Founded in 2017, GCS Malta has established itself as a leading corporate services firm offering a one-stop-shop solution for audit, payroll, tax advisory, and more. Founder and CEO Christian Gravina has also sat on the Council of the Malta Institute of Accountants.

What are the main elements making Malta such an attractive financial jurisdiction?

Without a doubt, Malta’s popularity rests on three legs: the tax system, the location, and EU membership. Companies based in Malta have full access to EU markets, which the country has capitalised on, particularly following Brexit.

Can you highlight a particular success story of a company that was able to capitalise on Malta’s financial services infrastructure?

Since the financial services sector is well-developed, foreign companies tend to find that most of their needs can be met efficiently and cost-effectively. One of our clients, an online platform, has its parent listed in Poland, but uses Malta as its main country of doing business thanks to the wide array of competitive services on offer, including payment institutions and back-office systems

Realistically, no country can be suited for every single type of investment. Which elements of the global economy are most likely to find Malta to be a good fit for their needs?

I would say the shipping and aviation industries are now a very good example of this. We have various Air Operator Certified-businesses set up in Malta, along with an increasing number of specialised shipping management companies. The success of these sectors in Malta is already well-recognised, with outsized ship and aircraft registers that enjoy an excellent reputation and offer considerable opportunity

Apart from the headline tax optimisation attraction of the full imputation system, what lesser-known tax benefits do foreign investors make most use of?

New arrivals to Malta are always pleasantly surprised to find that their shareholdings may be sold without incurring any capital gains tax or stamp duty.

What does getting off the FATF grey list in record time mean for Malta’s financial services sector?

The news that the FATF voted to remove Malta from its grey list of countries is very good, and shows that Malta has upped its game and beefed up enforcement. This will serve to make Malta more attractive since this means that we have strengthened our weak points and managed to come back stronger. We have had clients with a Maltese company address see their foreign banking relationship suspended, so putting this behind us is a big step forward.

What are the first steps anyone thinking of investing in Malta should consider?

I believe that they should be aware of their regulatory obligations, which are often taken for granted. Also, they should make sure that they engage a service provider that can assist them all along the way.

This feature was first carried in the Malta Invest 2023 edition. Malta Invest is the first-ever comprehensive international investment guide focusing on Malta as a destination. It is produced by Content House Group.