25 years of Mazars in Malta – Growing with purpose together

This year, Mazars in Malta celebrates its 25th Anniversary. MaltaCEOs.mt spoke to Anthony Attard, Managing Partner at the firm, about what this milestone means for him and his colleagues, and about Mazars’ strategic focus going forward.

Can you tell us a bit about the beginning of Mazars in Malta?

Mazars’ roots in Malta go back to 1998, when Paul Giglio and I started a small firm known as Attard Giglio & Co., based in Gzira.  A few years later, in 2004 to be exact, Alan Craig joined our team as a partner. In 2008, the firm became part of the global Mazars network, and subsequently we had Tino Riolo joining us as the fourth member of our team.  

Over the years, Mazars has gained a reputation for its rigorous approach towards transparency and industry best practice. How did this evolve?

As one can imagine, this could only have been achieved with an incredible amount of hard work, and thanks to amazing teamwork. I cannot but thank the firm’s partners and directors – namely Ruth Farrugia, Ramon Cutajar, Fiona Custò Pearson, and Alicia Vella – for their invaluable contribution in guiding the firm through its various stages of development, leading it to where we are today.

And you’ve recently also further strengthened your management team.

Indeed, it has been a pleasure to welcome on board an extremely competent and hardworking professional such as Anita Grech. Her expertise and integrity are greatly appreciated by her peers and clients alike. I am confident that Anita will play a key role in the future growth of Mazars in Malta.

Browsing Mazars’ website, it is clear that the firm places great value on its people and its talent-base. How has this focus influenced Mazars’ journey over its history?

Mazars in Malta owes its success to its people, whom we consider our most invaluable asset. From a handful of employees in our first years of operation, the firm now brings together a dedicated team of more than 85 specialists.” This success, Anthony believes, owes a lot to “Mazars’ vision of engendering a positive and collaborative work-environment, underlined by the firm’s ethos of transparency and professionalism.” As regards the development of talent, he refers to Mazars’ employee value proposition, which emphasises Mazars’ commitment to being “a school of excellence”, with education as the backbone of the firm’s talent and leadership development strategy., where one can make friends for life, in an environment which fosters creativity and innovation, and which encourages an entrepreneurial spirit.

The profile of Mazars’ services seems to have evolved considerably over the years. How does audit feature in this landscape today?

Over the past 25 years, we have evolved into a multidisciplinary firm that offers a comprehensive and flexible range of services, specialising in audit, accountancy, advisory, and tax services. Audit, however, remains at the heart of what we do, and the firm will continue to place huge importance on maintaining the highest possible standards of audit quality.

What is the underlying theme to your 25th anniversary celebrations? Are you planning something special to mark this milestone?

These celebrations are an opportunity to bridge the values and strengths which have defined our success, with our fundamental purpose and vision – that of continuing to create value together with our stakeholders, and investing in what matters the most for our people, our clients and the local community. Hence the theme we have selected for these celebrations: ‘Growing with purpose together’. We have recently launched a CSR scheme which will fund youth-based initiatives aimed at harnessing the potential of Maltese youth, thus securing a better future for our society. The scheme involves supporting five youth-oriented NGOs and/or student associations with a financial contribution totalling €5,000 for each of these – spread over a three-year period – for a total investment of €25,000.

Yours is a sector where trust and accountability are always high on the agenda. What does it take to maintain a reputation such as the one held by Mazars’ in Malta? 

We will of course, continue building on what has already been achieved. As you have mentioned, the firm is already held in very high regard in the market. As regards the future, it essentially boils down to our commitment to continue pursuing our work with a steadfast sense of deep ethical commitment, and a rigorous approach towards transparency and industry best-practice. Our pledge remains that of always doing the right thing, and to strive to be the right partner for our people, our clients, our industry, and for society as a whole.