Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/884700
42 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2017 60 top business leaders invited to data-driven gin event HOT off the heels of the successful launch of their office in Amster- dam, data-driven digital market- ing agency ANCHOVY. studios PLC organised a gin-tasting event at the prestigious SKYBEACH – found on the 19th floor of the lux- urious InterContinental Malta on Thursday 28 September. The event - proudly sponsored by Tanqueray, InterContinental Mal- ta and Jaeger-LeCoultre – brought together 60 business leaders across various industries in Malta. Guests were invited to a tantalising se- lection of Tanqueray-based gin cocktails, and a stunning view of the gorgeous Maltese sunset over the breath-taking infinity pool at SKYBEACH. "Thanks for the invitation! What a great time I had! Super cool peo- ple, well organised and amazing venue - And really nice drinks!" said one attendee. This gin tasting was one of many similar events organised by AN- CHOVY. – who continue to strive to connect the right people at the right time. The event was well re- ceived, with many connections be- ing formed. "We want to connect people that we think are great, with other peo- ple that we think are great. If we do this, it's mission accomplished for us," said ANCHOVY. co-founder, Benji Borg. Service dogs-in-training visit Banif Branches AS part of their training, dogs from the Service Dogs Malta Founda- tion accompanied their handler in visits to a number of Banif Bank's branches. Dogs training to become therapy or service dogs accompany their handler everywhere including public places that are normally off limits to dogs. To date, the dogs stopped over at the Mosta, Paola, St Julian's and Gozo Branches. Customers and staff took time to ask about the role of these skilled dogs and their training requirements. The dogs will contin- ue visiting more Banif Branches as part of their training, and also with the aim to increase awareness about their important function for people with different needs. This initiative is part of a three- year collaboration between Banif and the Service Dogs Malta Founda- tion where Banif is sponsoring three dogs in their development from pup- pyhood to their full certification as therapy or service dogs. This spon- sorship, which falls within Banif Banks's corporate social responsibil- ity programme, ties in well with the Bank's philosophy of giving back to the local community. Stephanie Theuma from the Ser- vice Dogs Malta Foundation said: "The positive impact that service dogs have on people's lives is awe- inspiring. These wonderful animals perform tasks for their handler, but they also offer love and companion- ship. Providing the proper training to these dogs is challenging, requir- ing high energy levels and a wealth of funds which is provided through sponsorships and donations. Hav- ing said that, training service dogs for such a noble purpose is definitely rewarding!" ICAEW students celebrate graduation in Malta THE graduation event on 2 Oc- tober in Malta by the Institute of Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW), which was held at Le Meridien hotel with around 100 guests in attend- ance, celebrated the achieve- ments of 19 graduates who have completed the prestigious As- sociate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification and become members of the highly respect- ed Institute of Chartered Ac- countants of England & Wales (ICAEW). Keynote speeches were given by ICAEW's acting head of busi- ness opportunities Kate Hol- royd-Smith, contact member Chris Naudi, 2016 ACA gradu- ate Bettina Mifsud, former high commissioner of Malta to the UK and ICAEW member, Jo- seph Zammit Tabona, and Mal- tese Institute of Accountants (MIA) president William Spiteri Bailey. The ACA was introduced in Malta in 2012 with support from large international ac- counting firms (including PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and EY). Fol- lowing an agreement in 2012, MIA and ICAEW collaborate to offer Maltese qualified account- ants increased access to the lat- est technical developments and thought leadership, and to work on regulatory issues. Kate Holroyd-Smith said this was the second ACA graduation ceremony on the island. "This is only our second graduation event in Malta and sends an important signal to the financial sector - that profes- sional skills of young people are being invested in by the profes- sion, as Malta expands as a fi- nancial centre," she said. The senior ICAEW official also noted the important role that chartered accountants play in Maltese economy. "As a Chartered Accountant, you will be providing a service that society depends upon. You will be helping to build trust between people and businesses, between businesses and busi- nesses, and between businesses and society," he said. "We are pleased to see Malta emerge as a growing economy and that the best professional skills are now in demand across the profession and industry, and as a result the profile of ICAEW has been raised. We are de- lighted our members in Malta are playing an important role in enabling this growth and that many continue to support the next generation of Chartered Accountants." ICAEW now has nine author- ised training employers offering ACA training and there is an increasing demand from these organisations to employ more ACA students, which is good indicator of economic growth in Malta for the future. ICAEW's global growth over the recent years has been sig- nificant and ACA training is now offered in 18 countries throughout the world includ- ing Vietnam, Indonesia, Czech Republic and Greece. ICAEW members are working in 154 countries worldwide and the ACA qualification continues to be recognised internationally as a leading business qualification. Emirates marks 15th year of connecting Japan to the world SERVING three points in Ja- pan daily, Emirates, the world's largest international airline, has carried over 3.9 million passen- gers in 15 years of service to Ja- pan. The number of passengers carried in Emirates' first year of operations–roughly 66,000 in 2002—has grown to nearly 530,000 passengers carried be- tween Dubai and Tokyo (Narita and Haneda) and Osaka in 2016. Adapting to demand in terms of both quality and volume, Emir- ates continues to improve pas- senger experience in Japan. The opening of the dedicated Emir- ates Lounge at Narita (Tokyo) in 2015, and the introduction of the A380 to Narita in 2017, which increased capacity per flight by more than 135 passengers per flight, are most nota- ble. Emirates' flights from Japan depart at night, al- lowing passengers to have a full day in Japan prior to their journey. Uniquely on routes to and from Japan, Emirates offers special Japanese cuisine, including the Kaiseki course meal and the premier se- lection of Sushi in First Class as well as a specially arranged Ben- to box and Sushi platter in Busi- ness Class, along with Japanese sake available in all classes. Emirates' services have con- tributed to Japan's continued growth as a tourist destination. The number of inbound visi- tors increased by roughly 18% year-on-year as of August 2017 (source: JNTO). An upcoming attraction for tourists to Japan will be the Rugby World Cup 2019, one of the largest sporting events in the world for which Emirates serves as an Official Worldwide Partner. Emirates' destinations in Japan remain popular with visitors from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in particu- lar cities such as London, Barcelona, Casablanca, and Rome. Passengers on flights to and from Japan enjoy the hospitality of Emirates' multi-national Cabin Crew, of which more than 350 are from Japan, and the award- winning ice entertainment sys- tem, with more than 2,500 chan- nels, including Japanese content, named the World's Best Inflight Entertainment Award at Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017 for 13 consecutive years. Emirates operates daily sched- uled flights between Malta and Dubai via Larnaca, Cyprus, on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates reintroduced its A380 to Narita on 26 March 2017