Senior Regional Representative

European Investment Fund

John McIlwaine

John McIlwaine is the Senior Regional Representative of the European Investment Fund for Italy & Malta, supporting institutional representation, stakeholder relationships, fundraising and engagement with EIF’s financial intermediaries.

John has held various positions at EIB Group since 2004 including advising the Chief Investment Officer, leading a team of over 40 transactions lawyers and chairing the EIF Investment & Risk Committee.

Prior to joining the the EIB Group, John was a lawyer with Linklaters, first in their London office and then in New York, Budapest and Bratislava.

John holds a law degree from Aberdeen University and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University.

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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.

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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)

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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:
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The evolution of ESG and sustainable finance
Gabriella Borda, Chairperson, Sustainable Finance WG, MFSAC
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Fintech: Digital transformation in banking and financial services
Herman Ciappara, Chairperson, Fintech WG, MFSAC
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Family offices: Navigating a shifting regulatory landscape
Conrad Cassar Torregiani, Chairperson, Family Offices and Tax, MFSAC
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AI: Malta’s AI in Fintech Strategy
Ian Gauci, Chairperson, AI Working Group, MFSAC
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Aircraft Leasing
Nicholas Valenza, Partner, Mamo TCV
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Auto-enrolment – Pillar 2 Pensions
Matthew Brincat, Partner, Ganado Advocates

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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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