The OECD, in collaboration with European Commission - SG REFORM, the MFSA, and the Ministry for Finance of Malta, will host a workshop to present and discuss the findings of the surveys conducted under Output 3 of the Detailed Project Description (DPD), with a particular focus on the financial literacy of existing and potential retail investors. The session will bring together key stakeholders from public institutions, not-for-profit organisations, and members of the national body coordinating the Strategy's implementation, alongside OECD experts.
During the workshop, the OECD will share the survey results and provide insights into their implications for Malta's financial literacy landscape. These presentations will be followed by discussions with Maltese stakeholders to gather feedback and explore practical applications of the findings. All sessions will be held in English.
The workshop aims to ensure a collaborative approach, integrating stakeholder perspectives into the interpretation of the survey outcomes and supporting evidence-based decision-making to strengthen financial capability in Malta, with the objective of enhancing informed participation by existing and potential retail investors in the financial system.
Who Should Attend
Representatives from regulatory and government bodies, international organisations, industry players, NGOs and consumer associations, academia, and other stakeholders.
Agenda
| 09:00H | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
| 09:30H | Opening Remarks
Christopher P. Buttigieg - Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 09:35H | Introductory Remarks
Cristina Pacella - Policy Officer, SG REFORM, EU Commission |
|
| 09:45H | Technical Support Instrument - Where We Stand and Next Steps for Malta's Financial Literacy Framework
Sarah Pulis - Head of Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 10:00H | Presentation of Survey Results on the Financial Literacy of Existing and Potential Retail Investors and Stakeholder Feedback
Andrea Grifoni - Policy Advisor, OECD |
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| 10:45H | Q&A | |
| 11:30H | Concluding Remarks
Ryan Borg - Deputy Counsel, EU & International Affairs, MFSA |
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Registrations
The Authority encourages interested participants to register by filling the form below by not later than Wednesday 18 February 2026 at noon.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
Photos and videos will be taken during the event with the intent to publish this material on social media channels and website.
By registering, one would be granting consent to the data being used.
Speakers
Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA
Christopher P. Buttigieg
Prof. Buttigieg has more than twenty five years of professional experience in financial regulation and supervision. He is the Chief Officer – Supervision, responsible for the Supervision Directorate, the Chair of the MFSA’s Regulatory Committee and the AMLCFT Committee and a member of the Authority’s Executive Committee. He is responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of the supervisory and regulatory strategy across all the sectors under the MFSA’s remit. Between October 2020 and September 2021, Prof Buttigieg fulfilled the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Financial Services Authority. Throughout his career at the MFSA, Prof Buttigieg was responsible for managing various functions and teams. He was also responsible for the implementation of several European Directives and Regulations and the development of new regulatory frameworks at national level. Prof Buttigieg is a member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority and European Banking Authority. He was the Chair of the ESMA Data Standing Committee (until December 2022) and a member of the EBA Task force on proportionality (2025). He is currently the Chair of the ESMA Proportionality and Coordination Committee and a member of the ESMA Management Board. Prof Buttigieg has a commerce degree (B.Com 1998), an accountancy degree (B.Accty. Hons. 2000) and a financial services law degree (M.A. Fin. Ser. 2003) from the University of Malta, as well as a European Union Law degree (M.A. EU Law and Soc 2005) and a doctoral degree in law (PhD 2014) from the University of Sussex (UK). His Doctoral thesis deals with the governance of EU securities regulation and supervision. Prof Buttigieg is an Associate Professor in the Banking, Finance and Investments Department of the University of Malta. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of European Law (ERA) in Trier, Germany, and a visiting lecturer at the same institution. He is an active researcher and has published various papers in reputable journals, including the Columbia Journal of European Law, the European Company and Financial Law Review, the ERA Forum, the Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, the Journal of Business Law and the Law and Financial Markets Review. His latest publications deals with centralisation of supervision of CASPs under the EU Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation. He is also the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Financial Supervisors Academy, which seeks to bridge academia with financial supervision.
Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Sarah Pulis
Sarah Pulis holds the position of Head within the Conduct Supervision function at the MFSA. Sarah has twenty years of experience in the regulation and supervision of financial services, namely investment firms, collective investment schemes, company services providers, insurance undertakings and insurance intermediaries. During her career, she has represented the Authority on various committees with ESMA and EIOPA. Sarah read law at the University of Malta and graduated as a Notary Public and Doctor of Laws in 1996 and 1999 respectively. She also obtained a Master of Laws in European Union Law from the University of Leicester in 2006.
Deputy Counsel, EU and International Affairs, MFSA
Ryan Borg
Ryan Borg was appointed Deputy Counsel – EU and International Affairs within the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) in May 2019. In his role, he is responsible for the coordination of relations with international organizations and foreign regulators. He is also responsible for the formulation of financial services policy, mainly issued by the European Commission and is actively engaged in policy dialogue, negotiations and follow up of EU institutional affairs and dossiers in the area of Financial Services. Prior to that, Ryan Borg spent ten years as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU in Brussels as Financial Counsellor. He had the privilege to deal with a number of financial services legislations and represented Malta in various EU fora. During his posting in Brussels, he participated in Ministerial Councils and various bilateral meetings with EU institutions. Throughout the Maltese Presidency in 2017, he had the opportunity to Chair the Financial Counsellors working group and led trialogues negotiations with the European Parliament on a number of legislative files. Ryan Borg holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Commerce in economics and management, both from the University of Malta.
Policy Advisor, OECD
Andrea Grifoni
Andrea Grifoni is a Policy Advisor in the Financial Consumer Protection, Education and Inclusion Unit of the Capital Markets and Financial Institutions Division at the OECD. He is a member of the Secretariat of the OECD International Network on Financial Education (INFE), working in particular on digital financial literacy issues, and develops the activities of the INFE in Latin America and the Caribbean. He also advises governments in the EU on the design and implementation of financial literacy policies. At the OECD, he has previously contributed to work on financial consumer protection supervision (FinCoNet), public sector reform, and the accession process of Colombia to the Organisation. Prior to joining the OECD, he worked in London on the analysis of EU capital markets regulation and in Brussels on the EU Common Security and Defence Policy. He holds an MSc in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Bologna and Sciences Po Paris.
Policy Officer, SG REFORM, EU Commission
Cristina Pacella
Cristina is a dedicated EU Policy Officer, strongly committed to civil service. With a focus on enhancing financial literacy and integrating artificial intelligence into the financial market, Cristina is committed in shaping policies that drive innovation while ensuring robust consumer protection aiming at advancing the EU's goals in creating a more informed and technologically adept financial landscape.
