Overview
The objective of the event is to provide to Stakeholders with an overview of the Technical Support Project by the EU Commission in the area of financial literacy.
Information will be provided on the purpose and objective of the project, that is, to improve the financial literacy levels of the population in Malta (including retail investors).
Following a national survey launched by the MFSA to local stakeholders involved, the OECD will present the current provision of financial literacy in Malta and an analysis of its responses. This will be followed by a discussion and a way forward of the project.
Who Should Attend
- Stakeholders by invitation only
Agenda
| 09:00H | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
| 09:30H | Opening Remarks
Christopher Buttigieg - Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA |
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| 09:55H | The European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument
Cristina Pacella - Policy Officer, SG REFORM, EU Commission |
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| 10:10H | The European Commission’s Project to Improve Financial Literacy in Malta
Sarah Pulis - Head of Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
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| 10:30H | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45H | Current Provision of Financial Literacy in Malta: Analysis of Responses to the National Survey and Discussion
Andrea Grifoni - Policy Advisor, OECD |
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| 11:15H | Discussion | |
| 11:30H | Concluding Remarks
Ryan Borg - Deputy Counsel, EU & International Affairs, MFSA |
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Registrations
The Authority encourages interested participants to register by filling the form below by not later than Tuesday 11 March 2025.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
Photos will be taken during the event with the intent to publish such photos on social media channels and websites. By registering, one would be granting consent to such data being used.
Speakers
Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA
Christopher Buttigieg
Dr Christopher P. Buttigieg was appointed as Chief Officer Supervision in March 2020 following his appointment as Chief Officer Strategy, Policy and Innovation in 2019. During his tenure as Head of Securities and Markets Supervision before 2019, which stretched over four years, Dr Buttigieg was responsible for work in the field of policy, regulation and supervision of securities, markets and FinTech. He joined the Authority in 2000 as Manager in the Investment Services Unit and has gained professional experience in various areas of financial regulation, supervision, the investigation of market misconduct and the enforcement of sanctions. Dr Buttigieg was responsible for implementing various pieces of EU legislation in the field of securities and markets and has led different regulatory and supervisory teams within the Authority. He sits on the Authority’s Supervisory Council and represents the MFSA at various European Fora on financial regulation and supervision. He is the MFSA’s alternate member on the ESMA Board of Supervisors and is the Chair of the ESMA Data Standing Committee. Dr Buttigieg is a lecturer in the Banking and Finance Department of the University of Malta and has published various papers on financial regulation and supervision in academic and professional journals. For a period of two years, up to April 2015, Dr Buttigieg was a director on the board of the Malta Resources Authority, Malta’s energy regulator. In 2015, the President of Malta appointed Dr Buttigieg as a member on the board of the Fund for Voluntary Organisations. Dr Buttigieg is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of European Law (Trier).
Director for Support to Member State Reforms - SG REFORM, European Commission
Nathalie Berger
Nathalie Berger leads the DG REFORM Directorate that provides technical assistance to growth enhancing reforms in the Member States in the areas of revenue administration and public financial management, governance and public administration, sustainable growth and business environment, labour market, education, health and social services, and financial sector and access to finance. The Directorate’s responsibility encompasses support to the Member States’ reforms for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plans. Prior to taking up this position in May 2021, Nathalie led the European Commission DG FISMA Unit on Banking Regulation and Supervision that brought forward the Commission’s response and exceptional measures following the Covid-19 pandemic and promotes a stable, sustainable and integrated banking sector through robust but proportionate prudential rules and integrated supervision. Previously, between 2015 and 2019, Nathalie was in charge of Insurance and Pensions, with responsibilities covering the Solvency II review, consumer insurance, motor insurance and pension funds. Major achievements include the Pan-European Personal Pension Product (« PEPP »), a flagship measure under the Capital Markets Union, and the EU/US Covered Agreement on insurance and reinsurance, removing collateral requirements imposed on EU reinsurers in the US. Beforehand, Nathalie had been leading the Unit responsible for Audit and Credit Rating Agencies, since 2012. She previously worked as an expert in company law and corporate governance, and from 2007 onwards as a Deputy Head of Unit in charge of Relations with the European Parliament and Council as well as Policy Coordination. Nathalie started her career as a university researcher and lecturer, and free-lance consultant for a banking group. She joined the European Commission in 2000, mainly responsible for the development of Commission implementing powers in the field of financial services. She was a member of the Commission Task Force on the Future of the European Union and an advisor to the Commission representatives at the European Convention and Intergovernmental Conference 2002-2004. A French national, Nathalie holds a Ph.D. Doctorate in Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics. She is the author of several articles and a book on European law and policies.
Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Sarah Pulis
Sarah Pulis holds the position of Head within the Conduct Supervision function at the MFSA. Sarah has twenty years of experience in the regulation and supervision of financial services, namely investment firms, collective investment schemes, company services providers, insurance undertakings and insurance intermediaries. During her career, she has represented the Authority on various committees with ESMA and EIOPA. Sarah read law at the University of Malta and graduated as a Notary Public and Doctor of Laws in 1996 and 1999 respectively. She also obtained a Master of Laws in European Union Law from the University of Leicester in 2006.
Deputy Counsel, EU and International Affairs, MFSA
Ryan Borg
Ryan Borg was appointed a Deputy Counsel – EU and International Affairs within the Malta Financial Services Authority in May 2019. He has spent ten years as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union in Brussels occupying the role of Financial Counsellor. Ryan Borg had the privilege to contribute to several financial services legislations and represented Malta in various EU fora. Ryan Borg has over ten years of experience in high level relations with the EU institutions and other relevant stakeholders. During his posting in Brussels, he provided advice on economic and financial affairs and also participated in Ministerial Councils and various bilateral meetings. Moreover, throughout the Maltese Presidency in 2017 he had the opportunity to chair the Financial Counsellors working group and led trialogues negotiations with the European Parliament on a number of legislative files on which political agreement on some dossiers was reached.
Deputy Director, OECD
Antonio Gomes
As Deputy Director, he supports the Director in the strategic management of the Directorate, ensuring the delivery of leading and timely research and analysis, the preparation and implementation of standards, the delivery of capacity building and technical assistance and the effective engagement with stakeholders and partners both inside and outside the Organisation, across the areas of Financial Markets, Consumer Finance, Insurance and Pensions, Corporate Governance, Competition, Investment, Responsible Business Conduct and Anti-Corruption. He is also the Directorate’s Accession Coordinator, coordinating the accession review process of OECD accession candidate countries for the six technical Committees in the Directorate’s sphere. He previously served as Acting Deputy Director of the OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs (2018- 20), Head of the OECD Competition Division (2016-18), and President of the Portuguese Competition Authority (2013-16). He worked at the OECD in 2013 as Senior Competition Expert and served as Director of the Merger Department of the Portuguese Competition Authority (2007-13). Since 2005, he has been an Assistant Professor at the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal. A Portuguese national, Mr. Gomes holds a Doctorate Degree in Economics from the University of York, United Kingdom, and Master Degrees in Economics from the University of York and the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Policy Advisor, OECD
Andrea Grifoni
Andrea Grifoni, based in Paris, FR, is currently a Policy Advisor at OECD-OCDE for the past 14 yrs and 9 mos. Andrea Grifoni holds a 2006 - 2007 MSc in International Political Economy @ The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He studied at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna and Institut d'Etudes politiques de Paris.
Policy Officer, SG REFORM, EU Commission
Cristina Pacella
Christina specialized in European policy with a specific focus on corporate governance and company law. With her masters based on the EU legislative process and interaction between institutions by actively participating in the draft of legislative proposals, policy proposals, background papers and impact assessments. She strongly developed her operational knowledge on the EU institutions functioning and my ability to monitor, understand and identify the most relevant elements of EU institutions work.
