“Bank of Valletta Recognised for Customer Service Excellence at European Awards…”

Bank of Valletta has been recognised at the European Contact Centre & Customer Service Awards (ECCCSA) for its progress in strengthening customer-focused practices and redesigning service experiences.

The Bank received commendations in the categories of Best Customer Centric Culture and Best Customer Experience Redesign, reflecting ongoing efforts to embed customer priorities across the organisation and to modernise how customers interact with the Bank.

Over recent years, Bank of Valletta has rolled out a broad transformation programme aimed at raising service quality. This has included closer alignment of teams around customer outcomes, increased exposure for employees to frontline service environments, and targeted training initiatives. These measures are supported by system and process enhancements designed to ensure customer feedback leads to practical service improvements.

Recognition for Best Customer Experience Redesign related to the Bank’s approach to engaging younger audiences through TikTok. The platform has been positioned as a customer touchpoint rather than a marketing channel, enabling collaborative content creation that delivers financial information in a clear and relevant way, while operating within established governance and compliance frameworks.

The awards programme, now marking its 25th year, brings together organisations from across Europe to benchmark advances in customer service and engagement practices.

APS Income Fund Declares January 2026 Dividend

APS Funds SICAV plc has declared a dividend of €1.85361 per share for its APS Income Fund – Class B EUR distributing shareswhich will be paid on 30 January 2026 to shareholders registered at the close of business on 31 December 2025.

The January 2026 distribution is marginally lower than the €1.8629 paid in July 2025, but represents an increase from the €1.68034 distributed in January 2025, highlighting stable income generation over the past year.

The APS Income Fund focuses primarily on Malta government bonds and corporate funds listed on the Malta Stock Exchange, with at least 85% of the portfolio invested in Maltese assets.

Joseph Portelli to Exit CF Estates with €6.65 Million Payout

Property developer and businessman Joseph Portelli is set to exit CF Estates, a publicly listed company in which he holds a 30% stake. According to a company announcement, CF Estates Finance plc, the group’s financing arm, stated that Mr Portelli will receive approximately €6.65 million for his shares. His stake will be acquired by the remaining four shareholders – Stephen Falzon, Clifton Cassar, Duncan Micallef, and Frank Agius.

The payout reflects 30% of CF Estates’ enterprise value as of 30 September 2025. The exit will be executed through a reduction in share capital, with the remaining shareholders assuring bondholders that the company’s capital position will be maintained and the enterprise value paid to Mr Portelli replenished as soon as practicable. CF Estates has confirmed it will provide further updates as the process is completed.

CF Estates’ portfolio includes property and hospitality investments such as the Levante Hotel, Scirocco Hotel, Mistral Hotel, and CF Business Centre in St Julian’s. Residential projects include the Mayfair Residences in Attard, Macael Apartments in Paola, Sunrise Corner in Swatar, and Vermont Court in Pietà.

While CF Estates is not widely known to the public, Mr Portelli is a high-profile figure, having developed Malta’s tallest tower through another company and owned the successful football team Ħamrun Spartans. Several CF Estates projects have attracted public attention, including the proposed redevelopment of the former Dolphin Complex in Balzan, which faced legal opposition, and a promise of sale agreement for garages near Hope Valley in Mosta.

The group has also made less controversial acquisitions, such as the Mavina Holiday Complex in Qawra from the Halmann Vella Group. CF Estates currently has a €30 million bond listed on the Malta Stock Exchange, maturing in 2033, and in 2024 raised an additional €4.9 million through an unlisted zero-coupon note issue, a relative novelty in the Maltese market.

HSBC Malta Employees to Receive €30 Million Compensation Ahead of CrediaBank Acquisition

HSBC Malta will contribute €10 million toward employee compensation, with the remaining €20 million funded by its parent company, resulting in a total of €30 million for staff ahead of the bank’s acquisition by CrediaBank.

CrediaBank has signed a definitive agreement to acquire HSBC Malta from HSBC Continental Europe. The €200 million deal remains subject to regulatory and corporate approvals, and upon completion, the Greek bank will hold a 70% stake in HSBC Malta. As part of the agreement, HSBC and CrediaBank have established a cooperation framework to facilitate the transition.

The €30 million compensation package, negotiated with the Malta Union of Bank Employees (MUBE), will provide qualifying staff with ex gratia payments linked to the change in ownership. Specific payment details have yet to be disclosed.

MUBE had previously staged a sit-in strike, asserting that a clause in the collective agreement entitled employees to terminal benefits following a change in ownership. The union had initially sought close to €60 million. HSBC maintained that the claim lacked legal basis, emphasizing that the bank was being sold rather than liquidated and that CrediaBank had committed to retaining staff for at least two years.

Separately, CrediaBank is in discussions to acquire a majority stake in Greek brokerage Pantelakis Securities, which was previously part of the HSBC group until 2012.

Merkanti Holding and Subsidiary Approve Bank Conversion Plan

Merkanti Holding plc has confirmed that the boards of both the company and its subsidiary, Merkanti Bank Limited, have formally approved the bank’s proposed conversion into an unregulated entity, advancing the plan first announced in December.

The company noted that the approval is subject to regulatory clearance and any further requirements from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The conversion is expected to move forward over the coming months.

Merkanti Holding emphasized that all customer deposits will be repaid in full, including deposits held by the parent company, and that the transition is not anticipated to materially affect the group’s financial position or its ability to meet obligations to bondholders.

Merkanti Holding has a €25 million bond listed on the Malta Stock Exchange, which was amended in 2024 to extend its maturity to 2033 and raise the interest rate from 4.00% to 5.70%, with bondholders’ consent. The company has reiterated that the bank’s conversion will not impact its ability to meet bond obligations.

Malta Company Announcements:

Maltapost plc

Shareholders as at the close of trading on 16^thJanuary 2026 will be entitled to receive a final net dividend of €0.024 per share. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on 18 March 2026, subject to approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 19 February 2026.

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