Martin James Wilkins is the new chief operating officer of HSBC Bank Malta plc. Mr Wilkins, who has taken over from Tim Fitzpatrick, has responsibility for personal banking, finance, wealth management, property and human resources functions within the bank. He is also responsible for HSBC's life and fund management subsidiary companies.
Mr Wilkins has had a distinguished banking career stretching back over 30 years. Having joined Midland Bank in 1970 as a clerk, he has gone on to occupy a number of important posts with Midland Bank and later HSBC.
Over the years Mr Wilkins has worked in a number of different regions within the United Kingdom as well as in Switzerland, Germany and the United States.
"On behalf of everyone at HSBC Bank Malta, I would like to welcome Martin to our team," Chris Hothersall, HSBC's chief executive officer, said. "I am certain that he will find his time here both challenging and rewarding, and that his experience and ideas will help all of us here at HSBC Malta to continue improving the quality of the service and the products which HSBC provides to its Maltese customers."
Prior to his appointment as chief operating officer at HSBC Bank Malta, Mr Wilkins was HSBC Bank's area manager responsible for Reading, Basingstoke, Swindon and Newbury.
Previous roles have included that of area manager for Bournemouth the New Forest between 1995 and 1999, head of Business Marketing at Midland Bank between 1993 and 1995, project director for integrating corporate and retail operations of Midland Bank in Southern England and area manager, Cornwall, between 1990 and 1992.
Mr Wilkins, who is a keen sportsman and also a fluent speaker of German, has already taken up residence in Malta. "Working and living in Malta is an opportunity which I am very much looking forward to," Mr Wilkins said.
"My role as chief operating officer will certainly present me with a new set of challenges but I know that, with the support of the excellent people working at HSBC Malta, the coming few years will also be very rewarding."