Two changes at the top of Virtu Finance plc’s leadership have been announced, with effect from 28th December.

Kevin J Valenzia was appointed as a Non-Executive Director at the company while Roderick Chalmers, the Chairman of Virtu Finance's Audit Committee, was appointed Chairman of the board.

Virtu Finance plc is the publicly listed financial entity of Virtu Holdings Ltd, the group which includes the companies operating both a Gozo fast ferry and a Sicily ferry service.

Mr Valenzia was also appointed to the Board of Directors of Virtu Maritime Ltd, which is the guarantor of the company’s €25 million 3.75 per cent unsecured bonds, maturing in 2027.

As part of mandatory capital markets rules, Virtu Finance also disclosed that Mr Valenzia is a board member for two other local publicly-listed entities, namely fashion retailer Hudson Malta plc and Exalco Finance plc.

He has had a varied career locally, having previously served for eight years in the role of Managing Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (now named PwC), retiring in 2017.

He had been a partner at the firm since 1987, and is said to have been instrumental in helping to develop Malta’s financial services industry, having served stints as President of the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners, Chairman of the Financial Services Consultative Council, and one of the first Governors of Finance Malta.

Additionally, he has been consulted by various successive Governments for advice on the continued development of Malta’s financial services sector.

Roderick Chalmers/ Photo: Simonds Farsons Cisk

The newly appointed Chairman, Mr Chalmers, is also present on the board of a number of prominent local companies, including Simonds Farsons Cisk.

He is a chartered accountant by profession, specialising in the financial services sector, having carried out stints in prominent positions including as Chairman for Bank of Valletta plc between 2004 and 2012.

Between 2004 and 2012 he was also a Director of Middlesea Insurance plc and MSV Life plc. He is currently a Non-Executive Director at Global Sources Limited (a NASDAQ listed company), Gasan Group Limited, Gasan Zammit Motors Limited and Alfred Gera & Sons Limited.