Deputy Head (Conduct Supervision) - Credit & Financial Institutions, Investment and Crypto Firms
Patrick Bartolo is Deputy Head (Conduct Supervision) at Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), a position he has held since August 2023. His role sits within the Operations department at the manager level, with a mandate focused on conduct supervision.
Prior to joining MFSA, Bartolo spent over thirteen years at BNF Bank plc, where he served as Senior Branch Manager from April 2018 to July 2023, managing the San Gwann branch and supporting the Head of Retail across various committees on strategy development and implementation within the Retail Department. Before that, he held a series of managerial positions at the bank from 2009, including heading the Executive Banking department, which served professionals and high-net-worth individuals, and launching the Siggiewi branch. Earlier in his career, he worked at HSBC Malta as a Financial Planning Officer from 2003 to 2009, focusing on identifying client needs and promoting life insurance products and funds. He holds a BA (Hons) in Management, Banking and Finance from the University of Malta.
Deputy Head (Crypto) - FinTech Supervision
Shirelle Grima is Deputy Head (Crypto) – FinTech Supervision at the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), a position she has held since February 2025. Her remit is explicitly focused on crypto within the MFSA's FinTech Supervision function. Prior to this appointment, she served as Senior Manager in FinTech Supervision from November 2023 to May 2025, and as Senior Analyst in the same department from September 2022 to November 2023.
Before joining the MFSA, Grima spent over six years at Sparkasse Bank Malta plc in Sliema, progressing from Trader to Senior Trader and ultimately Senior Lead Trader, a role she held from August 2021 to September 2022. Earlier in her career, she completed an accounts internship at AgriBank PLC. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Banking and Finance and an Honours Degree in Banking and Finance, both from the University of Malta, where her coursework covered derivative markets, risk management, securities regulation, treasury management, and alternative investments. She completed CFA Level I through the CFA Institute.
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Strategic Partnerships & Private Events
Noé Giglio leads Strategic Partnerships and Private Events at The Big Whale, a market intelligence platform on digital assets founded in 2022 and headquartered in Paris. He is based in London and has been active in the digital assets sector since 2019, building expertise across onchain finance and investment strategies and a network spanning financial institutions, corporates, and digital asset companies across Europe.
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Head of Institutional Research
Max Coniglio is Head of Institutional Research at The Big Whale, an independent market intelligence platform on digital assets founded in 2022 and headquartered in Paris. In this role he sits within the firm's research and analyst team, which produces editorial coverage, briefings, and research serving the platform's institutional client base.
MD, Head of EMEA Fintech at J.P. Morgan
Manuel Costescu is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan, where he co-heads the EMEA Innovation Economy team and serves as a Global Fintech Champion. In this role he advises the region's fastest-growing fintech, SaaS and e-commerce companies across a range of corporate and investment banking solutions.
Costescu began his career as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York, and earlier worked as a banker at J.P. Morgan covering European public sector clients before returning to the firm. He is a regular speaker at industry events on innovation, fintech and digital finance.
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