Franco Azzopardi hails Marcel Cassar as ‘best-in-breed CEO’ he’s ever worked with

Seasoned Director and CEO Franco Azzopardi on Tuesday lauded APS Bank’s Marcel Cassar as the “best-in-breed CEO” that he has had the pleasure to work with.

This came as Mr Azzopardi’s time at the bank was brought to an end after 14 years, after APS Bank held its Annual General Meeting. He remarked that the day marked “yet another big change” in his life, having most recently served as Non-Executive Director at the bank.

He added that it is a “corporate dream come true” to have seen the “small humble APS Bank” that he joined as Director in 2008 hold its first public Annual General Meeting after 113 years in operation.

“It also marks the end of my career with the same bank after 14 years of learning and hopefully leaving some mark of value. It’s been a joyride of mind clashing, upward knowledge spirals, value creation, and best academia ever,” Mr Azzopardi said.

He also touched on how it has been a “pride and honour” to work with three Chairpersons over those 14 years, and of “having been on the selection panel of the best-in-breed CEO” that he has worked with, Mr Cassar. Mr Azzopardi also noted that Mr Cassar proved to be a “true inspiration” for him.

Mr Cassar first joined the bank as CEO at the start of 2016, and since then has overseen a wide array of events, including its digital transformation, the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought about with it, and also APS Bank’s Initial Public Offering of new ordinary shares, which closed on the same day it opened.

Mr Azzopardi proceeded to also thank Martin Scicluna, who he labelled as “one of the best Chairmen” he has met in his career, and for “forging a bond of camaraderie” that he declared as the “dream team of any company”.

“The best thing that happened to my career. I will cherish all the fond memories till my end,” he continued.

Mr Azzopardi concluded by wishing the APS Bank team all the best, before quoting a traditional Irish blessing: “May the sun shine warmly at your face and may the wind always blow at your back.”

Over the course of his time at APS Bank, Mr Azzopardi took “delegated responsibility on behalf of the Board of Directors” to ensure that there is a “framework for accountability, for examining and reviewing all systems and methods control”.