Malta’s economy was the second fastest growing in the EU last year, its financial sector is healthy and diversified, and it is about to play a leading lead role in Brussels, writes Michael Imeson.
Latest articles from Michael Imeson
A bumpy ride on Cyprus's road to recovery
February 1, 2016Things are looking up for banks in Cyprus, as the financial sector and economy recover. But a difficult journey still lies ahead with NPLs still high and calls for consolidation among the country's banks growing louder.
Good, but could be great: wealth management in South Korea
October 1, 2015South Korea has a large and vibrant wealth management sector, but it has yet to reach its full potential. Michael Imeson speaks to industry experts to assess how the country and its domestic financial institutions can bridge the gap between them and their Asia-Pacific peers.
Cyber security: locking out the bad guys
July 1, 2015Cyberspace is a dangerous place for banks, with the risk of payments fraud, data theft, denial-of-service attacks and other crimes high. So what are banks and the regulators doing to improve cyber security in the sector?
Turkey keeps calm amid surrounding chaos
April 30, 2015While conflict and economic instability rage all around Turkey, the country is providing an oasis of calm, with an economy set to grow by 3% to 4% in 2015, and a young, educated population proving a draw for investors.
Turkey's banks defy difficult conditions and continue growing
April 30, 2015The Turkish banking sector is in good health, although the country's lower economic growth, political developments at home and abroad, and the continued impact of financial regulation on retail banking are acting as a brake on growth and profits.
Regulators and banks unite to fight common cyber crime threat
January 5, 2015Regulators are playing an important role in how banks guard against cyber risks, but their emphasis is very much on guidance and co-operation rather than rules and coercion.
Breaking bad banking and the rise of conduct risk
January 5, 2015Conduct risk – the risk of staff acting unprofessionally, unethically or illegally – has become a major concern for supervisors and banks, as Michael Imeson reports.
Conduct, reputation and control
January 2, 2014Conduct risk and reputational risk are receiving more attention from banks than ever before as they strive to gain better control over their activities.
Managing the transition to a new global framework for bank capital
January 2, 2014Basel III is upon us. Although banks appear to be coping well with the capital-related elements of the regulations, they are having to make fundamental changes to the way they do business – and a 'Basel IV' looms on the horizon.