SIMON BARBERI JUST over a year ago the looming possibility of Brexit dominated debate in the EU. What this truly means for businesses in Malta and the UK remains to be seen and as the EU-UK divorce un- folds, a clearer picture emerges. The economic and political ef- fect for other countries will be significant. How does Malta feature? First, whatever the outcome, Malta's strong historical, economic and cultural ties with the UK should continue to serve as a compass for future relations. This long- standing and fruitful cooperation between Malta and the UK is as unique as it is genuine and should therefore continue to guide fu- ture relations, whatever that fu- ture might be. The large expat communities in both countries should also serve to strengthen our resolve in this direction. Sec- ondly, the simple truth is that the UK is and will remain a key eco- nomic global player, in and out of the EU. It is therefore unwise to devise a course of action built on simplistic scenarios. So what effect has Brexit had thus far? According to the EY 2017 European attractiveness survey (published in January 2017), despite current geopoliti- cal and financial market volatil- ity, investment plans into Europe over the next three years remain strong, with 56% of global in- vestors planning to grow their presence. This constitutes a sub- stantial increase since May of last year which found that only 36% of European investors had a positive investment outlook for Europe. Historically the UK is a top destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and what these figures show is that it will remain vital to the economic well-being of the UK and the rest of Europe. In order to develop an under- standing of what effect Brexit is having on Maltese businesses, this year's EY Malta Attractive- ness Survey gauged existing for- eign investors' through a series of Brexit related questions. Ad- ditional international risks that might have an effect on Malta's attractiveness will also be exam- ined. The results of this survey will be published on 25 October at the InterContinental Arena Con- ference Centre during Malta's largest annual business and in- vestment national conference. The various discussion panels will include a dedicated break- out session on Brexit and the possibility of a 'Maltentry' – an hour-long discussion amongst key public and private stakehold- ers seeking how we can leverage our existing strong ties and po- sition in Europe to support UK businesses. To find out more about EY's Annual Attractiveness Event and to register visit eymaltaattrac- tiveness.com Simon Barberi is a Director at EY Malta focussing on EU affairs and FDI. NetRefer announces Malta's first conference targeted towards nurturing innovation THE first edition of the Malta In- novation Summit is being held on 13 October at St Julian's Westin Dragonara. The summit, organ- ised by NetRefer, plans on ac- celerating the innovation move- ment both in Malta and globally, by gathering all stakeholders and sharing real-world experiences, ideas, trends, processes and best practices. Attendees will participate in a full day of keynotes, presenta- tions, expert panels, workshops and networking opportunities that explore the best methods of adopting innovation. The team at NetRefer aims to create a different conference en- vironment, where each attendee takes home his or her own ap- proach to instil an innovative cul- ture at a personal level and at an organisation level, both nationally and internationally. Throughout the years, NetRefer has won multiple international awards relating to innovation. The company has grown organi- cally, starting with one product 12 years ago, and diversifying its product line this year with mul- tiple new products and services. This conference was born out of the NetRefer team's eagerness to learn and share innovation best practices, and to be creative in finding new ways of expressing this passion to learn and share. Whilst these types of conferenc- es are usually organised by event planners and event organisational committees, this one is led by marketers, tech-nerds, data sci- entists and AI experts who firmly believe that innovation cannot flourish in silos. Silvio Schembri, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation said that the Innovation Summit is an opportunity to showcase what Malta has achieved so far within the innovation sector and to debate the best way forward for innovation to boost the Maltese economy further. "We have laid the groundwork, now it's time to bear fruit" he said, adding that the Government was committed to boosting this sector by strength- ening the ecosystem and to at- tract investors to operate from Malta. Johan Zammit, Director of Stra- tegic Initiatives at NetRefer said, "NetRefer is very excited to launch this type of conference here in Malta. There is a big need for all stakeholders to come together in one conference hall and lay the foundations for proper sharing of best practices. The seeds for Mal- ta to be the premier innovation island are starting to grow, the Malta Innovation Summit is here to accelerate this growth." For further information, please visit www.maltainnovationsum- mit.com or call 27673337. Leading with her heart, Berkeley International's Hilde Watty is in Malta BERKELEY International is an ex- clusive matchmaking service for upscale individuals in search of a soulmate. Owner and Managing Director for four European markets Hilde Watty has been in Malta to talk about how Berkeley Interna- tional makes introductions and in- spires lasting relationships between an elite class of singles. By taking care of the logistics, Hilde Watty's professional match- making team supports members in France, The Netherlands, Luxem- bourg and now Malta. The global agency introduces and connects af- fluent singles in major cities around the world, including London, Paris, New York, Brussels, Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Milan, Monaco, Mel- bourne, and Amsterdam. Berkeley International offers a discreet, sim- ple, and sophisticated introduction service for commitment-oriented singles. Watty said that her team was suc- cessful because the agency's match- makers take a personalised interest in every member, meeting face-to- face to discuss lineage, preferences, and prospects. Berkeley International sets the standard for premium matchmak- ing in Europe and internationally. Today the preeminent matchmak- ing service has introduced hun- dreds of members in France, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and has now started the process of helping Malta-based people to find their perfect match. "My team provides personalised relationship assistance for affluent men and women with memberships tailored to fit the individual's needs. Everything we do is exhaustive as well as being absolutely tailored and bespoke," Watty said. "The experts at Berkeley International know how to pair singles discreetly and efficiently. The team's mission is to make per- sonalised introductions and give members the best possible chance at finding a long-lasting relationship." Matchmakers spend a lot of time getting to know members, discuss- ing their hobbies, goals, values, and outlook on life, so they can make informed recommendations. The detail-oriented team then selects compatible matches and oversees introductions for members from all walks of life, typically CEOs, industry leaders, lawyers, doctors, successful working professionals, entrepreneurs and those whose priority is finding the right match. The matchmaking team's exclusive service is designed around meeting someone special. "We don't do anything online," Watty said. "We meet members, talk, interview, and we don't do pho- tographs. We talk to you about the person you would like to share your life with. I call it 'hearthunting' and it's something that all my team has a real passion for. Veronique Van Eesbeeck who joined my team last year has already been instrumental in matching 30 couples, it's a very rewarding career in that respect." She said the team of matchmakers had worked tirelessly to understand the needs of high-calibre profes- sional people and the intricacies of making those lasting introductions. "As a whole, the team brings a va- riety of skill sets to the table, but all share the same mission to bring sat- isfaction to members love lives," she said. "That's our goal in Malta too, we're very excited by Malta and it's a place where we feel rich relation- ships and our haute couture label go hand-in-hand." For further information kindly visit the Malta facebook page @Berke- leyInternational, call on 2546 6742 or email: hilde.watty@berkeley- international.com At The Phoenicia Malta, Hilde Watty is founder and Managing Director of the exclusive matchmaker Berkeley International for France, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Malta