George Whitehead (pictured), Venture Partner Manager at Octopus Ventures, comments on the British Venture Capital Association’s Innovation Nation report… The BVCA’s Innovation Nation report highlights some very positive UK figures, which speak to a number of important factors. The top line is that UK economic growth is the fastest in
M&A deal value is at its highest level since 2007, but Europe's executives are adopting a more cautious outlook on European M&A, according to research carried out international law firm CMS, in partnership with Mergermarket. 
The report’s respondents comprise 230 key M&A stakeholders across all European geographies, including CEOs, finance
The ICMA-NAFMII Working Group, which brings together experts from financial institutions in China and the UK to share expertise on processes, practices, and the associated market infrastructure in debt capital markets, has issued its first report: ‘Practices and procedures in the Chinese and international primary debt capital markets’. The report
Non-banks (including insurers and funds) can add some fire-power to European policy makers' initiatives to fund small businesses by packaging their loans into structured deals, according to a new report Moody's Investors Service. "Securitisation enables investors, such as insurers and pension funds, to transform their investments into more liquid instruments
A new survey of managers of Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), a scheme designed to provide finance to UK smaller companies, by Tilney Bestinvest suggests that the current tax year is set to see a sharp contraction in VCT fund raising. This follows one of the highest years on record in
By Dr Michael Xuereb, MFSA – Following several years of fund platform developments, the MFSA has more recently been focusing its efforts on upgrading and enhancing the product structuring framework. The Securitisation Act, which came into effect in 2006, introduced important legal changes which greatly improved the scope for structuring
"Malta provides an outstanding opportunity for private equity and venture capital managers. It has a flexible LP structure, an extensive network of double tax treaties, a favourable local tax regime and experienced service providers who can provide a cost-effective solution," comments Felicity Cole (pictured), Head of the Funds Department at
When it comes to the formation process, funds in Malta may take different legal forms and with respect to hedge funds, the most popular structure is the SICAV. The formation process is two-fold: • The fund licensing process, handled by Malta's financial regulator, the Malta Financial Services Authority (`MFSA') and;
By James Williams – "One cultural attraction that I recommend people to visit is St John's Co-Cathedral where they can view Carravagio's 'The Beheading of St John the Baptist' and 'St Jerome Writing'," comments Joseph Zammit Tabona, Special Envoy to the Malta's Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat. "A bit of
Malta's PIF regime allows the setting up of three different types of PIFs each based on the profile of the participating investors' taking into consideration their overall wealth and investment experience. The regulations governing each type of fund vary and are lighter in case of PIFs which are intended for
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 February, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 February, 2026 – 5:00 pm
