President visits BoV centre

President George Abela recently visited the BoV Centre in St Venera, where he was greeted by chairman Roderick Chalmers and chief executive officer Tonio Depasquale.

The chairman and CEO accompanied the President through the centre's foyer, where he visited an art exhibition featuring works by 11 artists, all members of the bank's staff.

Mr Depasquale explained that employees are regarded as the bank's most valuable asset and that the bank regularly organises events that promote talent. The visit also included a brief tour of several key departments.

About 450 members of staff out of 1,500 are housed in around 30 departments at the centre, which is a hub of activity, with business processes ranging from financial markets to IT and HR, among others.

Mr Chalmers introduced Dr Abela to the bank's board of directors and executive committee, followed by a presentation by Mr Depasquale, who gave an overview of the bank's history, its part in Malta's economic development and the important role the bank plays within the community.

The visit came to a conclusion with a reception during which staff from both the centre and branches were briefly addressed by Mr Chalmers and Dr Abela.

During this address, the President said BoV employees were privileged to work within such a caring and collaborative environment. He reminded those present that he too had served as both a non-executive director and an executive director to the BoV board in the past. He highlighted the important role the bank played in the country's economy and praised the bank and its management for its sound, ethical business approach during the past year. He concluded by expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome he received.

On behalf of all the staff, Mr Chalmers presented Dr Abela with a sculpture as a commemorative gift.