Training Courses

This course delves into the AML/CFT challenges and risks associated with trusts, providing a practical framework for managing these risks effectively. It examines the unique vulnerabilities of trusts, focusing on beneficial ownership concealment and complex financial structures that can be exploited to launder illicit funds and sanctions evasion, amongst others. The course addresses customer risk management, particularly wealth accumulation, SOW and SOW, offering actionable insights into compliance obligations and advanced risk mitigation techniques. Participants will gain an understanding of the legal requirements in terms of the PMLFTR and how to apply them effectively in practice when dealing with trust customers. Particular emphasis is placed on conducting due diligence on trusts and their beneficial owners, ensuring compliance with AML obligations while addressing practical challenges. Through examples and scenarios , participants will gain the skills to identify red flags, evaluate trust structures, and implement robust control measures. This includes guidance on understanding the risk factors specific to trusts, enhancing due diligence procedures, and adopting effective strategies to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with AML regulations.
 

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of personal data breaches, focusing on their identification, management, and prevention. Participants will learn what constitutes a data breach, common causes (such as hacking, phishing, and human error), and the legal implications under regulations like GDPR and CCPA. The course covers early detection techniques, assessing breach severity, and developing effective response plans, including notifying affected parties and authorities. Practical sessions focus on damage mitigation, building robust security systems, and fostering employee awareness to minimize risks. Ideal for IT professionals, compliance officers, and business leaders, this program equips learners with the tools to navigate breaches confidently and safeguard personal data effectively.  

The aim of this course is to provide an objective overview of the attributes of commercial property as a mainstream asset class and to lay down the theoretical foundations of investment decision-making, so that particular decisions regarding property investments can be made efficiently and rationally. Concepts and techniques included in this course and problem sets are used in many careers related to real estate. These include periti, real estate advisors and valuers, investors and developers, estate agents and CFOs. This material is also relevant to individuals who want to better understand real estate for their own personal investment decisions as it prepares the student to understand the risks and rewards associated with investing in and financing both residential and commercial real estate.

The Compliance Officer is the regulator’s invisible arm in that it ensures that the institution’s business is being conducted in line with regulations, internal policies and procedures. Checks are carried out primarily through compliance monitoring programmes; be they on-site or desk based reviews. The fulcrum of the findings prompted by the reviews is to bring these to the attention of senior management. Senior management is ultimately responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the compliance function and in ensuring that the business is carried out in line with regulatory requirements.

Whether at top executive, middle management or even  junior administrator level, conveying information, a message  or even intent clearly, flawlessly and in appropriate detail  is critical for getting the message across, establishing  attention, winning business and building continued success.  Business writing must form a credible basis upon which  sound decisions may be taken. In this regard, besides  communicating information accurately in an appropriate  format, effective business writing demonstrates rationale,  enhances credibility, carries influential impact, and conveys  suitable courtesy. All powerful determinants for maintaining  interest, rapport and enhancing sustainable achievement in  the world of business.  This short course gives practitioners, managers and  administrators insights into sharpening and enhancing their  business writing and communication skills in multiple and  varied business contexts such as writing with impact and  garnering results, drawing up reports as a sound basis for  decision-making and outcome reporting, minute taking as  well as delivering and presenting to an audience.  

This 2-hour course provides technical and non-technical teams with essential awareness of current cybersecurity threats and best practices for mitigating risks. Participants will learn about the evolving threat landscape, the role of senior management in cybersecurity risk management, and how to implement protective, detective, and reactive controls to enhance the organization's security posture. The course aims to equip all team members with the knowledge to contribute effectively to managing cybersecurity risks within their roles.

This interesting course will delve into the economics of rent and the commercial property rental market, and methods used to assess the long term value of any lease or rental agreements by using the discounted cash flow technique to bring all future cashflows to present day values. This enables investors and property owners to be able to take informed decisions based on more accurate data that is based on tried and tested methods using realistic calculations and methods.

This course is intended to educate and train professionals on the role of the risk function within an organization, and its effectiveness in acting as a second line of defense within the organization’s governance structure. The course will look into the practical implementation of risk and risk management, highlighting the main stages of a robust enterprise-wide risk management process.

Climate financial risks and disclosures are increasingly recognized as essential components of sustainable finance, with various regulatory frameworks emerging to enhance transparency and accountability in this area. This course will guide you through the key aspects of climate change risks and their corresponding disclosures, with a primary focus on those aligned with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

A Customer Risk Assessment (CRA) is a tool used to evaluate the risk level of customers to prevent financial crimes. Being a critical component of customer due diligence at onboarding and thereafter, it is the foundation of every risk-based AML control framework. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics of a CRA and the impact on the level of due diligence measures conducted . We will be delving into the regulatory requirements emanating from the IPs and PMLFTR as well as sharing best practices on CRA models. Additionally, the course explores how the CRA influences and shapes the application of CDD/EDD measures in line with regulatory obligations , w ith a particular focus on how to translate CRA findings into actionable due diligence measures . Through practical examples and scenarios , participants will gain the tools to conduct an effective CRA and CDD/EDD in a manner that can treat the risks identified in the CRA. This includes guidance on evaluating risk factors, asking the right questions, identifying gaps in information, and implementing appropriate measures to ensure compliance and effective risk management.

The training will focus on Source of Wealth and Source of Funds obligations and what to look out for as well as information and documentation a Subject Person is expected to collate when there is third-party involvement. Reference will also be made to the FIAU Guidance issued in July 2022, titled ‘On Obtaining Source of Wealth Information related to Parties other than the Customer’.

Bonds are one of the most popular assets classes  for many investors since they are generally seen as a reliable source of income with a defined investment term. This course will cover the basics of investing in bonds as well as the more complex features of this type of instrument. Participants will also learn about the key principles of bond pricing mechanisms, the structure of the fixed income markets, building a portfolio of bond instruments, and how to select bonds based on their characteristics such as yield and issuer credit analysis.  

In the first hour, participants will receive an introduction to how blockchain technologies work. The different types of tokens will presented in detail, with particular on utility tokens. These are blockchain-based assets that offer added value and can also automate processes and secure data with the help of smart contracts. In the lecture, case studies will be presented showing the enormous potential of this technology. The course will also highlight the risks and how red flags can be recognized as well as the opportunities and risks in respect of data security.

This course is an introduction to understanding how to use financial information to value and analyse companies. The course focuses on the practical application of financial statements analysis. Students will learn how to create and analyse financial ratios such as debt to equity, profit margins and more. Participants will gain analytical skills involved in reading and interpreting the financial health and profitability of a company through quantitative and qualitative techniques. A number of case studies and financial statements of actual companies will be analysed.

The Place of Supply (“POS”) concept is vital for VAT purposes. POS is the place where the supply is deemed to have taken place, i.e. deemed to be in one EU MS over another. Hence, determining whether VAT is applicable on the supply and at which rate depends on exemptions applicable or whether the supply is a good or a services. The POS considerations for goods follow different regulations than services. Additionally, special rules have been laid down for determining the POS of special goods and services.   The objectives of the sessions are to  create a refresher on the basic VAT concepts, determine the general rules for place of supply of goods and services and to understand special place of supply considerations.

This course, which will be spread over two sessions, is intended to educate and train professionals within Corporate Service Providers on the role of a risk manager and the main requirements of a risk management function emanating from the MFSA’s CSP Rulebook. The course will look into the practical implementation of the function, highlighting the main areas of risk which should be assessed.

The most important characteristic of a good line of credit afforded by a credit institution to an applicant is that is gets repaid. This requires a credit assessment process that could include profiling, economic stress testing, risk, financial and business analysis, and collateral availability. This course will address the credit proposal assessment process and give key practical insights to help attendees to carry out good quality assessments which will result in good mutually beneficial business.

Overview of the financial planning process and financial planning subject areas covering the fact-finding process, good practices, client needs, protection, borrowings, saving and investment, pension planning, estate and inheritance planning. Latest guidance regarding requirements to include client sustainability preferences in the fact-finding and advice.

This course has been tailored to provide attendees with a best practice approach in implementing a sound corporate governance framework, in line with the regulator’s expectations. The MFSA’s launch of the Corporate Governance Code in 2022 has established a set of principles which are to be applied by authorized persons on a ‘best effort basis’. The Corporate Governance Code is applicable across sectors, to all unlisted entities authorised by the MFSA.

This course has been tailored to provide attendees with a best practice approach in implementing a sound corporate governance framework, in line with the regulator’s expectations. The MFSA’s launch of the Corporate Governance Code in 2022 has established a set of principles which are to be applied by authorized persons on a ‘best effort basis’. The Corporate Governance Code is applicable across sectors, to all unlisted entities authorised by the MFSA.