APS Bank colleagues share insights at important events and publications

APS Bank speakers (from left to right – top): Ray Bonnici, Chief People Officer, Cynthia Borg, Head of Financial Crime Compliance and  MLRO. (From left to right – bottom): Rodney Naudi, Head of Operational Resilience, Etienne Vella, Senior Internal Audit Manager. Photo credits: Times of Malta – BDO Malta.

APS Bank colleagues shared their expertise in various prominent, local and international forums. Their contributions covered key topics such as mental health, digital resilience, artificial intelligence, and compliance. Some speaker engagement and publication highlights from November and December 2024 included:

• Ray Bonnici, Chief People Officer, participated in a panel discussion on Mental Health in the Workplace. The event was organised by bBrave, the first local anti-bullying NGO, as part of Malta’s National Anti-Bullying Week. The conference, titled “A Healthier Economy – An Anti-Bullying Perspective”, focused on promoting mental well-being in professional settings.

• Rodney Naudi, Head of Operational Resilience, participated in a panel discussion at The Times of Malta Business Breakfast, on “The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA): Building Digital Resilience – Are You Prepared?”  Rodney also represented the Bank in a panel discussion at a workshop organised by the Malta Bankers Association and the Malta Chamber. The focus of this workshop was on the impact of DORA on banks’ third-party service providers and the importance of getting this aspect right.

• Ronald Psalia, Head of Business Solutions, participated in a panel discussion at  “PwC Malta’s Next-Gen AI: Transforming Business Models for the Future.” Ronald focused on the current and future applications of AI in the banking industry. He discussed how AI is expected to transform the sector in the coming years, providing examples of its potential to enhance daily operations and improve decision-making processes.

• Cynthia Borg, Head of Financial Crime Compliance and MLRO, moderated the panel discussion “Mastering Sanctions Compliance: Tools, Tactics, and Trends” at the AML & FINCRIME Tech Forum in London, organised by FinTech Global. The discussion addressed the complexities of global sanctions regimes and the challenges they create for financial institutions. Emphasis was placed on the need for a combination of automated technologies, especially machine learning, and human oversight in sanctions screening to ensure accurate compliance.

• Richard Scerri, Head of Internal Audit, delivered a presentation at the Head of Internal Audit Round Table forum. This practitioners’ forum, organised by Deloitte, brought together Chief Auditors and Heads of Internal Audit from across Malta. His presentation was titled “The Impact of Risk Culture and the Maturity of the Board of Directors/Audit Committee.”

• Etienne Vella, Senior Internal Audit Manager, participated in the BDO Malta Internal Audit Forum, which focused on the theme: “Internal Audit: Compliance Routine or Driving Value?” He contributed to a panel discussion titled “Leveraging Internal Audit Insights for Strategic Value Creation.” During this discussion, he shared insights on how organisations can use information from Internal Audit to drive strategic decisions and enhance overall business value.

• Carlo Del Buono, Risk Manager at ReAPS, contributed to the report titled “BEYOND GDP II: Third Country Nationals in Malta – Sharing Our Economic Future or Serving Labour Market Interests?” This report aims to provide an objective overview of the roles of third-country nationals in Malta, examining their economic contributions to the local economy and the support that Malta’s economic and social systems provide to them. He was specifically selected by the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Malta for this important work.

Elaine Calleja, Head of Career Development, remarked, “These opportunities demonstrate our commitment to contributing knowledge and fostering collaboration across our industry. Through these engagements, APS Bank continues to influence meaningful conversations that shape the financial sector’s future.”