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aN MiA cONFERENCE

Keeping Pace: STRATEGIC & oPERATIONAL uPDATES


Small and medium practitioners need to stay on top of evolving requirements and work practices, while running a successful practice.
 
Amongst others, this Conference will explore the strategic priorities for a changing landscape, the transition to real-time reporting and review engagements.
 
Lead by professionals who understand your challenges, this event will be centered on what works in real life.
 
Register below to broaden your understanding of the key matters impacting small and medium practitioners!

AGENDA



Time Session
08:00 - 09:00  Registration

09:00 - 09:20

Welcome Addresses

09:20 - 10:35

Strategic Priorities for a Changing Landscape: Fireside Chat & Panel Discussion
10:35 - 11:15Networking Coffee Break
11:15 - 11:35 Malta National Risk Assessment - An Update
11:30 - 12:30 The AML Framework: Now and Next
12:30 - 13:30Lunch Break
13:30 - 13:45Transitioning to Real Time Reporting: Payroll & VAT
14:00 - 15:30  Audit Exemption and Review Engagements: Getting Practical
15:30 - 15:50 Malta Enterprise Schemes in Focus: What SMPs need to know
15:50 - 16:00   Concluding Remarks


Disclaimer: Agenda and Speakers are subject to change

Event Details:

Registration Time: 08:00 - 09:00
Sessions Time: 09:00 - 16:00
Venue: Radisson Blu Resort, St. Julian's

CPE Accreditation: 5.25 Hours (3 Core Hours & 2.25 Professional Development).

Participation Fees:

Member: €130

Non Member: €160

Retired: €60

Student: €80

Register here!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DETAILED AGENDA

08:00 - 09:00: Registration

09:00 - 09:20: Welcome Addresses
Ms Maria Cauchi Delia - CEO (MIA)

Dr Jonathan Dingli - President (MIA) and Partner, Corporate Accounting Advisory Services (KPMG)

09:20 - 09:50: Strategic Priorities for a Changing Landscape

Moderator:

Ms Maria Cauchi Delia - CEO (MIA)

Panellists:
Mr Paul Gisby - Senior Director (Accountancy Europe)

Mr Harpal Singh - Principal, Small & Medium Practices and Thought Leadership (IFAC)

This session will explore the evolving role of Small and Medium Practitioners, focusing on matters that are critical for SMPs to remain resilient and relevant.

09:50 - 10:35: Panel Discussion

Panellists:
Mr Jean Paul Debono - Chairperson (MIA SMP Group) and Partner (Quazar)

Mr Paul Giglio - Member (MIA Council and SMP Group) and Tax & Assurance Partner (Forvis Mazars)

Mr Michele Hili - Team Lead (Scope)

10:35 - 11:15: Networking Coffee Break

11:15 - 11:35: Malta National Risk Assessment - An update

Dr Daniel Frendo - Senior Manager at Legal Affairs (FIAU)

11:35 - 12:30: The AML Framework: Now and Next

Moderator: 

Ms Ariane Azzopardi - Chairperson (MIA AML Committee) and Director, Quality and Risk Management (KPMG Malta)

Panellists:
Dr Rakele Cini - Member (MIA AML Committee) and Lawyer & Founder (RKL Advisory) 

Mr Alan Craig - Deputy Chairperson (MIA AML Committee) and Partner (Forvis Mazars Malta)

Ms Angela Fleri Soler - Member (MIA AML Committee) and Quality & Risk Management Leader (Deloitte)

Dr Daniel Frendo - Senior Manager at Legal Affairs (FIAU)

This session will examine the key changes introduced by the new AML Regulation and their impact on practitioners, while also highlighting existing practices that will remain unaffected.

12:30 - 13:30: Lunch Break

13:30 - 13:45: Motivational Speaker

13:45 - 14:00: Transitioning to Real Time Reporting: Payroll and VAT

Mr Joseph Caruana, Commissioner for Tax and Customs (MTCA)

The objective of this session is to provide a status update on the project being undertaken by the Malta Tax and Customs Administration to shift towards real time reporting with respect to payroll and VAT

14:00 - 15:30: Audit Exemption and Review Engagements: Getting Practical

Moderator: 

Ms Joanne Saliba - Leader (MIA Audit & Assurance Standards Working Group) and Partner (PWC)

Speakers:

Ms Lucienne Pace Ross - Vice-President (MIA), Chairperson (MIA Audit & Assurance Committee), Member (MIA AML Committee) and Assurance Partner (PWC)

Ms Janis Hyzler - Member (MIA Audit & Assurance Committee) and Director (Zampa Partners)

Mr Neil Maniscalco - Member (MIA Audit & Assurance Committee) and Director (DFK Malta)

Mr Neville Cutajar - Member (MIA Audit & Assurance Committee) and Managing Partner (3a Malta)

15:30 - 15:50: Malta Enterprise Schemes in Focus: What SMPs need to know

Mr Karl Herrera - Chief Officer - Incentives Development Evaluation and Monitoring (Malta Enterprise)

15:50 - 16:00: Concluding Remarks

Mr Mark Wirth - Deputy Chairperson (MIA SMP Group) and Partner (Zampa Partners)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Speakers



Ms Maria Cauchi Delia - Chief Executive Officer, MIA

Maria leads the institution in the fulfilment of its strategic objectives, in advising national and international institutions in matters concerning the profession and the wider financial industry and represents the MIA in its engagements with key stakeholders at both national and international level.

As a certified public accountant, Ms Cauchi Delia brings extensive expertise gained from her diverse experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked in various institutions in Malta and abroad. She holds a degree from the University of Malta and is a Fellow Member of the Malta Institute of Accountants.


Mr Harpal Singh - Principal, Small & Medium Practices and Thought Leadership, IFAC

Maria leads the institution in the fulfilment of its strategic objectives, in advising national and international institutions in matters concerning the profession and the wider financial industry and represents the MIA in its engagements with key stakeholders at both national and international level.

As a certified public accountant, Ms Cauchi Delia brings extensive expertise gained from her diverse experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked in various institutions in Malta and abroad. She holds a degree from the University of Malta and is a Fellow Member of the Malta Institute of Accountants.


Mr Paul Giglio - Member, MIA Council and SMP Group & Tax & Assurance Partner, Forvis Mazars

Paul Giglio is a Tax and Assurance partner at Forviz Mazars Malta and has been working on a number of local and international assignments for over 25 years. Paul is a council member of the Institute and a member of the MIA Small and Medium Practitioners Group. He has been a guest speaker in a number of local and international tax conferences.

Mr Joseph Caruana - Commissioner for Tax and Customs, MTCA

From 2013 up to 2021 he served as Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for Education and Employment, the Ministry for Finance and Financial Services and the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects respectively, wherein he brought about a number of reforms and was responsible for the implementation of various strategies, polices and projects. 

Mr Caruana was appointed Commissioner for Tax and Customs on 1st February 2022 wherein he is implementing the digital transformation of the Malta Tax and Customs Administration. 

Dr Rakele Cini - Member, MIA AML Committee and Lawyer & Founder, RKL Advisory


Dr Rakele Cini is an independent legal consultant with many years of experience in AML/CFT, regulatory and compliance advisory. She set up rklAdvisory which primarily advises local & international firms / practitioners operating within the regulated industries on matters relating to the prevention of money laundering & funding of terrorism, due diligence, risk management, good governance, and other compliance areas. She is invited to lecture regularly by private institutions and regulatory bodies on these topics.

She was previously head of Risk & Compliance at BDO Malta and, prior to that, formed part of the practice protection group at Deloitte Malta for numerous years. Rakele is a member of the AML Committee at the Malta Institute of Accountants and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.

Ms Angela Fleri Soler - Member, MIA AML Committee and Quality & Risk Management Leader, Deloitte

Ms. Angela Fleri Soler is the Partner in charge of Quality & Risk Management at Deloitte. In addition to this, she fulfills the role of the firm’s Risk & Reputation Leader, Director of Independence, Ethics Officer and is also the firm’s MLRO. Angela also sits on the Risk Management Committee of Deloitte Central Mediterranean. 

Angela forms part of the Ethics Committee and the AML Committee at the Malta Institute of Accountants, together with the AML Committee of the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.

Ms Joanne Saliba - Leader, MIA Audit & Assurance Standards Working Group and Partner PwC

Joanne Saliba brings over 20 years of expertise in auditing and financial oversight. She joined PwC Malta’s assurance division in 2002 after obtaining an honours degree in Accountancy from the University of Malta. She is a member of the MIA Audit and Assurance Standards Working Group, a Certified Public Accountant, and holds a practising certificate in auditing.
Joanne has successfully led audit teams on a wide range of complex projects, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Her leadership has spanned diverse sectors, with a particular focus on asset management. Since 2006, she has specialised exclusively in investment management, working with both local and international clients, including collective investment schemes and investment service providers.

Her international experience includes audit secondments to PwC offices in Washington and Milan, adding to her extensive knowledge and expertise in the field.

Mr Karl Herrera - Chief Officer, Incentives Development Evaluation and Monitoring, Malta Enterprise

Karl leads the team responsible for Incentives Design and Project Evaluation at Malta Enterprise.   The role includes the design of support measures aimed at facilitating economic growth and development through financial and fiscal instruments.  Karl also manages the evaluation of applications for support submitted to Malta Enterprise.   


Mr Neville Cutajar - Member, MIA Audit & Assurance Committee, Member, MIA SMP Group and Managing Partner, 3a Malta

Neville Cutajar is 3a Malta's managing partner and director, a fellow of the Malta Institute of Accountants and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors. He is the firm's senior audit partner and in charge of compliance and quality control issues. He is presently a member of the Audit and Assurance Committee and SMP Group of the Malta Institute of Accountants.

He has extensive experience in accounting, advisory & assurance services with over twenty-five years in public practice, with experience in both public and private sector audits as well as advising business start-ups, family businesses and international trading companies.


Mr Paul Gisby - Senior Director, Accountancy Europe

His primary focus is on tax, and he is a frequent speaker on tax policy and VAT issues. He represents Accountancy Europe’s at the European Commission’s VAT Expert Group and the EU Platform for Tax Good Governance.

He leads Accountancy Europe’s SME related activities, which are focussed on the value that accountants can provide to their SME clients in mitigating key business risks and maximising business opportunities in the new economy. He is a member of EFRAG’s VSME Forum on sustainability reporting.

He also leads Accountancy Europe’s work on public sector accounting standards and was a member of the Consultative Advisory Group of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board.


Mr Jean Paul Debono - Chairperson, MIA SMP Group & Partner, Quazar

Jean Paul Debono, a Certified Public Accountant and Practicing Auditor, founding partner at Quazar, a multi-disciplinary Accountancy, Audit and CSP firm in Malta heading the Accounts & Advisory department. With a background in global client service and a focus on accounting, tax, and advisory, Jean Paul is recognized for his strategic business guidance. He's a distinguished member of ACCA, The Malta Institute of Accountants, and The Malta Institute of Taxation, also contributing significantly to professional communities by serving as Chairman and Non-Executive Directorship roles across various companies.


Mr Michele Hili - Team Lead, Scope

Michele is the Team Lead within the Finance Solutions team at Scope Solutions where he helps the team spread the word about cloud accounting tech and how bookkeeping doesn't have to be the necessary evil you need to be compliant, but an essential part in your everyday decision making.


Ms Ariane Azzopardi - Chairperson, MIA AML Committee and Director, Quality and Risk Management, KPMG Malta

Ariane Azzopardi is a Director within the Quality and Risk Management function. She has over fifteen years’ experience in this field, and is the delegate of the Risk Management Partner at KPMG in Malta. She is involved in the implementation and monitoring compliance with quality and risk management policies and procedures in KPMG in Malta also handling compliance and risk management queries, including those related to the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (PMLFT) and ethics and independence. She delivers sessions on PMLFT at the KPMG roundtable and also at various other seminars and conferences.

Ariane is the chair of the PMLFT sub-committee at the Malta Institute of Accountants and a committee member of the PMLFT sub-committee at the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.


Mr Alan Craig - Deputy Chairperson, MIA AML Committee, and Partner, Forvis Mazars Malta

Alan is the deputy chairperson of the MIA’s Anti-Money Laundering Committee. He heads the Business Advisory team within Forvis Mazars in Malta and is responsible for a specialised and multi-tasked team of professionals with skills in financial crime compliance, forensics and investigations, cybersecurity, risk and control. He has worked closely with both the local competent authorities and business community in the field of financial crime compliance and investigations and is a Court appointed expert in financial crime. Alan is a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and a certified public accountant.


Ms Lucienne Pace Ross - Council Member (MIA), Chairperson (MIA Audit & Assurance Committee), Member (MIA AML Committee) and Assurance Partner (PWC)

Lucienne Pace Ross joined PwC in 1997 after obtaining a degree in Accountancy from the University of Malta. She is also a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), vice president of the Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA), Chairperson of the MIA Audit and Assurance Committee, member of the MIA AML Committee, and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Lucienne was appointed as Assurance partner at PwC on 1 July 2006.

Lucienne acts as the quality and risk management partner and MLRO to the firm. She is a council member at the Malta Institute of Accountants as well as actively involved in the Auditing and AML Committees of the Institute.

Ms Janis Hyzler - Member, MIA Audit & Assurance Committee and Director, Zampa Partners

Janis joined Zampa Partners in December 2018 and is an Audit Director within the Audit & Assurance team, overseeing a portfolio of clients from various industries.

A qualified accountant and auditor, Janis graduated from the University of Malta in 2010 with a Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours) Degree. She brings over 14 years of experience in the financial services sector, having kicked off her career at a Big Four audit firm. Her professional journey includes international assignments in the U.S.A and Australia, which enabled Janis to expand her knowledge base within the financial services sector. 

In addition to her audit background, Janis held an accounting role within a corporate service provider, where she managed the financial reporting for clients spanning multiple industries.

Janis is also a member of the Malta Institute of Accountants ("MIA") and actively contributes to the profession through her involvement in the Audit & Assurance Committee with the MIA.

Mr Mark Wirth - Deputy Chairperson, MIA SMP Group and Partner, Zampa Partners

Mark Wirth is the Deputy Chairperson of the MIA SMP Group. Mark, a Certified Public Accountant and registered auditor, is a Partner at Zampa Partners with a strong focus on business advisory. With nearly two decades of experience, he has worked extensively with businesses across various industries, including family enterprises and regulated entities, offering strategic financial guidance and support.

Mark began his career at a Big 4 audit firm, where he spent seven years honing his expertise in tax and audit. In 2017, he co-founded Mint Finance, an accounting and audit firm that later merged with Zampa Partners in 2022. His journey has been shaped by a commitment to excellence, continuous learning, and a passion for helping businesses manage financial complexities. 

Mr Neil Maniscalo - Member, MIA Audit & Assurance Committee and Director, DFK Malta

Neil holds a B. Accountancy (Hons.) degree from the University of Malta and has been involved in audits for the past 15 years. Neil joined DFK Malta in 2018 and now he is a director in the audit department overseeing audits across various industries.

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