Business Briefs - May 22, 2008

Friends of the Quaich gathering in Malta

International and local whisky connoisseurs met at Le Meridien Hotel, St Julians to participate in the Scotch Whisky Connoisseurs of Malta - Friends of the Quaich annual gala dinner.

The evening included a ceremony during which five persons were inducted as new Friends of the Quaich. Dick Reader, the founder of the Whisky Connoisseurs of Malta conducted the ceremony that saw Matthew Miceli DeMajo, Silvio Carabott, Aaron Rizzo, Richard Lee and Clifton Cassar being enrolled as new members.

The investiture was followed by a gourmet five course dinner and came to an end with a tutored tasting session involving Johnnie Walker's flagship range.

This year's event was sponsored by Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky through their local distributors M. Demajo (Wines & Spirits) Limited.

The session was expertly conducted by Mr. Aaron Rizzo and the guests present were taken through the finer points of Johnnie Walker Black, Green and Blue Label.

The Whisky Connoisseurs of Malta Pipe Band, made up of seven elements, accompanied the ceremonies and played throughout the evening to the delight of the patrons attending.

The formation of The Whisky Connoisseurs of Malta, Friends of the Quaich, was developed to bring together an alliance of like-minded people who wish to share with others, friendship, gastronomy and enjoy the pleasures of first class whiskies.

The Quaich, after which the association is named, is Scotland's cup of friendship and has been used through the centuries to offer a welcoming drink at clan gatherings, and other family occasions, and to friends and visitors.

"Quaich" is a Scots rendering of the Gaelic word "cuach", meaning cup. The two-handed design of this drinking vessel incorporates trust, on the part of both giver and receiver.

New appointments at Melita

In the last month, 25 new employees joined Melita in various posts within the marketing, technical support, customer care and other key positions within the cable TV, telephony, broadband divisions, as well as mobile telephony, which Melita is planning to offer later on this year.

Alison Bezzina, Roger Davies-Barrett, Adrian Mizzi and Jean Borg are among the new recruits occupying managerial posts within the mobile telephony sector.

Ms Bezzina has been appointed mobile marketing manager responsible for the commercial management of Meltia's new mobile network. Ms Bezzina, a graduate of University of London, has extensive marketing advertising and brand building experience in the FMCG sector and mobile marketing.

Mr Davies-Barrett, is Melita's acquitision manager and has been entrusted with the role of locating, negotiating and coordinating sites for use as mobile base stations' locations.

A graduate with an MBA in e-business, Mr Davies-Barrett brings 18 years' experience in the mobile industry.

The responsibility of the IT systems for the mobile operation has been entrusted to mobile IT manager, Adrian Mizzi, an engineering professional with an MBA in e-business and 12 years experience in the management of ICT and information security in the mobile, telecoms information technology and financial services industries.

Mr Borg has been appointed to the post of revenue assurance manager responsible for all of Melita's products and services.

An accountant by profession and a certified information systems auditor, Mr Borg is currently also undertaking a Masters in IT.