Chief Supervision Officer
MFSA

Christopher Buttigieg

Prof. Buttigieg has twenty-five years of experience in financial regulation and supervision.

He is the Chief Officer – Supervision, responsible for the Supervision Directorate, the Chair of the MFSA’s Regulatory Committee and the AMLCFT Committee and a member of the Authority’s Executive Committee. He is responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of the supervisory and regulatory strategy across all the sectors under the MFSA’s remit. Between October 2020 and September 2021, Prof. Buttigieg fulfilled the role Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Financial Services Authority.

Throughout his career at the MFSA, Prof. Buttigieg was responsible for managing various functions and teams. He was also responsible for the implementation of several European Directives and Regulations and the development of new regulatory frameworks at national level.

Prof. Buttigieg is a member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority and European Banking Authority. He was the Chair of the ESMA Data Standing Committee (until December 2022) and is now the Chair of the ESMA Proportionality and Coordination Committee (PCC). He also formed part the EBA Task Force on Efficiency of the Regulatory and Supervisory Framework.

Prof. Buttigieg has a commerce degree (B.Com 1998), an accountancy degree (B.Accty. Hons. 2000) and a financial services law degree (M.A. Fin. Ser. 2003) from the University of Malta, as well as a European Union Law degree (M.A. EU Law and Soc 2005) and a doctoral degree in law (PhD 2014) from the University of Sussex (UK). His Doctoral thesis deals with the governance of EU securities regulation and supervision.

Prof. Buttigieg is an Associate Professor in the Banking, Finance and Investments Department of the University of Malta. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of European Law (ERA) in Trier, Germany, and a visiting lecturer at the same institution.

He is an active researcher and has published various papers in reputable journals, including the Columbia Journal of European Law, the ERA Forum, the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, the Journal of Business Law, the Journal of Financial Compliance, the Journal of Financial Supervisors Academy and the Law and Financial Markets Review. His latest publication deals with the supervision of crypto asset service providers under the EU Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation. He is also a regular contributor to the Oxford Business Law Blog and the WFE Focus, the journal of the World Federation of Exchanges.

Empowering financial services

Empowering financial services

Speaker's Agenda

Day 1

Nov 19th

13:00
Registration & Welcome Coffee

Delegates arrive, collect materials, and network before the sessions begin.

13:30
Opening by Conference Host

Trudy Kerr

13:40
Opening Address & Keynote Speech

FinanceMalta Chairman

13:50
Address by Minister of Finance

Hon. Clyde Caruana

14:00
EnVision 2050: Quality as the Pillar of Malta’s Financial Future

Stefano Masino, Boston Consulting Group

14:15
Panel Discussion: The Future of Malta’s Financial Services – Raising the Bar on Quality

Presentation:

Jürgen Kreuz: The impact of AI on Financial Services
Founder | Cyber Security Consultant | IT-Auditor | Coach | ISO27001 | Trusted Advisor


Panel session:

- How regulatory frameworks can support high-quality financial services
- Ensuring Malta remains a competitive yet sustainable jurisdiction
- The role of talent, governance, and technology in financial excellence

Moderator:

- Keith Zahra

Panelists:

- Kenneth Farrugia, CEO, Malta Financial Services Authority
- John McIlwaine, EIF’s Senior Regional Representative for Italy and Malta
- Kenneth Farrugia, CEO, Bank of Valletta plc
- Joseph Zammit Tabona, Chairman, Malta Financial Services Advisory Council

15:10
FIRE UP! Your Habits: Where executive wellbeing meets high-performance returns

Daphne Grech Cumbo

Up your Level | Coach & Trainer (ICF ACC)

15:30
Coffee Break
16:00
Host Intervention
16:15
Fireside chat: Rethinking Scale: A small nation’s Role in a Digitally-Driven Financial World

Ed Vaizey (Lord Vaizey of Didcot), member of the House of Lords, broadcaster and business adviser
Dimitris Litsikakis, Director, Profile Software

16:35
Fireside Chat: Innovation & Regulation – Striking the Right Balance

Christopher Buttigieg, Chief Supervision Officer, MFSA

16:55
Spotlight Sessions: Key Trends Shaping Malta’s Financial Future

Short expert talks on the following topics followed by 2 panel discussions:

The evolution of ESG and sustainable finance
Gabriella Borda, Chairperson, Sustainable Finance WG, MFSAC

Fintech: Digital transformation in banking and financial services
Herman Ciappara, Chairperson, Fintech WG, MFSAC

Family offices: Navigating a shifting regulatory landscape
Conrad Cassar Torregiani, Chairperson, Family Offices and Tax, MFSAC

AI: Malta’s AI in Fintech Strategy
Ian Gauci, Chairperson, AI Working Group, MFSAC

Aircraft Leasing
Nicholas Valenza, Partner, Mamo TCV

Auto-enrolment – Pillar 2 Pensions
Matthew Brincat, Partner, Ganado Advocates


Moderator: Jon Mallia, Podcast Host, Jon Mallia Podcast

17:55
Evening Networking Reception

Informal networking over drinks and canapés

Day 2

Nov 20th

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