Kyriakos Charilaou on Compliance and Innovation at the Malta Stock Exchange Conference 2025

The Governance, Risk, Compliance, and ESG Conference 2025, held on March 13-14 at Hilton Malta, brought together leading industry professionals to discuss emerging trends in compliance and governance. Among the speakers was EXANTE’s Director of Compliance Operations, Kyriakos Charilaou, who participated in a panel discussion, “Balancing Innovation and Compliance: The Potential of Self-Regulation”.

Kyriakos was joined by Mark Gem (Chair, European CSD Association, Clearstream, Moderator), Tilemachos Moraitis (Head of Government and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft), Dr. Geraldine Spiteri Lucas (CEO and Registrar, Malta Business Registry), and Richard Metcalfe (Head of Regulatory Affairs, The World Federation of Exchanges).

Kyriakos emphasised the crucial role of compliance in reputation management and business efficiency. Compliance is not merely about meeting regulatory requirements but building and maintaining confidence among stakeholders, ensuring long-term stability.

Addressing the balance between business needs and regulatory requirements, he noted that compliance should not be considered a barrier to growth. Instead, well-structured compliance processes can enhance business efficiency, supporting innovation while maintaining regulatory alignment.

Kyriakos also discussed the role of technology in compliance, highlighting the increasing use of automation. While technological advancements help streamline processes and help reduce errors, he stressed that human oversight remains essential. Certain tasks demand professional judgement, particularly in complex regulatory interactions, as Kyriakos marked – “AI cannot answer a regulator’s letter.”

More about the event: https://grcweekmalta.com/agenda/