Rizzo Farrugia stockbroking firm gets new visual identity

Rizzo, Farrugia and Co (Stockbrokers) Ltd, the Sliema-based stockbroking and investment consultancy firm, has rebranded as the third generation takes its place at the helm of the family business.

A founder member of the Malta Stock Exchange, the firm was established in 1991 by Vincent J. Rizzo and his brother-in-law Karol Farrugia, with Mr Rizzo's sons Vincent E. and Edward joining the organisation less than 10 years later.

Now enjoying the trust of a wide array of local and international retail, high net worth and institutional clients - some of whom have been loyal to the firm since the Rizzo's entry into the financial services industry over 30 years ago - RFC has earned itself a reputation for service and expertise.

"Providing a top-notch service level at all times has always been the company's primary goal," Vincent E. Rizzo told The Times Business. "Although we are in the process of modernising, we firmly intend to retain the core values which attracted our clients to entrust us with their investments. There is also a certain continuity within the business as we are able to tap into the experience of our founder members. That is a valuable asset.

"Above all, we are independent," Mr Rizzo stresses. "We are probably one of a very few investment advisers who do not sell or promote a specific investment product or represent a foreign investment house. We are different because we provide a service - investment consultancy - and our independence allows us to provide clients with non-complex investments that suit their requirements at all times. Furthermore, our investment advisers are not commission-based, another important differentiating factor which allows us to concentrate on the client's needs and not on the company's short-term financial well being."

Besides a brand new image and visual identity, complete with logo incorporating the initials of all five family members, RFC is also unveiling its fifth portal since 1995 at www.rizzofarrugia.com. In mid-1995, RFC was the first stockbroking firm to launch a website. Intended mainly as an information portal, it now receives over 1.5 million hits a month, primarily from Maltese visitors. With new features, sections and facilities, the latest version aims to be even more client-friendly and informative.

"By way of example, we registered a staggering 329 downloads of the Melita Capital plc prospectus in the first 24 hours since posting," Edward Rizzo remarked.

The change at RFC has been timed to coincide with one of the busiest years on Malta's capital market and with an intensive period of issues and offerings left on the 2009 calendar.

"Organisations have started to tap into other options in their quest to raise capital and have increasingly chosen to come to the local market," Edward Rizzo explained. "We are monitoring developments and aim to attract further companies to use the domestic capital market as a source of funding and as an alternative to bank financing.

"Our experience in advising and assisting companies by acting as sponsors has increased drastically over the past couple of years and we are now among the leaders in this area, having been chosen by well-established names such as Bank of Valletta, HSBC Bank Malta, Malta International Airport, Maltapost, FIMBank and more recently Tumas and Melita.

"Thanks to the relations with industry professionals and the regulators, that we have managed to build over the years, primarily as a result of our independence and service levels, companies have successfully launched equity and bond offerings with our assistance". RFC, which currently incorporates a team of 12 apart from the executive management team, prides itself on its fully fledged research function.

Apart from setting up the research facility, the commitment to maintaining an updated website and the focus on assisting companies on using the capital market as an alternative to bank financing, Vincent and Edward Rizzo have also sought to expand the company's service offering in other areas following their appointment as directors of Rizzo Farrugia in 2004.

One of their first tasks was an investment in a robust portfolio management system. On completion in 2006, Rizzo Farrugia also began to offer a nominee service.

"This service was launched in response to the various requests from clients asking us to take care of all administrative procedures and collection of interest and dividend payments," Vincent Rizzo explained.

"This also led to the provision of a vastly improved international stockbroking service. The main growth in this area ensued following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers a year ago. As the international stockmarkets crashed, a number of high net worth clients wished to take advantage of the decline in valuations."

Although the Maltese equity market has failed to mirror the strong rally seen in international markets since this year's March lows, Vincent and Edward Rizzo are convinced that the future for the Maltese capital markets is exciting.

With Vincent Rizzo also heading the College of Stockbrokers, he is working towards encouraging change in the market to facilitate trading activity, providing a deeper and more liquid market which, in turn, will lead to further listings in the future.