Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Marco Abela currently occupies the position of Chief Officer of Policy and Forward Planning within Malta Enterprise which is the national Economic Development Agency. A land-use planner by profession, he has been working with this agency for the past eighteen years, with a direct involvement in policy in the past fourteen during which time the Maltese economic landscape underwent significant transformation.
Over the years, Mr Abela has also represented Malta, primarily in the field of Industrial Policy, on a number of Committees both at a local and a European level.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Dr Rose Marie Azzopardi graduated Diploma Public Administration and B.A. from the
University of Malta, and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Sussex, UK. She is a lecturer in International Economics at the University of Malta. Her main research interest focuses on the role of economic integration in the development strategies of small states. She has published articles and book chapters on European Union issues, the European Monetary Union, globalization and small states, and small and medium sized companies’ competitive assets. She is a member on the Advisory Board of ISISA (International Small Island Studies Association).
Her more recent publication is ‘Social Policies in Malta’ published by Commonwealth and
UNRISD in March 2011, as part of a project looking at social policies in small states and their effect on economic development.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Professor Lino Briguglio (born January 1944) is Head of the Economics and of the Banking and
Finance Departments at the University of Malta. He also directs the Islands and Small States
Institute of the Foundation for International Studies and the University Centre on the Island of
Gozo.
He possesses a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Exeter (UK) and a Special Diploma in
Social Studies from the University of Oxford. He obtained his Honours and Master’s degree in
Economics from the University of Malta.
His main area of interest is islands and small states studies, in particular economic aspects, and he has authored many publications on this subject. He is known internationally for his seminal work on the “Vulnerability Index” (see for example World Development, Sept 1995) which led to a world-wide interest and to many quantitative studies on Economic and Environmental
Vulnerability.
Professor Briguglio is the general editor of the Islands Series published by Cassell-Pinter of
London, editor of Bank of Valletta Review published by the Bank of Valletta and one of the editors of Insula International Journal of Island Affairs, published in collaboration with
UNESCO. He also serves on the editorial boards of a number of other journals. Professor
Briguglio has acted as consultant to several international organisations including the UN
Department of Policy Coordination, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNDP, CARICOM, the Commonwealth
Secretariat and SOPAC, on the construction of an index measuring the economic and environmental vulnerability of small island states. He has also represented the Maltese government in United Nations meetings dealing with island affairs, including the UN Global
Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States. Prof. Briguglio is one of the lead authors for the chapter on Small Island States of the Third Assessment Report by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Jennifer Cassingena Harper is the Director of Policy, Strategy, FP7 and International within the Malta Council for Science and Technology with responsibility for Research and Innovation Strategy and Foresight. She is a graduate of the London School of Economics. Dr Harper has previous experience in preparing and coordinating projects: FP5 INCO project SYNERGNET; FP6 STRATA Project eFORESEE Project; Structural Funds ESF
Research and Mobility Action for SMEs (Project leader); FP6 ERANET ForSociety; Structural Funds Interreg 3C
FUTURREG project; FP6 INCO E INNFORMED. She is currently coordinating an FP7 OMCNET Project entitled
ERAPRISM, Policies for Research and Innovation in small member states. Dr Harper represents Malta at EU level in ERAC Director General level and the JRC Board of Governors. She has been active on a number of EU High
Level Expert Groups: member, Environment Impact Assessment group, rapporteur, post-Lisbon group(2010),
Agriculture Foresight Expert Group (2006) and the EU HLG on Key Technologies (2005), member, Regional
Foresight (2001), Mobility of Researchers (2000).
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Dr Gordon Cordina holds the post of Head of Economics Department Faculty of
Economics,Management & Accountancy at the University of Malta. His main area of research interest is the growth and macroeconomic dynamics of small and micro economies. He has published widely in this area, on aspects ranging from macroeconomic and growth patterns to pension reform to environmental sustainability. Dr Cordina has served as Director General of the National Statistics
Office, as Economic Advisor to the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and as
Head of the Research Department of the Central Bank of Malta.
He has been involved in a number of local and international research projects and consultancy assignments with institutions including the EU Commission, various Government Ministries and private sector institutions.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Jean Paul Fabri graduated first class honours in economics from the University of Malta. He also read for a master’s in economics specialising in governance in small island states. He further continued his studies in political economy at the London School of Economics. His research interests are mainly governance and political economy. He currently works in the private secretariat of the Prime Minister in Malta and is a part-time lecturer at the University of
Malta.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Mr Joseph Farrugia joined the Malta Employers’ Association as Director General in November
2001. He was previously employed at the University of Malta where he used to lecture in
Marketing related subjects to Junior College, B.Comm and MBA students. He has also conducted courses in sales and sales management for the Malta University Services.
Mr Farrugia has extensive experience in marketing consultancy and was employed as a Human
Resources executive with the Gasan Group of Companies between the years 1988 and 1995. His main responsibilities at the Gasan group were industrial relations, collective bargaining, training, and organisational design and development.
Since 1998, Mr Farrugia has also occupied the post of Chief Executive of the Sense Group, an organisation formed by producers and importers of alcoholic beverages to promote moderate drinking. TSG has conducted numerous campaigns over the years to prevent alcohol related abuse.
For the past three years, Mr. Farrugia has sat on the board of directors of the Employment and
Training Corporation, and of the Employment Relations Board. He also represents the MEA on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Silvio Meli is a lawyer by profession; was Senior Magistrate, and is now Judge of the Superior Courts.
Earlier he read economics, sociology, philosophy and history of Mediterranean civilisation. He furthered his studies at the Faculty of Theology, Malta, where he read philosophy and theology; and at the
Ecclesiastical Tribunal, Malta, where he read canonical marriage jurisprudence and procedure. He successfully followed post-graduate studies in Jurisprudence and Human Rights organized by the
University of Luton in Strasbourg. He also obtained Postgraduate Diplomas respectively in European
Community Competition Law, and in European Community Law, from King’s College, University of
London, London. He was the President of the Commission for Fair Trading of Malta and had occupied the post since its setting up in 1996. He is also visiting lecturer in Philosophy of Law at the University of
Malta and of South Texas University, U.S.A.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Mark A. Pizzuto was educated at the University of Malta and Henley Management College
(UK). Mr Pizzuto has served in various positions within the private and public sector and is today a Manager with Malta Enterprise (ME) within the Internationalisation Unit responsible for the Franchising Project as well as overall Export Support.
Since joining ME, he has been responsible for a number of programmes including particularly coordinating the European Social Fund (ESF) project as submitted under Measure 2.3 – Lifelong learning and social inclusion; (contained by Malta’s Programme Compliment to the Single
Programming Document 2004 – 2006); as well as in collaboration and with the sponsorship of the Commonwealth Secretariat (U.K.) and the Malta Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was instrumental in developing, organising and running in Malta a two-week training course in Trade
Promotion, Export and Industrial Development, specifically aimed for Trade Promotion Officials of Commonwealth Countries.
Further to this, during his previous employment with the Malta External Trade Corporation
(METCO), Mr Pizzuto had initiated a four-month course in Export Management for local entrepreneurs covering areas in International Trade including Marketing for Export, Transport and Export Logistics, Finance and methods of payment, including also Legal Aspects referring to
Sale of Goods and Contracts; as well had for a number of years jointly co-ordinated the METCO
Annual International Marketing Conference, with its focus being on the practical aspects of doing international business, marketing and management of same.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Adrian is the Managing Director of EMCS Consulting and is responsible for marketing and corporate identity within the Group. He holds a first degree in Commerce, as well as an honours degree in Economics from the University of Malta. He pursued post-graduate studies abroad at the Strathclyde Graduate School of Business - University of Strathclyde in Scotland by following a Master in Business Administration. His area of specialization is corporate strategic planning.
Adrian has extensive experience in strategic planning, economic research, project development and finance with clients in Europe and North Africa and particularly for international organisations such as Banco Espirito Santo, AECOM, Vodafone, ASCAME, Novartis, Misurata
Freezone and others.
He is a regular speaker at various international conferences including MED Franchising
(Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona), Tourism & Travel Antalya (ASCAME/Chamber of
Commerce of Istanbul), MED Finance (Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona).
He is the coordinator of the Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum and the Stockholm
Network.
Adrian is a visiting lecturer and examiner in strategic management at the Department of
Management of the University of Malta.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Ing J P Sammut is an industrial engineer with a focus on operations management having been employed and worked as a consultant in different industries in Malta and Europe since 1981.
He has specialized and lectured in lean manufacturing techniques, quality systems, health and safety and overall production control through the use of ERP systems and he has also set up ventures in surveying, automation, environmental services, management and marketing consultancy.
Ing Sammut has been within the public sector for the past seven years employed as a senior official in the government’s economic development agency with responsibilities including national industrial strategy, knowledge management, technology development and innovation.
He is currently the Project Leader of the €20M ERDF funded Life Sciences Centre that he conceived in 2006.
Ing Sammut has sat on a number of public and private sector boards including Malta Council of
Science and Technology, Malta Standards Authority, EneMalta Regulations Committee,
Building Industry Consultative Council, Chamber of Engineers (Past President), Federation of
Professional Bodies, Federation of European National Engineering Associations (FEANI) -local monitoring committee.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Bio Note
Mr Sant has been working as a Senior Manager on EU and SME Economics Officer EU
Affairs with Bank of Valletta plc. for the last eleven years. He has been involved in the strategic planning process of the organization particularly the local economy and the impact of Malta`s EU accession in the financial services sector and various local industries including manufacturing and tourism. Currently, Mr Sant represents the organization in a number of Central Bank, local and international organization working groups including the Central Bank of Malta EU advisory committee for banks and The
European Savings Banks Group economics committee. Mr Sant has given a number of speeches presentations both in Malta and abroad. He has also authored a number of articles on Malta and the European Union. Mr Sant is presently a lecturer at the
Institute of Financial Services. He also represents Malta on the European Payment
Council.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
James Spiteri holds an accounting degree and has been working in close contact with the
Business Community for over 20 years in various positions within both the public and private sector.
The bulk of his career has been at Malta Enterprise, Malta’s national trade and investment promotion agency wherein he has served in various departments within the said organisation including Support Services for Industry, Trade Promotion, Foreign Direct Investment Targeting and recently as part of the newly formed Business Services Centre. The Business Service
Centre’s main function is to provide a single point of contact for local businesses to obtain information and guidance on the various assistance schemes available both from national and EU sources. These varied postings have enabled him to get a wider perspective on the local business environment from both a domestic and foreign point of view.
Mr Spiteri also served as the Company Secretary of Malta Export Credit Insurance Co Ltd taking an active part in the various facets of the administration of the Company including treasury and external marketing functions. He had also been the editor of a quarterly newsletter. ‘Getting
Paid’ which had a circulation of just over 1000 copies per edition.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Anne Marie Thake M.Sc. (Manchester) Human Resource Development, B.A. (Hons.) is currently reading for a PhD with the University of Bath, Uk on Matching Competencies and
Projected Employment Requirements in Public and Private Sector.
She provides Human resource services to Deloitte - an international Accountancy, Auditing and
Financial Advisory firm since 2005 and lectures at the Department of Public Policy within the
Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, University of Malta (1994 to date).
Ms Thake has worked for the Staff Development Organisation within the Office of the Prime
Minister (1990-1994), was the Human Resource Manager at the former Planning Authority
(1994-1996) and the Human Resource/Quality Manager for Alf. Mizzi and Sons (Marketing)
Group (1996-1998). In 1995, she was attached to the European Parliament - Directorate General for Research – Luxembourg on issues related to performance management. She has over fifteen years experience in human resource management issues, including recruitment and developing employees in public, parastatal and private organisations.
Ms Thake has trained many people in Human Resource skills, has written HR documents and articles and was primarily instrumental in drafting a Human Resource Policy and Strategy Plan for Malta. She was a member of the Commission appointed to report on the post-secondary and
Tertiary Education Government Funding (2004). She was one of the Directors of the Foundation for Human Resource Development (FHRD) (2004 to 2011), sat on other committees including the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) (2002 to 2009), Malta
Government Sponsorship Scheme (MGSS) (2006 to 2009) and the Commonwealth Scholarships
Board (2004 to 2009). She was also an assessor for EU projects related to Human Resource programmes.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Gejtu Vella joined the UHM in March 1982. He was appointed to present position: 14 May 1998
He was elected on the Executive Committee of the Private Sector and when the Hotels,
Restaurants, Food and Beverages Section was set up in October 1989, he was appointed its first
Secretary. In June 1995 he was also appointed Assistant Secretary-General. He took over the office of UHM Secretary General in May 1998.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Stephanie Vella graduated Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Economics from the University of Malta in 2002 and obtained a Master of Arts in Economics in 2004. She worked at the Central
Bank of Malta and is currently an Executive Director of an economic consultancy firm. She also works as a part-time lecturer at the Economics Department of the University of Malta teaching
Public Sector Economics and Intermediate Macroeconomics at a graduate level. She is currently reading for her postdoctorate degree on fiscal discipline.
As an economist, she has worked on a number of projects related to Malta’s membership in the
EU as well as a number of studies on small states and the concept of economic resilience. She has also worked as a part of a team in conducting a number of economic impact assessments.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Dr Edward Warrington worked in the Prime Minister’s Office, Malta, for thirteen years (1977-
91), five of them spent reading public administration at the Universities of Malta and Toronto.
Between 1987 and 1991, as Secretary of the Public Service Reform Commission and Deputy
Director of Staff Development, he was closely involved in the effort to reform Malta’s governing institutions and public services.
In 1991, he won a Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship to the University of Oxford, where he obtained the D.Phil. with a thesis on the governance of micro-states, after carrying out field work in Malta, Barbados and Fiji. On returning to Malta in 1994, he was appointed Public
Service Commissioner (until 1996). He was the first Director of the Institute of Public
Administration and Management at the University of Malta (1999 – 2007). He is presently Head of the Department of Public Policy, as well as an administrative consultant to the Archdiocese of
Malta.
Dr Warrington served as the Regional Co-Editor for Southern Europe and the Mediterranean of the international journal Public Administration and Development between 1999 and 2009, as well as Executive Editor of e-Orbis (2000 – 2008), an electronic current affairs periodical published by the Maltese Jesuit Province. He has published books and articles on a wide range of good governance issues.
His publications include an in-depth study on ‘Governance’ (with David Milne), in Baldacchino,
G (ed) 2007. A World of Islands: An Island Studies Reader, Canada: Institute of Island Studies,
UPEI & Malta: Agenda Academic; ‘L’ “Européanisation” de l’Administration Publique
Maltaise: Image Inversée, Laboratoire ou Paradigme?’ in Revue Française d’Administration
Publique, No. 114, 2005; and ‘Efficiency first … political education second. Devising governing institutions for emerging polities’, Public Administration and Development, 19(5), 1999.
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta

Malta-Commonwealth Third Country Training Programme
Competitiveness Strategies for Small States
Malta: 23 – 31 May 2011
Workshop Organized by the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta,
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malta