A warm welcome

SiGMA Group welcomed the Ambassador of Italy to Malta, Valentina Setta, to its Malta office on Monday, August 11, where she was greeted by Emily Micallef, Chief Executive Officer, and Healthcliff Farrugia, Chief Operations Officer, for an introduction to the team and a guided overview of the company’s work. The visit marked her first engagement with SiGMA since taking office in June, following a 25-year diplomatic career that spanned Rome, Warsaw, Dubai, New York, and Podgorica.

During the opening exchange, the leadership outlined SiGMA’s structure and its public-facing mission. The Ambassador engaged directly with staff across functions, noting the group’s international footprint and the blend of event, education and innovation work streams.

Inside SiGMA Group office

An extended tour showcased SiGMA’s operational set-up, introducing Ambassador Setta to teams behind its flagship summits and cross-functional units, including MedTech initiatives and the iGaming Academy. The briefing covered how these units support skills, compliance and knowledge exchange in tandem with events. The Ambassador was briefed on how event programming aligns with talent development through the academy’s courses and credentials, as well as the role of health technology initiatives under the MedTech banner.

Italian Ambassador to Malta Valentina Setta, centre, with SiGMA Group Chief Executive Officer Emily Micallef, right, and Chief Operations Officer Heathcliff Farrugia, left.

During the visit, the discussion also covered the SiGMA Foundation’s efforts and projects, including education, healthcare and community development initiatives delivered across countries such as Ethiopia, Brazil and the Philippines. The Foundation has impacted over 7,700 lives to date through schools, medical facilities, surgeries and empowerment programmes, with further projects in the pipeline.

Central Europe summit

Discussions then focused on the forthcoming SiGMA Central Europe summit taking place in Rome from November 3 to 6 at Fiera Roma. The SiGMA team outlined the event’s scale, audience and programme design, including exhibition, conference and B2G networking components. The meeting discussed the positive economic impact anticipated for Rome through visitor spending, venue operations, and supplier activity associated with the summit week.

Malta’s and Italy’s strategic alignment

The exchange closed with an emphasis on constructive engagement between the private and public sectors in Malta and Italy. SiGMA Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer thanked Ambassador Valentina Setta for the visit and for a thoughtful discussion focused on outcomes and impact. With Rome set to host the Central Europe summit, the participants recognised the significance of anchoring a high-level conference in Italy’s capital.