Rick Hunkin, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Valletta (BOV), has been re-elected Chairman of the Malta Bankers’ Association (MBA) for the coming year.

His appointment was announced following the MBA’s annual general meeting held on 26th May 2021, at which meeting Joseph Said, Chief Executive Officer of Lombard Bank Malta, was also re-elected Deputy Chairman for the same period.

Joseph Said, Lombard Bank CEO

Mr Hunkin and Mr Said thanked the MBA’s members for their support and confidence in them.

They augured that at such challenging and momentous circumstances for the world economy in general, and the Maltese economy and its banking sector in particular, the MBA remains fully committed to actively promote cooperation, dialogue and advocacy between its members, competent authorities and other relevant stakeholders.

In his capacity as MBA Chairman, Mr Hunkin also represents the Association on the Board of the European Banking Federation. The MBA is a full member of the Federation which is committed to supporting policies that foster economic growth and jobs. The federation unites 32 national banking associations in Europe that represent some 4,500 banks employing about 2.1 million people and making loans in excess of €20 trillion available to the European economy.

Mr Hunkin was appointed Bank of Valletta’s Chief Executive Officer and executive Director on the Bank’s Board in January 2020. He has extensive expertise in international, retail banking, mortgages and savings, risk management, change programmes and corporate governance infrastructure. Having started his career at NatWest and then LloydsTSB, he has over the last 35 years, covered a wide span of organisations and held seats on the Boards of several UK and overseas financial services companies.

Mr Hunkin holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Manchester Business School and a Financial Studies Diploma – a degree level qualification obtained via the Chartered Institute of Bankers and Sheffield Hallam University. He has been elected a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Banking in both England and Scotland (FCIB, FCIBS) for services to Banking and Education.

Mr Said is the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Lombard Bank Malta. He started his banking career when he joined Barclays Bank, which in 1975 became Mid-Med Bank, where he served in all areas of the bank and was elected Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. Upon assuming a post in the private sector, he involved himself in a number of new ventures and initiatives. Mr Said returned to the banking sector in 1998 as Chief Executive Officer of Lombard Bank.