Born in 1951 at Zebbug Malta and has considerable experience in banking, finance and economic matters.

 

His expertise in business management was proven both in the private and the public sector.   He is associated with success stories like the Portomaso project, the Chairmanship of Mid-Med Bank, the defence of private shareholders from the unfair take-over bid by HSBC, the leadership of Super One Radio and Television and the establishment of his own investment services firm Crystal Finance Investments Ltd as a leading investment services provider of the local market.

 

He worked closely within Malta Labour Party for several years.   Between 1992 – 1995 he was the chairman of the committee responsible for fund raising for the National Labour Centre at Hamrun.  Between 1999 and 2001 he was the Chairman of One Productions Ltd. the media company owned by the Party running ONE TV & Radio.

 

He has written profusely about economic, financial and political matters in the local media and his opinion has occasionally served to shape the agenda of local discussions.

 

 

Personal Details

 

Date of Birth:  04 Oct 1951

 

Residential Address                Business Address

43, Triq Birbal                         Alfred Mifsud & Associates (Allcare Building)

Balzan  BZN 9017,  Malta        Msida MSD 1751, Malta                         

 

 

Profession

 

Senior Partner in private practice firm of management and corporate finance consultancy. Chairman of Investment Services company.   Director of an insurance agency and brokerage group.

 

 

Qualifications

 

Associate of the Chartered Inst. Of Bankers (UK) - 1973

Financial Studies Diploma - Chartered Inst. Oo Bankers (UK) - 1982

MBA (Financial Services) - Sheffield Hallam University 1992

 

 

Professional Memberships

 

Chartered Institute of Bankers (UK) - Fellow

Malta Institute of Management

 

 

Career

 

Barclays Bank DCO - Mid-Med Bank ( 1969/1981) Started as a junior clerk and  fast-tracked Managerial  grade.

 

Diamantino Manfre' & Co. - Management Consultant (1981 -  1985)

 

Set up private consultancy in management and corporate finance (1985 - 1996)

                                   

Chairman Mid-Med Bank Group (1996 -1998)

 

Returned to private consultancy (1999)

 

Set-up Investment Service Company representing UBS Asset Management(2000)

 

 

Directorships

 

Global Management Services Ltd (privately owned consultancy company)- 1988 to date

Crystal Finance Investments Ltd  (licensed to conduct investment services in representation of UBS Asset Management) - Chairman 2000 to date

 

Allcare Insurance Agency & Allcare Insurance Brokers  - 1999 to date

Various privately owned investment companies.

 

 

Previous directorships

 

MIB/Bain Hogg/Aon Malta (Insurance Brokers)- 1986 -1998

 

Malta International Business Authority/Malta Financial Services Centre (Regulator for investment services and offshore financial services) Governor - 1992 - 1996

 

Eurojet Ltd (executive air taxi service) 1995 -1997

 

Malta Hotels &Restaurants Association (Deputy Chairman) 1995 -1996

 

Mid-Med Bank and subsidiaries (Chairman) 1996-1998

Mid-Med Bank is Malta's largest bank and was acquired by HSBC in 1999 and now being renamed HSBC Malta.

 

Middle Sea Insurance    (Malta's main insurance company doing composite business of life and general lines)1997 -1998

 

Malta Development Corporation - 1997-1998

 

Malta Information Technology and Training Services (MITTS) - 1997-1998

                                   

Maltacom plc (publicly quoted national telecom company) and various subsidiaries-Director (Non-Executive) and Chairman of Audit Committee. - 1999 to date (on subsidiaries - Maltacom's directorship relinquished in 2000)

 

One Productions Ltd - (Private TV and Radio Station) - Chairman -1999 to 2001

 

Malta Shareholders Association - Founder Chairman -1999 to 2001

 

Ariane Infrastructure Fund plc - Secretary 1999 to 2000

 

C. Fino & Sons. Ltd - Non-executive Chairman 2000 to 2008

 

Amalagated Investment Ltd plc - director (publicly quoted investment fund) 2000 to 2007

Bay Street Finance Co. Ltd – non executive director 2006 – 2009.

 

                       

Other Contributions

 

Financial Journalist and public speaker on economics and financial matters.   Sat on various committees involved with financial and economic matters ( e.g. Malta Council for Economic   

                                   

Development , Public Debt Committee, Privatisation Committee, New Initiatives Committee   etc.)

 

Contributes regularly to the debate in local press on political, financial and economic topics with regular columns in The Times, The Independent, the Sunday Independent, Il-Kullhadd. .

 

Published book "MALTA'S RELATIONS WITH THE EU - a realistic way forward" October 1999 - PEG Publications ISBN 99909-0-239-9

 

 

Major Achievements

 

As Consultant to TUMAS group 1986- 1996 spearheaded the conversion of  this family

owned group from a timid hotel and property group into a vibrant corporate organisation capable of handling $150 million investment PORTOMASO project ( real estate residential apartments, Hilton Hotel, Business tower, conference centre and marina) on its own and very successfully.

 

As Executive Chairman of Mid-Med Bank I re-vamped the Bank's organisation and profitability pushing the quoted share place 40%  during the two years I was in position and having the Bank classified as No 14 in an international list (compiled by Investors Chronicle) of the best run banks from emerging markets.   The Bank captured the attention of HSBC who acquired it in 1999.

 

As Chairman of a minority investors group I organised a campaign against the forced take-over of minority shareholders in Mid-Med Bank by HSBC.   This meant that minority shareholders have gained profusely from the increase in their share price  from the official acquisition price of the majority shareholding block by HSBC in June 1999.

 

As a member of the project team for the IPO of Maltacom plc handled the floatation on local and international markets extremely successfully capturing an order book many times over the offer and at prices which initially were thought impossible.

 

As Chairman of One Productions Ltd I re-engineered the organisation which was losing money and audiences and turned it into  no. 1 media group (radio and TV) in Malta and operating in a positive cash flow mode with a strong and dedicated management team.

 

As Chairman and founder of Crystal Finance Investments Ltd I succeeded to get the franchise of UBS Asset Management to distribute their investment fund products in Malta - the first time UBS delegated such authority to a non-bank third party.   Apart from flying the UBS investments products flag Crystal Finance grew into an investment service provider of quality in its own right.

As director of Allcare Insurance Group helped to grow this group in the foremost insurance agency and brokerage.