SPEAKERS

Ms Maria Cauchi Delia
Chief Executive Officer (MIA)

Maria Cauchi Delia is the Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Institute of Accountants, the sole professional accountancy body in Malta. In her role, she 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 Mark Bugeja
President (MIA)

Mark Bugeja is the President of the Malta Institute of Accountants, which, along the MIA council, sets the overall direction of the Institute and ensures that it continues to develop in line with its mission and values.

Mark is currently the Managing Partner of Grant Thornton and has been practicing, mainly in the field of auditing, since he completed the B.A. (Hons) Accountancy course at the University of Malta in 1987.

Ms Ariane Azzopardi
Chairperson (MIA AML Committee),
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. 

Dr Rakele Cini
Member (MIA AML Committee), Legal Consultant

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 an active member of the PMLFT sub-committee at the Malta Institute of Accountants and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.

Mr Jeremy Mercieca Abela
Senior Associate, Enforcement (FIAU)

Jeremy Mercieca Abela is a Senior Associate within the FIAU’s Enforcement Section, entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities related to enforcement activities. One of his key roles involves preparing and presenting cases before the FIAU’s Compliance Monitoring Committee, an FIAU internal organ responsible for determining the appropriate enforcement actions to be imposed for AML/CFT breaches.

Prior to joining the FIAU, Jeremy worked for two years in internal audit and AML/CFT compliance at a big four consulting firm, during which he gained extensive knowledge and experience in financial crime prevention and AML/CFT compliance, as he carried out compliance reviews and advised clients on AML/CFT regulations and best practices. Jeremy holds a Master’s degree in Accountancy, and has also attained the CAMS qualification. 

Mr Clifton Grech
Manager Intelligence Analysis (FIAU)

Clifton Grech, a Fellow of the MIA and ACCA with over a decade of experience in the accounting and auditing industry. In 2020, driven by a passion for combating financial crimes, he transitioned to the FIAU where he now leads a specialized operational team.

Ms Laura Mifsud
Assistant Manager, Supervision (FIAU)

Laura Mifsud joined the FIAU in 2017 and is currently an Assistant Manager within the Supervision Section, forming part of the team which focuses on the AML/CFT supervision of DNFBPs. In her role at the FIAU, Ms Mifsud is involved in the carrying out of AML/CFT supervisory examinations, ensuring subject persons’ compliance with AML/CFT obligations, and providing necessary guidance where required. 

Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas
Chief Executive Officer (MBR)

Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas is a lawyer by profession and is currently the Registrar of Companies, the Registrar of other Legal Persons, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Business Registry. She sits as member and representative of the European Region on the executive committee of the Corporate Registries Forum, which brings together registries from all across the globe.

Dr Spiteri Lucas is also a member of the board of examiners for the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Malta.

Ms Angela Fleri Soler
Member (MIA AML Committee), Director (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.

Mr Alfred Zammit
Director (FIAU)

As Director of the FIAU, Mr Alfred Zammit provides strategic leadership to ensure compliance with Maltese law and international AML/CFT standards.

Since joining the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit in 2010, Mr Zammit has represented Malta in key global forums, including the Egmont Group of FIUs, the EU FIU Platform, and the European Banking Authority’s AML Standing Committee. He also serves as a Moneyval assessor and regional representative for the Egmont Europe 1 Group.

Mr Zammit plays a central role in Malta’s National ML/TF risk assessments and frequently delivers AML/CFT training locally and internationally. Within the FIAU, he chairs committees such as the Compliance Monitoring Committee, overseeing regulatory compliance.

With prior experience at the Central Bank of Malta and in the private sector, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Management and Economics from the University of Malta.