Roderick Cutajar Founder & CEO
immVest Interna onal Limited| immVest Proper es Limited | Gallant Management Consultancy Limited
The only way to do grewk is to love what you do.
- Steve Jobs
The Journey from Self-Improvement to Empowering Others ‘
Successoftenbeginswithpersonalgrowth.Theinitial
stagesofaperson'sjourneyarecharacterizedbyskill development,knowledgeacquisition,andconfidence building.Theseearlystagesareveryimportantbecause theyformthebasisforfuturesuccess.Learninghowto overcomechallengesandsettingpersonalgoalsarecrucial stepsthatleadtoself-discoveryandachievement.
However,whensomeonebecomesaleader,itissodifferent fromtheusualsuccessnature.Leadershipisnolonger merelyaboutpersonalaccomplishmentsbuthasbecome aboutliftingotherpeople.Atrueleaderknowsthatthe strengthofateamdependsonthegrowthofeachmember init.Thistakesadifferentmindset,inwhichaleaderputs theiraspirationsandneedsaboveeverythingelse.
Supportandmentorshipofteammembersinaworkplace environmentcreatesasharedsuccessculturewhere everyonesucceeds.Byencouragingotherstofollowtheir dreamsandhelpingthemdeveloptheirstrengths,aleader fostersacultureofsharedsuccess.Itnotonlyenhancesthe moraleoftheteambutalsoleadstogreaterinnovationand productivity.
Inessence,thejourneyofpersonalsuccesstobecomingan effectiveleaderisabouttransformationfromfocusingon oneselftoempoweringothers.Thebestlegacyaleadercan leaveisnotonlytheirownachievementbuttheimpactthey createdinthelivesofwhomtheyguided.Insuchaway, truesuccessismeasuredbythesuccessesofothers,creating aneffectofgrowthandinspiration.
ThelatesteditionofTheCIOWorld,titled "Malta's Most Influential Leaders to Follow, 2024," featuringleaderswho havedemonstratedexceptionalqualitiesinguidingtheir teamsandcommunities,highlightsthistransformative journey Theseleadersexemplifytheideathateffective leadershipisrootedinempathy,collaboration,anda genuinedesiretoupliftothers.
Haveagreatreadahead!
Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.
- Roy T. Bennett
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Descrip on Featuring
Dr. Noel Farrugia CTO
Jocelyn Cuomo Head of Marke ng & PR
AX Group
Keith Fabri CFO
Pawarisa Sukasem Content Creator and Social Media Manager
Roderick Cutajar Founder & CEO
Mercury Towers by Zaha Hadid Architects
Dr. Noel Farrugia is the CTO of Merqury Cybersecurity. His exper se in this field posi ons him as a key player in protec ng organiza ons from cyber threats, emphasizing the importance of robust security measures in today's digital landscape.
Jocelyn Cuomo is Head of Marke ng & PR at AX Group, a diversified group of companies in Malta that operates across various sectors including hospitality, real estate, and construc on. His commitment to quality and innova on has posi oned him as a leader in the Maltese market, contribu ng significantly to the local economy and community development ini a ves.
Keith Fabri has played a pivotal role in overseeing various projects at Mercury Towers, par cularly focusing on the financial and opera onal aspects of the development. His leadership focuses on ensuring financial success across these diverse projects, contribu ng significantly to Malta's urban landscape and hospitality sector
Pawarisa Sukasem is Content Creator and Social Media Manager at Healtea, a company focused on health and wellness through natural tea products. She aims to promote healthier lifestyles by offering organic tea blends that cater to various health needs, reflec ng a growing trend towards wellness-oriented consumer products.
immVest Interna onal Limited| immVest Proper es Limited | Gallant Management Consultancy Limited
Roderick Cutajar is associated with mul ple companies, including immVest Interna onal Limited, immVest Proper es Limited, and Gallant Management Consultancy Limited, involved in real estate development and management, focusing on innova ve property solu ons in Malta.
Merqury Cybersecurity Company
Trueleadersmakeitapointthattheirstaffis
recognizedandrewardedfortheirperformance. Theyalsoensurebusinessintegrity,honesty,and, mostimportantly,respectforclientsaswellaspartners. RoderickCutajarisonesuchleaderwhodriveshis successthroughcontinuousimprovement,strategic leadership,andfamilyinvolvementinhisbusinesses.His proactiveapproachtostafftrainingandmotivationensures exceptionalcustomercare.
Activemembershipsinprofessionalorganizationslikethe InvestmentMigrationCouncilandtheMaltaInstituteof Managementkeephimupdatedandconnected.His experienceinsettinguptheMaltaResidencyVisaAgency andmanagingextensivetraveltomeethigh-net-worth individualsequipshimwiththeskillsandknowledgeto navigatethecompetitivelandscape.Balancingprofessional andpersonalcommitments,Roderickremainscommittedto excellenceandgrowth.
Hisjourneyintheprivatesectorhasbeendefinedby significantmilestones.In2016,Roderickwasentrustedby theGovernmentofMaltatoestablishanagencytopromote Malta'sResidencyVisaProgramme,laterrebrandedas Malta'sPermanentResidencyProgramme,onaglobal scale.Despitethedemandingtravelinvolved,Roderickand hisdedicatedteamachievedremarkablesuccess,attracting over1,200applicationsinashorttimeandestablishinga robustfoundationthathassinceseenmorethan5,000 applications.Malta'sPermanentResidencyProgramme
allowsbeneficiariesindefiniteresidencyinMalta/Europe andsixmonthsvisafreeaccessintotheSchengenZone.
TransitioningbacktotheprivatesectorinJanuary2019, Roderickchannelledhisexpertiseintofoundinghiscurrent ventures.immVestInternationalLimited,recognizedwith licenseAKM-IMMV,hasbecomerenownedinternationally foritsspecializationinresidencyandcitizenshipby investment,handlingnumeroussuccessfulcaseswitha focusonMalta'slocalresidencyandresidencyto citizenshipprogrammes,thelattertheonlyprogramme providingEuropeanCitizenshipwithinaperiodof12-15 months.
IntegraltotheseventuresisRoderick'sfamily,withhisson Dr.AidanCutajaroverseeinglegalcomplianceandquality standards,hisdaughterMichelamanagingrealestate transactionsandHR,andhiswifeMargarethandlingoffice administration.Theirinvolvementunderscoresthe collaborativeethosthatdrivesthecompanyforward.
Roderick'sactivemembershipsintheInvestmentMigration CouncilandtheMaltaInstituteofManagementhavefurther enrichedhisjourney.AsaFellowandCertifiedMemberof theIMC,heisdeeplyengagedintheglobalimmigration andinvestmentcommunity.Meanwhile,hisassociation withtheMaltaInstituteofManagementprovidesinvaluable networkingopportunitiesamongpeersinbusiness leadership.
UnderRoderick'sleadership,immVestInternational Limited,immVestPropertiesLimitedandGallant ManagementConsultancyLimitedhaveearneda reputationforsuperiority,drivenbyavowtoexceptional customerservice,integrity,andcontinuousimprovement. Hisextensiveexperienceintheimmigrationsector,coupled withinsightsgainedfromglobaltravels,hasequippedhim tohandlehigh-profilecaseswithdiscretionandcare.His journeyexemplifiesnotonlybusinessgrowthbutalsoa steadfastdedicationtomakingapositiveimpactthroughhis work,viewinghisroleatimmVestasamissiontoprovide unparalleledopportunitiesforhisclients.
ALeadingAgencyinResidencyandCitizenshipby Investment
Asremarkedintheprecedentparagraphs,immVestisan accreditedcompanyapprovedbyKomunita'Malta,the governmentauthorityresponsibleforreviewingand approvingsuchlicenses.GiventhattheCompany'sCEO hashimselfsetupasuccessfulResidencybyInvestment
Agencyfromscratchandmanagedthesameagencyfora periodofthreeyearsforthegovernmentofMalta,he acquiredwtherespectandtrustofinvestors,highandultrahighnetindividualsglobally.immVestisatotalsolution provider
Roderick'sfamilyisintegraltothesuccessfuloperationsof thebusiness.Hisson,Dr.AidanCutajar,handlesalllegal requirements,includingthemonitoringandcoordinationof investorsapplyingforresidencyorcitizenshipprograms. Heensureslegalcomplianceandmaintainshigh-quality standards.Furthermore,heisalsoinvolvedinthe applicant'sduediligenceprocedures.Roderick'sdaughter, Michela,managesrealestatetransactions,assisting investorswiththeirpropertyneeds.MichelahandlestheHR partofthebusiness.Hiswife,Margaret,overseesalloffice administrationandsetupandVIPsConciergeServices, makingitatruefamilybusiness.Additionally,immVest boastsateamofgreat,loyal,andpassionatestaffmembers whoareconsideredpartoftheextendedfamily
Malta'sPermanentResidencyProgramme&Residencyto CitizenshipProgrammeBenefits
AccordingtoRoderickCutajar,differentnationalitiesapply forMalta'sProgrammes.Recentlytherewasanincrease of USnationalsapplyingforcitizenshiportheresidency programme.
Malta'sResidencytoCitizenshipprogrammesprovides beneficiaries:
Ÿ Therighttolive,work,study,andretireinanycountry withintheEU
Ÿ Visa-freetravelto186countries
Ÿ Accesstohigh-qualityhealthcareandeducation
Ÿ Atransparentandrobustfinancialinfrastructure
Ÿ Along-standing,solidcitizenshipbyinvestment program
Ÿ Residencyprocessingofonly4weeks
Ÿ Citizenshipeligibilityafteronly12months
Ÿ NoMalteselanguagerequirement
Ÿ Englishasanationallanguage
Ÿ Dualcitizenshipisallowed
Ÿ AccesstofreehealthcareintheEU
Ÿ Abetterqualityoflifeinasunnyandwarmclimate
Ÿ Personalsecurityandthefreedomassociatedwithdual citizenship
Ÿ TherighttooperateabusinessandworkintheEU
Ÿ TheopportunitytobenefitfromMaltesetaxresidency
Ÿ Applicantsarenotrequiredtocontinuouslylivein Maltabeforeoraftercitizenshipapproval
Ÿ Noworld-widetaxonincome
Ÿ MembershipintheEUsince2004andtheSchengen Areasince2007.
AsfortheMaltaPermanentResidencyProgramme, beneficiarieswill:
Ÿ StayorsettleindefinitelyinMalta;
Ÿ SixmonthsvisafreetravelintotheSchengenarea;
Ÿ Governmentfee,donationandrentingofpropertyonly afterapprovalexceptforthefirst€10,000;
Ÿ Fourgenerationsoffamilymemberscanapply;
Ÿ Flexibilitytorentorpurchaseproperty;
Ÿ Afterfiveyears,nominimumrequirementsforrenting orpurchasingproperty;
Ÿ Processingtime-seventoeightmonths;
Ÿ ProcessingofapplicationscarriedoutthroughimmVest Internationalasanapprovedaccreditedagent;
Ÿ Application/Governmentfeesoneofthelowest;
Ÿ Programmeisbasedonarobustlegalframework.
BuildingSuccessThroughIntegrity
Roderickisapersonofthegreatestintegrityandstill believesthatahandshakeisacommitmentbetweentwo parties.Hemaintainsactivemembershipswithboththe InvestmentMigrationCouncil(IMC)andtheMalta InstituteofManagement.TheIMCisregardedasthe'home' forprofessionalsintheimmigrationbyinvestment business.RoderickisaFellowandaCertifiedMemberof theIMC,astatusreservedforthosewhohavebeen professionalmembersforatleastfiveconsecutiveyearsand haveovertenyearsofworkingexperience,includingthree yearsataseniorlevel.TheIMCisledbyahighly competentgroupofindividuals.
TheMaltaInstituteofManagementisafocalpointfor professionalsinmanagementandotherbusinesssectors.It isthepremierprofessionalbodyrepresentingmanagersand businessleadersinMalta,providinganexcellentplatform fornetworkingandmeetingotherleaders.
Buildingabrandreputationisagradualprocessthat requiressignificanteffortfromtheentireteam.AtimmVest, everyone,regardlessoftheirroleorfunction,contributesto thesuccessofthebusiness.Thecompany'sobjectiveisto provideanexceptionalcustomerexperienceandvaluefor moneywhilenurturinghealthybusinessrelationshipswith partners.Effectivecommunicationanddialoguewithboth internalandexternalstakeholdersareessential.immVest's corevaluesincludebusinessintegrity,honesty,andrespect towardsclientsandpartners,whicharepracticeddiligently bytheentireteam.
CultivatingaCultureof ContinuousImprovement andLeadership
Ensuringrecurrentstaff trainingiscrucial,and fosteringamotivatedteamthat consistentlyexceedscustomercareexpectationsisapriority atimmVestInternational Limited.Thecompany cultivatesacultureofcontinuousimprovementand positivity,ensuringallstaffmembersarerecognizedand rewardedfortheirperformance.Thisapproachenhances workplacewell-beingandfostersapassionthatresonates withclientsandpartnersalike.
Thechallengeofestablishingagovernmententityfrom inceptionwasformidable.
Ÿ Uglobal Top 10 Global Migra on
Companies 2022: Uglobal, a renowned events and publisher focused on the immigra on by investment business, has recognized immVest Interna onal Limited Malta as one of the top 10 leaders in the residency and ci zenship by investment business.
Ÿ Uglobal Top 10 Global Migra on
Companies 2023: For the second consecu ve year, immVest Interna onal was awarded this pres gious award.
Companies achieving the above awards are evaluated on the basis of the industry experience, company and customer-care performance, track record and brand reputa on.
However,RoderickCutajar'sbackgroundinhumanresources managementprovedinvaluableinassumingtheCEOrole effectively.Histenureintheimmigrationandinvestmentsector providedopportunitiestoacquirenewskills,learnfrom establishedprofessionalsinthefield,andgaininsightsinto globalmarketprograms.Thisaccumulatedknowledgehasbeen pivotalinguidingnewinitiativesanddirectionsforthe company.
NavigatingGlobalNetworks
TravelisanessentialaspectofRoderick'sroleasCEO.This requirementhashonedhisabilitytoadapttodiversecultural backgrounds,emphasizingtheimportanceofearningtrustand respectfromhoststoachievesuccess.MeetingVIPsandVVIPs isarewardingexperience,wherecarefulhandling,diligence, anddiscretionareparamountinmanagingtheircaseseffectively.
Thesynergiesbetweenbothcompanies'servicescomplement eachotherwell.ForapplicantsseekingMalta'sresidencyor citizenshipthroughinvestmentprograms,propertyacquisitionis aprerequisite.Roderick'scompaniesfacilitatethisprocess, offeringcomprehensivesupporttailoredtoindividual preferences.WhenclientsvisitMaltaforbiometricsorother requirements,theyareprovidedwithpersonalizedtoursof propertiesinMaltaandGozo,ensuringaseamlessresidency experience.
DirectingtheDemandsofImmigration
Balancingpersonalandprofessionalcommitmentshasalways posedchallengesforRoderick.Heacknowledgesthatrunninga businessrequiresconstant24/7dedication,yethestrivesto carveoutqualitytimeforhisfamily.Roderickdeeplyvaluesthe unwaveringsupportofhislovingwifeandfamily,whichhas beeninstrumentalinnavigatingthedemandingnatureofthe immigrationbyinvestmentindustry,particularlywhendealing withVVIPs.
Despitetheindustry'scomplexitiesandoccasionaloppositionin forums,Roderickremainscommittedtothebeliefthat immigrationbyinvestmentispivotalforeconomicgrowthand prosperity.Heseesitasameanstoofferbeneficiariesandtheir familiesenhancedopportunitiesineducation,healthcare, investments,andoverallqualityoflife.At'immVest,'Roderick andhisteamviewtheirworknotmerelyasajobbutasa dedicatedmissiontobepursuedwithutmostsincerityand dedication.
Roderickandhisteamcontinuestosupportinvestorsand familiestosettling,settinguporoperatinginMalta.CIO
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderick-cutajar-b5959a2b/
Email:roderick.cutajar@immvest.com Mobile/Whatsapp:+35679634496
,, ,, Wealth consists not in havinggreat possessions, but in having few wants.
- Epictetus
7Prominent Leadership Trends for Companies in 2024
Leadership is not about titles, positions, or owcharts. It is about one life inuencing another.
Dr. Noel Farrugia
Securing Data Transmission in an Era of Rising Threats
Technologicallyspeaking,itis
vitaltohaveonethathasthe potentialtocompletely transformcybersecurity.Asthedigital environmentgrowsmoredangerous, leadersinthisnicheareutilizing quantummechanicstocreate impenetrablebarriersforourmost confidentialdata.
Similarly,Dr.NoelFarrugia'svision ismotivatedbyadeepfeelingofduty tosafeguardpeopleandorganizations frompotentialriskstotheirdata,in additiontothefascinationwith technology. Hisworkisnotjustabout creatingadvancedsolutions;it’sabout ensuringthattrustremainsintactinan erawherebreachesarealltoo common.
Dr.Noelisatrailblazerinthequantum technologysectorwhosejourneybegan inclassicalcommunicationnetworks. Withasolidfoundationincomputer engineering,hewasdrawnintothe quantumrealmbythepromiseofits transformativepotential.
AsaCTOofMerqury
Cybersecurity,heleadseffortsto developQuantumKeyDistribution (QKD)technologiesthatoffer unprecedentedsecurityfordata transmission.Underhisguidance,
Merquryaimstoaddresscritical vulnerabilitiesposedbyemerging quantumcomputers,whichthreaten conventionalencryptionmethods. Byharnessingthelawsofquantum mechanics,heandhisteamarenotjust innovating;theyaresettingnew standardsforwhatitmeansto communicatesecurelyinadigitalage fraughtwithrisks.
Here are some interview highlights:
Canyoupleaseintroduceyourself andyourmotivationtoembarkon thissector?
IamNoelFarrugia,acomputer engineerbytrainingwhowaslured intothequantumtechnologyindustry becausethewordquantumsounds(and is!)cool.Mybackgroundismostlyin classicalcommunicationnetworks, particularlyinthetopicofnetwork optimizationalgorithmsusing evolutionaryalgorithms.Thisis knowledgethatIamtransferringtothe quantumnetworkwearedeveloping, anddeployingaswespeak,hereat Merqury
Cybersecurityisoneofthosekeyareas whereitsimportanceandramifications aretypicallymostapparentwhenit stopsworking.Workingonsomething
thatwillbeusedtoprotecthighly sensitiveinformation,andthepeople whoownit,fromharmgivesmegreat prideandismymainmotivationfor workinginthisarea.
Couldyoupleasegiveabrief introductiontoyourcompanyand itsinceptionstory?
MerqurywasfoundedbyProf.André Xuereb.Itcameintobeingwhenhe sawanuntappedmarket,thatof makingquantumkeydistribution (QKD)networksreliableand transparenttotheendusers.Oncehe describedtheideatome,Iimmediately understooditsvalueandjumpedon board.
AsCTOofMerqury,whataresome ofthebiggestcybersecurity challengesyouandyourteamare workingtoaddress?
Thecurrentmethodsusedtodayto secureourdigitaltraffic,beitfinancial transactions,email,chats,etc.,areall basedonwhatisknownasasymmetric cryptography Thesecurityofthese methodsreliesoncomputational complexity.Inotherwords,weknow howtobreakthissecurity;itjusttakes
thousandsorevenmillionsofyearsto breakitundernormalcircumstances, which,formostpurposes,isdeemed sufficient.
However,theincreasein computationalpowerandquantum computerswillbringthistimedownto days,hours,orevenminutes.Oncea cryptographicallyrelevantquantum computerismadeavailable,perhapsin thecomingfivetotenyears,the currentasymmetriccryptographic algorithmscanbebrokeninhoursor days.
Asonecanimagine,thiswillhave hugeconsequencesonourabilityto communicatesecurelyusingthe Internet.However,thereisnoneedto panicyet,,becausetherearealready twosolutionswecanusetoprotectour communicationagainstthisthreat: Post-QuantumCryptography(PQC) andQuantumKeyDistribution(QKD).
Maltarecentlydemonstratedan "unhackable"quantumnetworkfor thefirsttime.Canyouexplainwhat thistechnologyisanditspotential impactoncybersecurity?
QuantumKeyDistribution(QKD)isa technologythatallowsustocreatea cryptographic“key”ingeographically differentlocations;itisproventobe securethroughthelawsofquantum mechanics(a.k.a.,thelawsofphysics). Itisthestrengthofthismathematical proofforQKDthatmakesitdifferent fromanyotherkeygenerationmethod weknowoftoday.
Throughthesekeysdistributedover QKD,entitiescanencrypttheir information,knowingthattheir securityisguaranteedbythelawsof physics.Noincreaseincomputational powerortheemergenceofnew computingcapabilitiescanthreaten theirsecurity,ever
HowisMerquryleveragingcuttingedgetechnologiestodevelopnextgenerationcybersecuritysolutions?
MerquryCybersecurityspecializesin theuseofquantum-safecybersecurity technologies,withQuantumKey Distribution(QKD)beingourfocus. OtherthanQKD,severalkey technologiesmakeourofferings unique:SoftwareDefinedNetworking (SDN)andthecomprehensiveuseof theRustprogramminglanguageinall systemswedevelop.
WithSDNtechnology,wecanprotect thecustomer’sdatausingQKD withoutanyneedtomodifythe softwaretheycurrentlyuseinanyway, whichmakesourtechnology significantlyeasiertousethan alternativeswithoutcompromisingon security.Ontheotherhand,ouruseof Rustoffersunparalleledperformance andmemorysecurityguaranteesthat reducethelikelihoodofmemoryrelatedbugsleadingtomalicious actorsgainingunauthorizedaccessto thedatawearetrustedtosecure.Inthe areaofQKDitself,weareworking verycloselywithseveralEuropean manufacturerstopushtheenvelopeon what’spossibleandhavealready successfullyshowcasedmultiple Europe-firstdemonstrations.
Whataresomeofthekeyfocusareas forMerquryintermsofthetypesof organizationsandindustriesyou serve?
DuetoourcurrentfocusonQKD,with PQChybridizationonourroadmap,the organizationsandindustriesthathave themosttobenefitfromour technologiesareonesthatprocessdata thatmustremainsecureforseveral years,suchasdatacenters, governments,financialinstitutions,and healthcareproviders.Thisismainly duetowhatwecallthe“storenow,
As a CTO, I am responsible for the technical direction of the company and the team. “ “
decryptlater”attack,whereanattacker willstorethedatabeingtransmitted todayandcrackitwhenacomputer powerfulenoughbecomesavailable.
Astheestimatesforwhena cryptographicallyrelevantquantum computer(onepowerfulenoughto breakcurrentencryptionmethods)start fromaslowas5yearsfromnow, entitiesthathandlesensitivedataareat severeriskandhavethemosttogain fromworkingwithusindeployingand usingQKDfordatasecurity
Canyoushareanexampleofa complexcybersecuritychallenge whosesolutionyouimplemented?
MerquryCybersecurityisproudtobe doingmuchofthetechnicalworkfor thePRISMproject,whichisanEUfundedprojectaimedatbuildingand deployingaquantumnetworkinMalta. Thisisthefirstnetworkofitskindand comeswithitsownuniquechallenges, whicharenotnecessarilytechnical.
Whilethereweretechnicalchallenges thatwehadtoovercome,suchasthe useofQKDonalitfiberandthelack ofstandards,therewerealsohuman challenges.QKDisanemerging technology,andveryfewpeopleinthe industryknowaboutitorappreciateits capabilities.Duetosome(incorrect)
mythssurroundingthetechnology, somewereskepticalofwhetherthe technologywouldworkinpractice, somethingthatisverycommonwith new,groundbreakingtechnologies,and itwasonlythroughhardworkthatwe managedtodispelthisskepticism.Iam pleasedtosaythatthroughtheeffortof theentirePRISMconsortium,Malta hasbecomeawareofwhatQKDisand whatitcando.
Thecybersecuritylandscapeis constantlyevolving,withnewthreats emerging.HowdoesMerqurystay aheadofthecurveandensureyour solutionsremaineffective?
Weareinconstantcommunication withquantumcommunicationdevice manufacturerstoimprovethe technologyitselfandloweritsbarrier ofentry
Additionally,wearepermanently involvedinseveralR&Dprojectswith partnersfromacrossEuropeand beyond,whichhelpsustokeepone stepaheadofemergingthreats.
Whatareyourthoughtsonthe currentstateofcybersecuritytalent andskillsinMaltaandthebroader region?HowisMerquryworkingto developthispipeline?
MerquryistheonlycompanyinMalta thatoperatesattheintersectionof quantumtechnologiesand cybersecurity;findingtalentis obviouslyachallenge.Thatbeingsaid, Iamverypleasedandproudtosaythat theteamwehavebuilt,ofwhichonly oneisaquantumphysicist,istruly world-leading.
Tosustainthistalentpoolaswe continuetoexpand,wemakeitour goaltospeakwitheveryoneabout whatwedo,throughsummerschools, conferences,andseminars.
Additionally,wefocusonhiring peoplewhoarewillingtolearnnew skills,andwehaveateamofinternsto preparethelocaltalentpoolforthe requirementsoftomorrow
Lookingahead5-10years,whatdo youseeasthebiggestcybersecurity risksorganizationswillfaceandhow cantheyprepare?
Thethreatsthatshouldbeon everyone’smindareAIandquantum computers.Bothcanbeusedtoattack themainweaknessofasymmetric cryptography,whichisthatitisonly computationally(andnottheoretically) secure.Theonlywaytoprotectagainst thesethreatsandothersthatmaybeon thehorizonisthroughtheconceptof cryptoagility
Thisissimplytheideaofbeingableto quicklychangethecryptographic algorithmsusedbyyourorganization tosomethingelseonashorttimescale. Ifanorganizationiscrypto-agileand hasagoodknowledgeofwhat cryptographicalgorithmsituses,then asnewthreatsemerge,itwillbeinan excellentpositiontoovercomethese threatspromptly.
HowdoesMerqury'sapproachto cybersecuritydifferfromtraditional securityvendors?Whatunique valuedoyouprovideclients?
Thesecurityproductsweofferare basedonquantumkeydistribution, whichistheonlytechnologyweknow oftodaythathastheoreticalproofofits security
Moreover,weareuniqueinproviding afullstack“plugandplay”solution thatcanbeimplementedwitha minimumofchangetotheITnetwork ofanorganizationandwithout requiringtheorganizationtochangeits softwareorworkflow
Canyousharesomeofthekey lessonsyou'velearnedasCTOthat haveshapedyourleadership approachandthecompany's strategy?
Acompanyisbuiltbyhumans,not robots.AsaCTO,Iamresponsiblefor thetechnicaldirectionofthecompany andtheteam.WhileaCTOneedstobe knowledgeableinthespecifictechnical areatheircompanyworkson,theyare oftennotthemostknowledgeable personinthecompany;someonefrom theirteamis.
Therefore,ensuringthateveryonein theteamishappywiththeworkthey aredoingandfindsvalueinwhatthey arespendingeighthoursadayworking onisoftheutmostimportance.
Ifyouhadonepieceofadvicefor organizationslookingtostrengthen theircybersecurityposture,what woulditbe?
Startasecurityaudittoday,whereyou logalltheservicesyouareusingand theencryptionmethodsused.In parallel,ifpossible,starttodevisea planofhowyoucanbecrypto-agile.If youhaveverysensitivedata,weare bestplacedtohelpyourorganization navigatetheshifttoquantum-secured communications,sopleasereachout!
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KeithFabri CFO
MercuryTowersby ZahaHadidArchitects
TransformingHospitalityThroughFinancialLeadership
How strategic finance contributes to improved efficiency and service delivery in hotels!
Financialintelligenceisessential,asisthecapacityto handlechallengingeconomicconditions.Strategic financialmanagementnotonlykeepsbusinesses stablebutalsostimulatesadvancementandgrowthatthe intersectionoffinanceandhospitality Theneedforleaders whocancombinefinancialknowledgewithcreative thinkingisgrowingasbusinessesevolve.Inadditionto preservingprofitability,theyareresponsibleforimproving customersatisfactionandincreasingoperational effectivenessinahighlycompetitivesector.
KeithFabristandsattheforefrontofthisvibrantsectoras theChiefFinancialOfficeratMercuryTowersandME Hotel/s.Keithhasanamazingtwo-decadecareerin hospitalityandhasdevelopedadeepunderstandingofthe complexitiesofthesector
Hestartedmodestlyasacashierinasmallhotel,wherehe soondiscoveredthatfinancewashisloveinthehospitality industry.Heprogressedthroughtheranksthroughoutthe years,accumulatingpricelessexpertiseatesteemed organizations.
InhiscurrentroleasCFO,heuseshisexperiencetodeal withMercuryTowers,whichincludesretailand entertainment.Inadditiontoaddressingcurrentissues, Keith'screativeapproachtofinancialmanagementlaysthe
groundworkforlong-termexpansionaswellaslongevityin amarketthatisconstantlychanging.
Below are the interview highlights:
Canyoupleaseintroduceyourselfandyourmotivation toembarkonthissector?
I'mKeithFabri,a41-year-oldCFOatMercuryTowersand MEHotel/s.With20yearsinhospitalityandcatering,Ifind thecomplexityanddiversityofMercuryTowers unparalleled.Thisrolepresentsanexceptionalopportunity forprofessionalgrowth,allowingmetoengagewith varioussectorssuchasentertainment,commercial,and retail.
Maybeyoucouldwalkmethroughyourcareerthusfar, rightuptotheCFOroleyouhavewithMercury Towers?
Ibeganmycareerasacashieratamedium-sized3-star hotel,eventuallymovingtothereceivablessection.Unsure ifhospitalitywasmytruecalling,Iexploredothersectors likeshippingandlogistics.
However,whenasignificantopportunityarosein hospitality,Iseizedit.Igainedvaluableexperienceata prestigious5-starhotel,whereIbecamethesecond-incommandinfinance.Afterfouryearsofhoningmyskills acrossvariousdepartments,Iaimedtobeafinancedirector.
To drive growth and e ciency at Mercury Towers, I leverage data analytics to gain insights into business performance.
,, ,, Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Ifyou love whatyou are doingy , ou wi be successful.
- Epictetus
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