Company Newsletter | Volume 10 Edition 1 (Website)

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Company News Malta Through Their Eyes

Family Matters SSC Activities Meet the Team

CSR Events Company Interests

Contributors to Success FTI News

New Responsibilities Related to Flights (During one of the meetings betwen Alexia Savona and Daphne Debono, discussing the ‘Datamix Flights Suppliers’.)

During the month of December, members from the FTI Group Process Management team, Simone Gras and Florian Schulda, informed FTIAS Limited that it will be entrusted with new responsibilities related to ‘Datamix Flight suppliers’ for FTI and 5vorFlug Companies.

FTIAS General Manager, Marouska Frantz, together with Operations Senior Managers, Natasha Saliba and Jacky Briffa, were all involved in training sessions, at different intervals, with BigXtra Manager, Alexia Savona, and BigXtra Supplier Relations Officer, Daphne Debono, spearheading the project. Training was spread over a period of three days and delivered at the SmartCity Malta offices by two colleagues from the FTI headquarters Accounting team. FTIAS is already responsible for the invoice checking and payments processes for the BigXtra ‘Datamix Flight suppliers’ and therefore it was possible for the training attendees to learn quickly by assimilating processes based on experience. This was crucial because they were expected to take over this job with immediate effect.

03 / Company Newsletter / Company News - New Responsibilities Related to Flights

Meeting Point Malta New CFO During the month of January, Meeting Point Malta (MPM) welcomed their new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), James Borg, to join the Company’s management team.

James Borg started his career as an Accounts, Human Resources, and Administration Executive with a chemical company back in 2008. Following that, he joined one of the most reputable furniture manufacturers in Malta, C. Fino and Sons Limited, as a Stock Controller, and then as an Accounting Executive with a supermarket franchise in Malta. It was only in November 2014 that he joined FTIAS Limited, as a Junior Accountant, with the Youtravel section, and soon after promoted to Accounting Manager, with the same section. Following his new position with MPM (another Company forming part of the FTI Group), for the first quarter of the year, James will have a dual role, with both Youtravel and MPM, until handovers are over. Recently he also completed his Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification.

James will be responsible for overseeing and managing MPM Finance team. This includes monitoring the team’s performance and productivity as well as supporting their development. Furthermore, he will be overseeing the administrative, financial and risk management functions to ensure that the presentation and reporting of any financial documentation is accurate and in time.

“On behalf of all the management team, we would like to congratulate James in his new role and wish him the best of luck in his new position!”

04 / Company Newsletter / Company News - Meeting Point Malta New CFO

Prestigious International Travel and Tourism Award (Roula Jouny during the presentation of the prestigious International and Travel award.)

Roula Jouny, Chief Executive Officer of Meeting Point (MP) Hotels and Chairperson of Meeting Point International (MPI), has been awarded the ‘International Travel and Tourism Award 2018’ for her outstanding contribution to the industry. From one destination to 20, from one source market to over 50, all in less than 10 years, MPI has become a leader in the Destination Management Company (DMC) world. Roula has also led the massive growth of the Group’s Hotels to 70 hotels in 12 different countries, with Corporate Social Responsibility always on top of her agenda.

Roula was one of 10 candidates, and the only woman to be shortlisted for this award. “It’s humbling and delightful to have been chosen from such an impressive pool of individuals and companies. The work of all talented travel and tourism professionals pushes us to work harder. I thank them for their ambition as it fuels ours at MP Hotels and MPI.” concluded Roula Jouny.

To view the exclusive video created for this occasion, kindly click on the video on the right.

05 / Company Newsletter / Company News - MP Hotels CEO, Roula Jouny, Receives Prestigious International Travel and Tourism Award

Malta through their Eyes

From a LIBYAN Perspective

Q - Name & Surname?

A - Mohamed Bakoush.

Q - Country of origin?

A - Libya.

Mohamed Bakoush Youtravel Accounts Receivable

Q - Position at MPI? A - Accounts Receivable Officer.

Q - What have you found most difficult to get used to, here in Malta?

A - I don’t remember having any difficulties in Malta except for the first year in the elementary school, since I was coming from a different educational system.

Q - What do you miss about your home country?

A - There are so many things that I miss about my home country, mainly my childhood friends and food.

Q - Resides at?

A - San Ä wann.

Q - Hobbies?

A - Swimming, reading, listening to music, and watching motor sports.

Q - Favourite Cuisine?

A - Italian and Indian cuisine.

Q - What attracted you to relocate to Malta?

A - My family moved to Malta when I was a child, and since then I have been living here, and also studied business administration.

Q - If you could change anything in Malta, what would it be?

A - More attention to the environment and planting more trees.

Q - What do you love about Malta?

A - The fact that you can go everywhere in so little time, the beaches in summer, and the sun days throughout the year.

06 / Company Newsletter / Malta through their Eyes - From a LIBYAN Perspective

Swimming at Blue Lagoon, in Comino.

F MEMBERS F A T S W NE

(Nov - Ja n)

Wel Abo com ard e :)

Abdilla, Rachel FTI Supplier Relations

Azzopardi, Michelle MPI Supplier Relations

Bonnici, Althea Youtravel

Caruana, Federica BigXtra Supplier Invoice Processing

Caviedes, AndrĂŠs Meeting Point North America

Dadouch, Lucienne Controlling

Delia, Neil BigXtra Supplier Invoice Processing

Ebejer, Lynn FTI Supplier Invoice Processing

Falzon, Rachel HR and Corporate Communications

Farrugia, Jean Claude Systems Process Management

Gerada, Jurgen MPI Accounts

Kucsorka, TamĂĄs MPM Operations

Marilat, Yaelle Reservations

Sciberras, Noel FTI Supplier Invoice Processing

Scicluna, Bryan Meeting Point North America

Toth, Szabina HR and Corporate Communications

Van Der Kooi, Patricia Contracting and Trading

Theuma, Chantelle MPI Supplier Relations

(Due to the nature of their work, it was not possible for Mariana Cassar (MPI Accounts) and Ruth Sawers (MP Human Resources), to have their photo taken.)

07 / Company Newsletter / Family Matters - New Staff Members

The Annual New Year BBQ (From Left to Right: Bernice Taliana, Nadine Pulis, and Ritianne Formosa, during the barbecue.)

January is usually characterised by cold weather, cloudy days, and a lot of rain‌but our Sports and Social Committee (SSC) is also known for organising the most awesome barbecue ever, to kick start their yearly activities. During the evening, there was good food (we never disappoint in this regard ), good music, and last but not least good company‌and this is all it took for everyone to enjoy themselves. It was great to see all those staff members for this event, even though the weather was a bit hostile. However, the mulled wine, prepared with love by the SSC team members, played a key role in keeping everyone warm during the night.

Plenty of activities are on the agenda of the SSC for the coming months, following the feedback received through the survey circulated recently, so stay tuned for more details.

Looking forward for many more good laughs and nice memories with you all.

08 / Company Newsletter / Sports & Social Committee - The Annual New Year BBQ

COMING UP NEXT “Tombla & Pizza Night!”

An event not Friday 15th February .

to be missed! ...”il pastaza” six and nine, sixty nine...BINGO!

SSC Spor ts & Social Co mmittee

t u o ls i a t e n! d e r o M soo

Meet the Team

FTIAS Accounts

• What are the main responsibilities of this department? Our department is mainly responsible for the accounts and the day-to-day administration of FTIAS Limited. However, we also take care of FTI Holdings Malta Limited (being a small holding company having investments across the FTI group) and FTI Cruises Limited (a company owning a cruise ship).

• What are the main functions of the department? Our main functions range from receiving and posting invoices to preparing monthly management accounts for the three companies mentioned above. Besides that, the team issues sales invoices (for the services offered to inter-companies), prepares payments for suppliers (for the general expenses incurred by the company), coordinates salary instructions to the Company’s bankers, responds to various emails, and other administrative tasks.

• What are the top job skills needed to form part of this department? The most important skill required is teamwork and good communication. All three of us rely on each other to achieve the best result, as our individual work is interrelated. Another important job skill which is also a necessity is adhering to deadlines. Whether it is for reporting or payment purposes, being on time is of utmost importance.

• How many members are there in the department?

The team is made up of three members: Laura Andrejeva, Gabriel Bonavia, and Hatem Hawash, with our office located on Level 7.

• Can you specify their roles? Laura makes sure that all the bills, allowances and invoices are correct, approved and posted. Also keeping records and reconciling all the work done at the same time. She issues sales invoices for the hard work all Company’s staff members have done every month (by checking the timesheets), turning number of bookings into amounts, and at the end invoicing inter-companies based on the agreements done. Laura also takes care of the staff members’ health and life insurance as well as the Company’s building insurance.

10 / Company Newsletter / Meet the Team - FTIAS Accounts

FTIAS Accounts team photo.

Meet the Team

FTIAS Accounts

She is always happy to help and assist in her area of competence‌and last but not least she also takes care of the singing in the department (and not very well) .

Hatem’s main responsibilities relate to the three companies and these consist of budgeting and preparing payments for the different suppliers we work with, liaising with these same suppliers, colleagues in Munich, and crew members of the cruise ship owned by the FTI Group, issuing the management accounts for FTI Cruises and FTI Holdings, and preparing the management accounts for FTIAS. During year end, he is also involved in providing audit requirements as requested by our audit firm.

Gabriel is responsible for helping and reviewing the preparation of the management accounts for the three companies. He also supports management with the budgeting and forecasting of the company for the following year. Apart from this, Gabriel also handles daily administrative tasks such as various emails and requests, mostly regarding FTIAS. He also makes sure that tax obligations and other important deadlines are met in a timely manner.

LAGUNA

7A

LAGUNA

7B

7C

Lounge

(Floor Plan Level 7.)

11 / Company Newsletter / Meet the Team - FTIAS Accounts

Contributors to Success

Meet Charlene

Personal Information

Charlene Xuereb FTI Supplier Rates Control

•

Name? Charlene Xuereb.

•

Position at FTIAS? Rates Control Coordinator.

•

Resides at? Mgarr Malta.

•

Hobbies? Playing and listening to music, collecting stamps, swimming, and taking photos.

•

Favourite Cuisine? Mediterranean Cuisine.

Career Information 1. What made you choose FTIAS? When I finished my BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business course at MCAST I started to search for my first full-time clerical job and FTIAS was the first company to offer me a job.

2. Your experience at FTIAS? Back in 2007 I started with the Company as an Invoice Processing Clerk with the FTI Supplier Invoice Processing team.

Following that, an opportunity had risen with the FTI Supplier Rates Control (SRC) team and I was chosen for the position. At that time, I was mainly responsible for the daily inputting of the accommodation special offers rates. In 2008 I got promoted to Technician level and in 2011 to Officer level. Throughout the past ten years, which were a great learning curve for me, I have gained enough knowledge to work on all destinations and services. This has enabled me to be part of several process enhancements within the FTI SRC team.

12 / Company Newsletter / Contributors to Success - Meet Charlene

Charlene, third from left, during her sister-in-law’s birthday celebration in 2017.

Contributors to Success

Meet Charlene cont...

3. Describe your main responsibilities at FTIAS? As a Coordinator, my main responsibilities include supporting the Section’s Team Leader in planning, coordinating, and monitoring the day-to-day tasks of the section, whilst also delivering on-the-job training for other team members.

Besides that, I support colleagues in Malta, Munich, and Switzerland with any technical issues related to the section’s processes and systems. a) What do you enjoy the most? Due to the nature of the industry we work in, I enjoy learning new processes and tasks and being able to pass that same knowledge and experience to other colleagues. b) Most difficult aspect of your job? Finding a balance between reaching the team’s deadlines whilst also keeping a happy environment within the team.

4. How do you imagine your life in five years’ time? II am not the kind of person who likes to plan that far ahead. However, I see myself still working at FTIAS and on a personal note, I would like to travel to Australia for a few weeks to visit my brother and sister-in-law.

From Left to Right: Charlene, her mum (Doris), and her brother (Chris), swimming with the dolphins, at the Mediterraneo Marine Park in 2014.

13 / Company Newsletter / Contributors to Success - Meet Charlene

Company Interests

Robert Zammit Reporting and Debt Collection

It’s All About Coincidence!

I have been a Liverpool supporter since I was six years old, and a common question I get when I talk about football is, ‘How come you support Liverpool?’

Yes, people find it strange that I support Liverpool, as during my childhood, the most successful teams at that time were A.C. Milan and Manchester United.

The truth is that I started to support Liverpool by chance. Back when I was a child, my family owned a grocery shop, and one day while there, I saw the phrase scribbled on one of the merchandise boxes saying ‘Liverpool Kings of Football Forever’.

So yes reader, you are right! If instead of Liverpool there was written Man United, Milan, Sheffield Wednesday, or Bebbux United, today I would not be writing about Liverpool .

But fate wanted that Liverpool would be written, and Liverpool it has been till this day. I have to say it has been a bumpy couple of years as a supporter. I have cheered witnessing Liverpool win a couple of honours, but the truth is that my biggest wish as a supporter is that I witness Liverpool win the Premier League, and return to the good old glory days that the Football Club deserves. Will it be this year?..........

14 / Company Newsletter / Company Interests - It’s All About Coincidence!

From Right to Left: Robert Zammit and Stuart Farrugia, colleague and friend, for Liverpool’s league match, against Tottenham Hotspurs which they won by two goals to nil.

FTI Group The largest TV advertising campaign in the history of FTI News

FTI has recently launched what can be considered, as at today, the largest television advertising campaign in the history of FTI Touristik. The campaign, which advertises supreme flight packages with prime terms and an early booking discount of up to 50 percent, was launched on RTL 2, VOX, and Sport 1 television stations. In conjunction with the television ads, there are also radio spots, billboards, social media, and online advertising.

In the current wintry conditions, many are already dreaming of their next holiday in warmer temperatures. With this campaign, FTI Touristik wants to show all their customers that it pays to book holidays that early, because they can save up to 50 percent on the travel price.

It is interesting to mention that the television commercial for this campaign was produced by ‘BDA Creative’ a very high profile company, with some of its clients being Amazon Prime and Red Bull. For those interested, the spots can also be seen on FTI Touristik’s YouTube channel or by clicking on the right.

(Who wouldn’t feel like going on vacation when seeing this? A picture from the current television commercial.)

15 / Company Newsletter / FTI Group News - The largest TV advertising campaign in the history of FTI

FTI Group News

Meeting Point Hotels Awarded the Booking.com Award

Eleven Meeting Point hotels, located in four different destinations, has been awarded the Booking.com award 2018. The awarding programme recognises hotels for their first class hospitality, according to review scores left by guests after their stay. Enough said…and the FTI Group Hotels who have won this prestigious award are: Turkey Design Plus Seya Beach Hotel (Alaçatı), LABRANDA Alantur (Alanya), LABRANDA Loryma Resort (Marmaris), LABRANDA Mares Marmaris (Marmaris), and MP Hotels Senses Hotel (Bodrum).

Egypt LABRANDA Gemma (Marsa Alam) LABRANDA Tower Bay (Sharm el Sheikh).

and

Greece LABRANDA Blue Bay Resort (Rodos), LABRANDA Miraluna (Rodos), and LABRANDA Sandy Villas (Korfu). ...and last, but surely not least, our Maltese colleagues at…Malta LABRANDA Riviera Hotel and Spa

(On the Left: A glimpse of some of the award-winning hotels.)

16 / Company Newsletter / FTI Group News - Meeting Point Hotels Awarded the Booking.com Award

COMPETITION CORNER

Special Thanks Kevin Paris Alexander Barbara Christine Apap Mohamed Bakoush Gabriel Bonavia Rachel Falzon Marouska Frantz Katharina Frick Sports & Social Committee Szabina Toth Charlene Xuereb Robert Zammit

Chief Executive Officer Newsletter Co-ordinator / Editor

FTIAS . Meeting Point International . Meeting Point Malta

Credits