Rita Sammut Buontempo has been appointed the new assistant secretary general of the Malta Bankers’ Association (MBA) on September 23.

Sammut Buontempo has extensive experience in the banking industry. She holds an Honours and Masters degree in Accountancy and is a Certified Public Accountant and Fellow of the Malta Institute of Accountants.

Commenting on her appointment, MBA secretary general Karol Gabarretta said: “I have worked closely with Sammut Buontempo and have full confidence in her capacity to enhance and support the work carried out by the association in these challenging times.”

She joined Mid-Med Bank Ltd in 1984, occupying various roles in the regulatory, finance, credit and retail banking sectors. In 1999, Sammut Buontempo continued her banking career as a senior manager with HSBC Bank Malta plc in 1999. She specialised mainly in regulatory and finance.

Sammut Buontempo headed the technical delegation, representing Mid-Med Bank plc, on the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) technical working group, which implemented the Capital Requirements Directive BD08 in 1998. She also headed the technical delegation, representing HSBC Bank Malta plc on the MFSA technical working group from 2005 to 2006, which implemented the Basel II regime (EU Directive – Recast 2000/12).

Subsequent to her banking career, Sammut Buontempo entered the field of banking advisory services with two of the ‘big four’ audit firms. In one of the highlights of her advisory career, she was responsible for the audit of a local significant bank’s own funds under the Basel III regime, during the asset quality review conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB).

Sammut Buontempo has also worked in the field of property management as a finance manager.