EBM Magazine #04

BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE

N o0 4 / S P R I N G 2 0 1 8

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contents

cover story

PG9. TALES OF A VISIONARY ECOWARRIOR... LOOKING TO NATURE FOR THE CREATION OF A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM

party

PG18. LOLLIPOP

music

PG22. MARTYRIUM... EXTREME METAL’S DARKEST SOUL

catering

PG30. THE DEFINITION OF ZEST

marketing

PG36. INFLUENCER MARKETING...

THE TREND THAT’S TAKING THE MARKETING WORLD BY STORM

street style

PG40. MEET CATENA MEDIA'S MOST STYLISH

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EBM

MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

business

PG48. THE SUBTLE INTRICACIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

food

PG52. 99 PROBLEMS BUT YOUR LUNCH AIN’T ONE

fashion

PG60. HUBLOT.. WHERE TRADITIONAL WATCHMAKING TECHNIQUES MEET CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATION

business

PG66. ADVENTURES OF A GLOBAL CITIZEN

girlpower

PG72. THE DARKEST HOUR.. LIFE BEYOND THE TRAUMA OF VIOLENCE

events PG82

PHEW! What a start to 2018! Working on the magazine while going through some personal and professional changes was challenging but makes it even more fulfilling to see yet another issue of the magazine ready. It's packed with some serious girl power, inspiring stories by leaders in the gaming industry and obviously best style & events on the island. Summer holiday in Ibiza anyone?

You must see these villas first. Enjoy!

memo

Pavli Medvedova

ART DIRECTOR & EDITOR @pavlistyle

2018 is all about getting bigger and better where we continuously work harder to make every issue more interesting and appealing than the previous. It’s always rewarding when we find out how much the readers enjoy reading our issues.

Looking forward to what you have to say for this one! Enjoy!

Kimberly Micallef CREATIVE DESIGNER

KIMBERLYMICALLEF.COM

@kim.berly.mica

After 3 months of hard work by our team, we are ecstatic to finally present you the fourth edition of EBM Magazine. Rather than treating our magazine as a conveyer belt that has to be pushed out with strict deadlines, we have chosen the route to create each edition with passion as our priority, and I think that's why we have been fortunate enough to receive such great feedback so far. The whole team is treating this project as our baby. We hope that some of the articles and people we have chosen to highlight in the fourth edition may inspire you and widen your perspective and we are very grateful that you are holding our magazine in this very moment. Enjoy it!

Pierre Lindh

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AMBASSADĂ–R EVENTS @pierreobv

2018 started out very hectic for me, just the way I like it. Being Head of Sales is a big responsibility since EBM Magazine is a free magazine and would never work without funding. However, the great content the magazine contains makes it pretty easy to find partners who would like to be a part of it and our demographics are spot on for many companies. I have always loved working with sales and meeting new people so working with EBM Magazine is something I truly enjoy. This is our 4th issue and I would like to thank all our partners who have helped us during the last 12 months, without you publishing a magazine on this level would not be possible.

Martin Pettersson HEAD OF SALES

martin@ambassador-events.com page 5

the team GISELLE SCICLUNA On a personal level I need to try harder to stick to my one and only new year resolution; that is to consciously avoid and let go of any negativity, whether it’s emanating from other people or situations which I cannot control.

On a professional level I’m thinking of casting my net wider with my writing. I have a couple of upcoming projects in the pipeline, though it’s still too early to talk about just yet. As in previous years, for as long as I can remember, my only hope is for a healthy year because come what may, this is the only thing that really matters.

JACOB SAMMUT What can I say about 2018? Another rollercoaster. Another year of living in the superunknown. Another year of being led to promising things just to be let down.

It happens, to me anyway. Life changing events? Who knows? My first book launch is surely something different but is still a first step. What am I looking forward to this year? I guess for it to pick up and hopefully turn into a good year if possible.

JACOBSAMMUTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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the team KRIS MICALLEF In 2018 I’m planning on creating more art and hopefully do a bit more globe-trotting… If everything goes according to plan, Mexico is on the cards this year. I’m also determined to work out more…

KRISMICALLEF.COM

PETER CARBONARO Professional plans I have many on different levels. There is my work at Legolas.bet as a brand ambassador, where we are launching two new products: Sports Book and Casino. This is very challenging and keeps me busy for most of the week. When it comes to television I am currently hosting and producing two reality shows and there is a new project in the pipeline for after summer.

However, I am not allowed to say anything yet. And for the fifth consecutive year I will be hosting the party of the year – Showers.

JULIA BOIKOVA Work wise I am doing some exciting design work for this year’s Showers event. This year’s edition is circus-themed, and I feel like I am in a candy store with this one! I will also be contributing a lot more to EBM MAG, and am super excited about it! Great and fun people to work with!

This year I would love to be more involved in photoshoots - styling and shooting myself (apart from doing my usual work on my clothing label).

Will definitely spend more time with my film camera, rather than digital. Photography has been my long time running affair and film camera has this charm about the quality of its images which is addictive.

JULIABOIKOVA.COM

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TALES OF A VISIONARY ECO-WARRIOR… LOOKING TO NATURE FOR THE CREATION OF A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM Words by Giselle Scicluna Photography by Kris Micallef Styling by Julia Boikova Fashion by Gagliardi Glasses by Arnette Hublot Watch by Edwards & Lowell

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cover story Catena Media’s COO, Johannes Bergh’s reputation as harbinger of innovative change is a force to be reckoned with. His educational and professional background spans the globe, but there is far more to Johannes than simply being a key player with an outstanding resumé, in an industry inundated with exceptional talent. Being an active climber, off-piste skier, Swedish champion in the J80 sailing class, pianist, keen cook and a passionate environmentalist, Johannes is a man of many, many talents. I am keen to discover the facets which make this brilliant man tick; but as with such an accomplished personality, where to begin?

Johann I

met up with Johannes at Catena Media’s impressive offices in Ta’ Xbiex, where he welcomes me after what he says had been a long day of back to back meetings. We launch immediately into our conversation, and I ask about his long list of interests outside of Catena Media. “To get a better understanding of where I’m coming from, you have to be aware of my background. I am the I am the fifth generation in a family of foresters, my childhood summers were entirely spent in the great outdoors, so the connection to nature is hard-wired in me. That’s why I love to climb and ski and sail,” he says by way of explanation before adding, “I am also very much aware that we are guests on this Earth and we need to leave it in a much better state for the next generation. What I learned is that nature is a gift and we need to appreciate, nurture and sustain it.”

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Speaking of sustainability, if he had the power to change just one thing on this planet, something which would effectively end all its environmental woes, what would that be?

cover story “In an ideal world, that would be to put a stop to global warming; we are making such a horrible mess, which is very disturbing. But in real terms, it would be better if we can make each and every human understand their responsibility towards the environment,” he comments. It is highly apparent that the environment is a subject which is very much close to his heart, “You can spend a lot of time and effort explaining to people what they are doing wrong and try to change the world, or you can just get on and do what you think is right. For example, we are now sponsoring Earth Day’s ‘Clean up Malta’ initiative. We are also striving to transform our offices into a green, energy positive building, by installing solar panels on our entire roof and hopefully, if our calculations are correct, we shall be producing more energy than we consume.

These are the things we can do to affect a positive change,” he says adamantly.

But for Johannes, sustainability is not just about the environmental aspect, but also about the human element, “This is very important for us as a company. We are in a very short term-oriented business, because gaming is about winning or losing, but to me we have a very important role to play. We need to sustain the people within the confines of our company, enabling them to grow. By offering a challenging role, ownership and rewards, they can grow and flourish and consequently the company will grow. We give them space to try and even fail. If you don´t fail, it means you don´t try, but if you can learn from failure, then you grow. That is how we build a sustainable business,” he states matter-of-factly.

nes Bergh page 11

cover story For a man who has such a passionate outlook and deeply ingrained values, Johannes finds it difficult to describe his very own personality, but thinks that his acquaintances would probably say that he is focused and determined, “I also hope that the people around me think that I’m a good listener,” he says with a faint smile, “If I talk more than I listen, than I’m failing big time.”

His determination shines through when he speaks of the Catena Media 300-strong team, “I want people to take responsibility and be proud of what they do. If you have the mindset that you want people to grow, you will also have to invariably sit and watch them fail. You cannot interfere even if you can anticipate their failure, otherwise you’ll become just another control freak.”

During Johannes tenure as company COO, Catena Media has devised an original internal organisational concept called ‘Pods and Roots’; how does this ground-breaking idea work?

“In simple terms, the pod is the microstructure which creates revenue. For example, the team which creates the product is the pod, HR and Finance are the roots. The root cannot generate revenue; obviously HR cannot send an invoice to a customer of ours for recruiting people. But the roots must support the pods in such

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“..If you don't fail, it means you don't try, but if you can learn from failure, then you grow. That is how we build a sustainable business.” a way that the pod can function as efficiently as possible.

It is an ecosystem wherein the whole structure is both interdependent and independent at the same time. If the roots fail, then the pods will fail and vice-versa. That is how you get people to have ownership, they own the revenue or a specific task like recruiting, they own the ideas to generate that or fulfil that specific task. And because each pod is independent of the other, it is easier to compare its failures and successes and proceed accordingly. It’s also very scalable, because if you want to add another pod, then you don’t need that big amount of resources, as when you are starting each time from scratch,” Johannes explains.

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cover story Corporate Social Responsibility is a recurring theme within the industry. How does Catena Media go about implementing it?

“Each company which takes its CSR seriously has its own perspective of how to go about it, be that supporting charities or starving kids in Africa. Our take is to start off with what we can control, so we do what we can for the environment by trying to be energy positive and do our utmost to lower our energy consumption as much as possible.

The problem I have, is that something is not working here in Malta in this regard. There seems to be a lack in the infrastructure for recycling for example, which I think is very sad. This island also has the possibility of functioning on hundred percent renewable energy; you have the waves, the wind and the sun but it’s still way behind. With an economy which is based in great part on tourism, can you imagine the benefits of an environmentally friendly island, cleaner air, a cleaner environment and what this change would mean for eco-tourism?” he asks.

More on his role as COO of such a rapidly growing company, what does he believe have been the company’s greatest challenges and conversely its achievements so far?

“Catena Media was born in 2012, but now boasts more than three hundred twenty members of staff, is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange and has produced sixty-seven million Euro in revenues from basically nothing,” Johannes notes with satisfaction, “I would say, that rapid growth has been both a challenge and an achievement. Growing at such a fast rate while still having to recruit people, develop products and generate revenue is an ongoing challenge. The company is constantly outgrowing the current format, but with the pods and roots concept in place, which is very modular, you can tweak and add to the whole structure without putting the whole company on hold,” he says.

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cover story

This rapid growth has in no way detracted from the company’s aptitude for fostering an excellent working environment for its staff. Awarded iGaming Idol 2017 edition’s greatly coveted Employer of the Year accolade, what does Johannes believe has set the company apart as a top employer?

“I hope that we made the cut because we truly care for our staff. We strive to cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration and above all teamwork,” he admits in his typical serene way.

And finally, as an insider, how would he describe his vision of a perfect industry?

page 16

“..We strive to cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration and above all teamwork.”

“Quite simple really. A lot of competition.

In such a dynamic industry, you need to be kept on your toes and never rest on past achievements,” Johannes says as we round up our interview, “There are some great companies out there which are constantly raising the bar, but not enough. The fiercer the competition, the harder it will be to create a better product and ultimately it is the only way we can come close in achieving perfection.” And that, apparently, is the perfect scenario for an industry to thrive.

party Everybody loves a bit of boogiewoogie on a Saturday. And when a friend who resides overseas visits the island you want that boogie to be a special woogie... So, we head down to Tigullio for the now ever so popular ‘Lollipop’ party.

Theme is slumber. As one expects some punters do dress up, other do not, but they still manage to look fabulous. I opt for a black and yellow eye mask, which I wear on my forehead, as I want to make sure not to miss any good lookers in the house.

K

Cher, Kylie and Madonna? I have to confess that there were a few new tracks I had never heard of, but hey club and music education has no age!

The dancefloor is packed and not as easy to dance as much as I like, so I move to the side. Perks of the latter move was the close proximity to the bar, more space to dance and easier to check out the crowd. And that brings us to the crowd. The crowd is predominantly gay, but this is not an exclusive gay party. It is so refreshing to see a mixture of people; gay, straight, transgender, and people who do not usually attend gay parties, but at ‘Lollipop’ everyone is welcome.

It was also very interesting to spot so many people from overseas. We love new faces. They bring such an international and cool flavour to the club. The crowd is also friendly, with some strutting their stuff on the box together with the now legendary burlesque dancer and entertainer, Undine LaVerve.

The girl knows how to move and how to get the crowd going. My friends nudge me as I am staring a bit too much. Undine, it is all your fault honey!

At the door we are greeted with a surprise treat, lots of banter and a very welcoming smile. All credit goes to TolQueen, the drag persona that made us feel we were in the right place. She is fierce, helpful and very funny. Note to other party organisers - when hiring door people make sure you send them to a crash course at TolQueen’s Academy.

Going to ‘Lollipop’ and not checking out the photo booth is like going to a Britney Concert and ‘Baby One More Time’ is not part of the setlist. Kris Micallef, besides being one of the creators of this party, is also a very well-known and talented photographer. He does not stop snapping away all around the club, but the striking background of the photo booth is where you want to be for some camera action. Whether you are ready for your close up or not, getting your photo snapped by the gorgeous Kris is another reason why you should get down to ‘Lollipop’. The campy and flashy background add to the experience and I can assure you that you will upload your pic as your profile Facebook picture in no time. All the pictures are then uploaded to their Facebook page www.facebook.com/lollipopnight. It is also where you can stay updated about Lollipop’s latest news about their events and parties.

Cloakroom - check. Bar - check. It comes naturally that the next move is checking out the main floor.

Special Deejays for the night, Nate & Rossi, and resident deejay Keith St. John, were on top form giving us the best pop, RnB, and few fab remixes.

How can you not dance to Lady Gaga, Rihanna,

What I also love and admire about ‘Lollipop’ is the way they promote their parties. Every event comes with a phenomenal portrait of a splendid model, who at times is not always a model but looks amazing nevertheless. Each shoot celebrates individuality, diversity and fierceness.

ris Micallef’s and Keith St. John’s baby ‘Lollilop’, is becoming an adult and has now gained the know-how on how to throw an unforgettable party. We get there at around midnight and the club is already pumping, with around 500 creatures, all ready to experience the exceptional extravaganza that only ‘Lollipop’ knows how to serve.

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party

It is getting rather late, so we decide to make a move in the direction of the cloakroom but as soon as we are leaving, the dance floor the deejay drops ‘Girls Gone Wild’ so we decided to stay for another thirty minutes. And thank God (or Madonna) we did, as we dance a bit more, loose more calories and we chat to a few ‘Lollipop’ Virgins, as in it is their first ‘Lollipop’ experience. Puuuhlease!

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My eye mask reminds me that it is really time to hit the sack. I drive back home, wondering when is the next ‘Lollipop’, while listening to Moloko’s ‘Bring it back’! How so very appropriate. @lollipopmalta

MartY ...EXTREME METAL’S DARKEST SOUL Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

www.martyrium.co

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YriuM page 23

music It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the music genre Extreme Metal has a huge following the world over.

Local band MartYriuM is at the forefront of the local scene; producing a unique and eerie blend of Black and Death Metal, whipping up their fans into a frenzy with their aggressive and theatrical presence throughout their numerous gigs both in Malta and abroad. We met up with the band’s frontwoman and vocalist, the larger-than-life Vanja Plavsic, in a bid to gain precious insight into the obscure world of Extreme Metal…

Given her dark and gritty onstage presence, it is a bit of a stretch trying to imagine what Vanja was like as a child. “I had a really normal upbringing. My parents worked a lot, so I spent a lot of time on my own. From a young age I had a strong affinity with horror related things. Movies, books, comic books, stories, video games and everything that would stimulate a sense of fear...the fascination for gore and things that dwell in the dark were always present. The best part of growing up was probably my time at college, when I started attending local gigs and meeting likeminded people and discovering the world of metal music and everything else that goes along with it,” she explains.

Her earliest memory of discovering Extreme Metal was listening to the band, Sepultura, which through their album ‘Roots’, made a huge impression on her. However, the aggressive vocals were only the beginning of Vanja’s journey into the genre, “My taste in extreme music quickly evolved to darker genres and bands such as Dark Funeral, Marduk, Gorgoroth, Aeon just to name a few.

There were always new bands to discover, more extreme, more diverse, yet all alike in their raw energy and explosion of death, chaos and desperation,” she says matter-of-factly, before continuing, “I lived in a small town in Serbia and fortunately there was a decent

page 24

black metal scene at the time. Metal shows weren't as frequent as today in Malta, but when a band performed, all the supporters would be in the mosh-pit and the atmosphere was very lively. My first live show experience was a doom metal band called Odium Inc. I will never forget that night. The image of the vocalist in the sinister red spotlight, the small girl wailing like a wounded beast, the embodiment of Satan himself, will stay with me forever.

Fast forward a few years from life in Serbia to fronting one of the most popular Extreme Metal bands in Malta… So, how did MartYriuM come into being?

“MartYriuM is actually the oldest black metal band in Malta! The band was formed with the spawn of the second wave of black metal by our guitarist Count Mortem in 1999. Soon after, the keyboardist Úmarth joined the unholy alliance and contributed

music to MartYriuM’s signature sound with his sinister orchestrations that combined with the Count’s extreme riffing, make up the soul of MartYriuM. I joined the band much later in 2012 and it took some time to figure out how I wanted to be portrayed in terms of image and sound. I think that both of these things became solid throughout my involvement with the band during these six years.”

Vanja goes on to describe MartYriuM’s sound as an amalgam of black and death metal with symphonic keyboard parts and some industrial elements. The vocals dominate in deep growls and raw screams, and in the earlier albums each song includes clean and soprano parts. MartYriuM have four full length albums and each release reveals a mixture of many musical influences and has a character of its own which shows the development of the band throughout the years, “The first album ‘Withering in Voluptuous Embrace’ is a dark album in every sense, portraying a more gothic-like mood through the increase in dramatic symphonies and clean vocals as opposed to the new releases. Whereas our latest album, ‘Destiny Wore A Bondage Mask’ was an experimental fusion of industrial and atmospheric ambients which gave MartYriuM a different sound because we incorporated these new elements with the already established symphonic death/black metal trait known from the previous albums.

So, I believe that there is something for everyone in our music. The upcoming album will be much more aggressive than anything we ever recorded, so we are looking forward to what the new release will bring,” Vanja says enthusiastically.

What inspires the unique MartYriuM sound?

Passionately Vanja replies, “Inspiration for writing music comes from listening to a vast number of bands and music in general. We are very open minded and have influences from classical music as well as movie soundtracks. But most of the ideas regarding guitar riffs, which are usually the initial part of composing a song, come from the inspiration derived from bands like Lost Soul, Dimmu Borgir, Gojira, Vital Remains, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Samael, Dark Funeral and many others. Lyrical inspiration comes from strange dreams or scenarios that paint a picture. For example, walking down a street and noticing an abandoned house, the way the flickering street lamp creates menacing shadows on the age worn rock, I can’t help but imagine what miserable spirits it may hold…The upcoming album is based solemnly on Baalzebub, the Lord of the Flies and all the demons in his Order. We write about experiences and feelings that are related to our lives, but we do not refer to them directly, instead we compare them to demons, so the stories and concepts may be engaging and interesting to the listener. MartYriuM concepts have always been inspired by the occult and black magic because we believe that magic is the altering of consciousness of others through will. In this sense all art is magic including music, literature and all other forms of art.”

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music

CATCH MARTYRIUM'S PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCES...

7th April - Dark Malta, The Garage, Zebbug

An element of the theatrical is part and parcel of MartYriuM’s performances and is as anticipated by the audience as the music itself. How important is the visual aspect for the band?

“Yes, we try to incorporate some visual elements in our performance to feel more connected with the audience and also depict the themes of songs through occult imagery.

Last year's shows included a ritual where we would rip curses from the Black Book of Baalzebub and throw them in the audience to spread his plague of Death and Chaos into the world. For one of the songs we spread out graveyard dirt, a kiss of death for the Martyrs, and lastly, we covered ourselves in blood for Asmodeus, the potent Throne that resides on the left side of Adramelech, in the memory of when he maimed his betrothed... but we will reveal more of the story about the theatrics with the release of our new album by the end of this year. For future gigs you can expect a bloody mess as always,” Vanja says encouragingly.

Over the past years, has anything changed on the local metal scene since Vanja started out and what would she rate as the best day of her career as MartYriuM’s frontwoman? page 28

5th May - SinFest, Corradino Old Military Prison, Paola 6th July - Xtreme Metal Assault, The Garage, Zebbug

Watch out for MartYriuM’s new music video in collaboration with Pineapple Media Malta… coming out soon!

“Yes, the local scene has exploded with events. These past few years we were able to see big artists locally such as Mayhem, Septic Flesh, Sinister, Hate and many more! MartYriuM are contributing to this by organising three annual festivals/events, which you can check out on www.votsfestival. com. As for the best day of my career, every experience with MartYriuM has been great so far. I love everything about touring. Different town every day, different stage, meeting new people, making new friends, sharing the stage with many good bands. If I had to pick a single experience I would go for ‘Metalhead Meeting’ festival in Bucharest/Romania last summer. The stage was an old Roman arena and we were supporting some of our favourite bands; Behemoth, Cradle of Filth and Sepultura,” she says.

What’s the way forward for MartYriuM? “The band is soon going to start recording the 5th album, so we are busy with the preparations. MartYriuM is booked for over 60 shows which include a tour with Noctem and other tours that are still to be announced, as well as highly acclaimed festivals such as Dark Troll Festival (Germany), Thronefest (Belgium), Goathell (Croatia), Stonehenge (Netherlands), Heavy Scotland (Scotland), Femme (Netherlands), Incineration Fest (England). We are very excited for tour season to begin, 2018 should be a very productive year,” Vanja concludes.

And getting a sneak peek into the sheer verve and passion of MartYriuM’s driven frontwoman, “a very productive year” for the band probably doesn’t even begin to describe it!

THE DEFINITION THE OF ZEST DEFINITION OF ZEST

As the noun denotes, Zest means hearty pleasure or appreciation. For more than seventeen years, Zest’s namesake has been at the As the noun denotes, Zest forefront in elevating the means hearty pleasure or culinary equivalent of exquisite appreciation. For more enjoyment, with delectable than seventeen years, Zest’s creations to tantalise the palate. namesake has been at the Innovators of the Asian fusion forefront in elevating the cuisine concept in Malta, Zest culinary equivalent of exquisite is not only a pioneer in the enjoyment, with delectable restaurant business but has creations to tantalise the palate. more recently, completely Innovators of the Asian fusion reconstructed the popular cuisine concept in Malta, Zest perception of ‘outside catering’. is not only a pioneer in the restaurant business but has more recently, completely reconstructed the popular perception of ‘outside catering’.

Zest is way beyond the typical event caterer.

Taking a leaf out of their fine dining restaurant, they approach corporate and team building events in much the same way; by creating imaginative bespoke menus steeped in their renowned authentic flavours in a myriad of culinary styles to suit every occasion and concept. The highly acclaimed kitchen team offer a melting pot of culinary traditions, with chefs hailing both from Malta and from across Asia (Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand) ensuring that

each gastronomical creation, prepared by using only the finest produce, is a perfect blend of Eastern and Western influences.

But what is an event without food that is not only luscious and unique, but is also an opulent visual feast? Zest believes food is theatre, and theatre enhances every event. Zest’s unique live cooking stations make each event stand out, adding just that bit of drama and precious va-va-voom to the proceedings; live sushi rolling, live dim

Photography by Brian Grech

catering

sum steaming, live surf and turf grilling, live teppanyaki grill, and live pasta and risotto stations with a twist.

Catering for a limited number of top-notch events each year, Zest offers exclusivity to its select client base, which in the past has included Malta’s top gaming companies, luxury jewellers and international fashion brands.

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ZEST... raising the bar on spectacular event catering

GET YOUR OFFICIAL EBM SNAP-BACK HAT NOW

20EBM use the code 20EBM to get a 5€ discount on any one of our EBM hats available on our online store: ambassador-events.com/shop

CONCIERGE SERVICE EVENTS MANAGEMENT HIGH-END PUBLIC EVENTS MALTA SPECIALISATION I-GAMING HOSPITALITY

www.ambassador-events.com

INFLUENCER MARKETING… THE TREND THAT’S TAKING THE MARKETING WORLD BY STORM

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Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

marketing

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marketing

M

arketing is a fast-moving sector with the regular creation of trends and buzzwords being par for the course.

‘Influencer marketing’ is the latest marketing jargon to land into our consciousness and it seems that its popularity in the industry is unprecedented. We talked to Francesca Mifsud, who as the creator of local influencer marketing agency, the dynamic Infiltrend, is perhaps one of the first pioneers to launch this effective marketing phenomenon on the island and the best person to explain this relatively new concept.

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“Social media has become part of our daily lives and routines. One of the first things most people do upon waking, is look at their phone and go to a social media app to find out what happened while they were asleep. We look to it to communicate with friends, to follow the news, but also for information, inspiration and now we can even shop through certain social media tools. We are not only entrenched into social media as individuals but also as consumers.

I started to see how businesses were reacting. Some businesses really upped the game in terms of appreciating how many individuals follow social media and how they interact with it. They have now become very active on social media. A few have now taken it a step further by understanding that whilst paid social ads are available, their customers and potential customers can easily ignore these.

At the same time, we see the rise of the influencer or the content creator. This is a person or a group who creates and shares content about a specific topi c or around a lifestyle and has amassed a large and loyal following. Thus there has been this collaboration between the brands and the influencers.

In an era where communicating your message to your customer is becoming more difficult, working with influencers is an ideal way of getting your brand in front of your desired audience in a native format through a familiar voice and image. We call this influencer

marketing. This sparked the idea for Infiltrend. I quickly understood influencer marketing is a solution brands need, and we can apply adtech functionality to enable us to work in a wider sphere.

While we work with various industries, one of our focuses for Infiltrend is the iGaming market.

With my previous experience within this sector, I saw a need here.

Influencer marketing for iGaming operators is a natural way of building a brand story, a narrative and thus brand loyalty. We create native opportunities for operators to speak to potential customers through influencers,” Francesca says, by way of explaining how Infiltrend came about.

Francesca who is an influencer marketing expert in her own right, continues, “At Infiltrend, we are a full-¬service marketing agency. We have built and continue to grow a network of fully vetted influencers or content creators. They are experts within their space at maintaining an engaged audience that has grown to trust them.

We look for influencers within the markets and industries our clients (brands) operate in. Thus, we focus on geo-specific influencers as well as influencers that are suitable for the products and brands we work with.

We’re then able to work with our brand clients to develop and implement influencer-marketing strategies. We help build a budget, and understand the goals.

This helps us define the type of

marketing

influencer we need, the content we want from the influencers and the message or story we need them to share. Infiltrend uses our own software to build relationships with influencers but also to track and measure their influencer marketing campaigns. In doing so, we’re able to align the influencer strategy with the objectives our clients have.”

We also use data as a means of understanding an influencer’s activity. Data alone doesn’t determine the worth of an influencer. However we do have our own tools that allow us to understand the engagement rate an influencer has generated for a particular campaign. This allows us to compare influencers for each brand,” Francesca says.

How beneficial for a company would Infiltrend services be in real terms?

As a founder of a business that’s still in its early days, Francesca is at the moment involved in everything.

She does however have a team around her including consultants and advisors to help the company grow. But given that this is Francesca’s brainchild, one would assume that overseeing

“The landscape in which these brands operate requires innovative ways of communicating with customers. TV, print and desktop ads aren’t effective and ad blockers are increasingly becoming popular.

Consumers are also easily annoyed by invasive ads and will happily scroll past sponsored content.

Infiltrend instead offers brands a solution to communicating with an audience on a device and platform they already engage with in a native and organic way. Infiltrend focuses on building brand messages and stories. We find the right influencers for the brand in question and its message. We look at the audience of the influencer to ensure that this audience is made up of the brand’s customer demographic.

This audience has actively chosen to follow the influencer and thus their content is more relatable.

the running of the company is very energy and time consuming; how does she achieve the all-important work-life balance?

“It does indeed but I do enjoy it. I do ensure that I do some sort of physical activity every day and enjoy some downtime in the weekend. However, you never stop thinking and coming up with ideas.

Sunday evening, I work on a list of goals to achieve during the week as well as a to do list of priorities. This helps set the tone for the week and start Monday on a good note,” she cheerfully explains.

Finally, where does she see Infiltrend in a future scenario?

“I want to build a large network and a great product that is focused on delivering value to both the brands and the influencer we work with.

We will keep on adding features and developing improvements as required to ensure that our ad-tech platform is a solution that continues to be needed. We want to be a leading marketing solution for the industry.

We want to ensure out product is easy to use and understand but really focusing on adding value to all our stakeholders,” Francesca adds.

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Photography by Jacob Sammut

MEET CATENA MEDIA’S MOST STYLISH Martina Pugliesi

Role at Catena Media: Talent Acquisition Specialist What your role entails: My role involves actively searching for and assessing talent for Catena Media!

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: I’m curious; enjoy being inspired by other people and love intellectual challenges. I also have an interesting sense of humour (or at least I like to think so!).

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street style Arvid Bayev

Role at Catena Media: Design Lead What your role entails: Leading a team of talented designers to revolutionise the way in which players find casinos.

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: I don’t mind being wrong.

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street style Ori Zilbershtein

Role at Catena Media: Head of Consumer Products What your role entails: Leading our product and SEO teams to greatness!

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: A person who has a “why” can bear any “how” - Be authentic, your focus should be on the results and value you bring to the table, not your self-interest.

Erica Spiteri

Role at Catena Media: Art Director What your role entails: Directing a team of Graphic Designers to help them achieve their goals and unify the vision.

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: Highly respectful towards others, passionate, fun and filled with pride for what I do!

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Selma

The maxi dress and beach waves modern days boho girl has everything she needs, love and peace.

David Mulero

Role at Catena Media: Digital Analyst What your role entails: Track web traffic to get actionable insight into consumer behaviour and engagement.

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: I love being outside my comfort zone and working to find solutions for different areas of concern.

street style

Rebecca Schrader Role at Catena Media: Product Owner What your role entails: Key stakeholder for CasinoBonus360.de, responsible for leading and driving the product.

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: Calm, creative, positive and energetic - I love what I do.

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Role at Catena Media: Legal Counsel What your role entails: Advising the business in all legal related matters.

Your qualities and what you feel sets you apart: My qualities are my experiences. I am a very curious person which is a good trait in a lawyer.

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Thor-Amadeus Morillas

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THE SUBTLE INTRICACIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

Jacqueline Backman’s firecracker presence is a sight to behold. The hushed and serene ambience of her office at Netrefer in Msida is in stark contrast to her vibrant and feisty personality. Despite a gruelling schedule and a full diary as the company’s Chief Performance Officer, she has graciously accepted our invitation for an interview to highlight her role within Netrefer.

We ask Jacqueline or Jacqui, as she’s better known to her friends and colleagues, to tell us a little about herself, to which she responds with her typical laugh, “I was born at eight pounds and an ounce. Apparently, my mum was very hungry throughout her pregnancy,” firmly breaking the ice and setting the relaxed tone of the interview. Joking apart, Jacqui says that though she is a born and bred Canadian, her parents are Maltese, which gives her a unique insight into the island.

With a career as a business consultant spanning more than twenty years, Jacqui specialises in human performance; she has an innate and very well-trained capacity in understanding the intricacies of human behaviour and all that that entails. Having lived in four different countries throughout her career, she spent the best part of her consultancy years speaking at conferences, corporate training and teaching all over the world, including regularly speaking and teaching here in Malta.

As a business consultant she has worked closely with senior level individuals; company executives, CEOs, through whom she gained valuable insight and an intricate knowledge of how businesses are run, and strategies are built. Jacqui’s relatively recent move to Netrefer came through her association with Raphael Arnold, who as Netrefer’s founder and CEO was originally a client of hers and who she describes as an “extraordinary individual”.

Jacqui says, “My whole life was committed to organisational performance, bringing out the best in people, which is my tagline if you will. That is what companies hired me for. Of course, when companies are going through a troublesome period, it always boils down to people. That is what makes Raphael such a visionary. He is purpose-driven and is comfortable in acknowledging that he might need help in certain instances. For me, having worked with companies at such senior levels, this level of humility was a refreshing surprise.”

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business 2017 saw Jacqui spending a lot of time working in Malta, which made her once again think about changing her residency, despite the fact that her business was based in Canada. Having worked independently for so long, she then made the huge decision to work full-time for Netrefer. “By the summer, Raphael and I were discussing the ‘need’ within the company and so here I am. I think at that point I just wanted to be part of something that was beyond myself, something that requires that each and every one of us has to give their one hundred percent in order to be successful,” Jacqui says smiling.

As Chief Performance Officer, Jacqui is responsible for the culture, a culture which is conducive and consistent with the vision of the organisation and where it’s going in the next few years. In her role she is also responsible for the well-being of the company as an entity, wherein all the departments and sectors move together in the most harmonious way. “Of course, then there’s the talent, the human element,” she says, moving onto her favourite subject, “our goal is to support and ensure that every level within the organisation is thinking and moving holistically at the same pace.”

Jacqui continues, “Things inevitably do go wrong. Sometimes we are made aware that there is something that’s not working within our process. We have to find out where that deficit is and address, adapt and tweak it accordingly and move on. So, it’s quite a wonderful role, but ultimately, it’s about maintaining a pro-active state with adaptive skills and abilities to be able to cope with anything that comes up.

Netrefer being a performance marketing business, we are after all, all about maximising performance and creating better experiences for the affiliates and clients. We are not only committed to this, but internally we are also committed to be the best we can be, always.”

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Where does Jacqui see the company in the next five years?

“This is a company with purpose and the technology that’s developing is going to essentially change the way people do business. It provides them with access to information to be able to run their business with pinpoint precision and be able to generate win-win situations, which is a very attractive venture for any organisation. We want to be able to provide our clients with solutions which will also benefit the end consumer. It’s like a huge web. Twenty years from now, we are going to look back and see how the world, commercialism in particular has advanced and be able to say that we have been part of making it happen,” she says with enthusiasm.

On a more personal note, as someone whose entire career is based on human behaviour and its intricacies, what does she find is the most annoying behavioural trait?

“I’m not a fan of anything fake. I’m not impressed by titles, status or fancy cars. I’m impressed however by a person’s humanity, their honesty and their willingness to be who they are.

I understand the purpose of showing a fake façade to the world, but we are human beings. Let’s all stop pretending that we are infallible, that everything’s perfect and just be who we really are,” Jacqui ends on a more serious note.

Socl K Clu SUNDAY

EVERY SUNDAY

8 APRIL TO 27 MAY PARANGA, ST GEORGE’S BAY

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food 99 PROBLEMS BUT YOUR LUNCH AIN’T ONE Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

As the old adage goes, some things are simply meant to be. Maja and Lianne hail from the Netherlands, complete strangers until by some twist of fate they met by accident through a mutual friend here in Malta. They shared a common trait; both are dedicated foodies and, in their quest to find great new places to eat, they decided to join forces and Billie D – Rollin Kitchen was born. We met up with Maja and Lianne to better understand how these two ladies are succeeding in taking Malta’s street food onto another whole new level.

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food Billie D has become a roaring success, with customers lining up each lunchtime for a taste of great wholesome homecooked food, but if Maja and Lianne weren’t doing this, what would they be doing?

“Both of us would definitely be doing something creative. Apart from food, we're passionate about anything pretty. If Billie D wouldn't be rollin today, we'd most likely be doing something like graphic design, interior design, or anything to do with using our imagination and creating things. Unless we win the lottery, in which case we would both pack up a suitcase and travel the globe,” Maja says.

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So, how did their love affair with food start and what would be their favourite dish?

Lianne laughs, “The only right answer here would be 'in the womb'. We were both born hungry. We've both been stuffing our faces with anything edible within reach, for as long as we can remember. Preparing food and cooking has been something I’ve loved from a young age as well. Always in the kitchen, watching my mother cook, and help her out preparing dishes. That's where my love for making good food started.

As for favourite food, Maja is happiest with her mum’s cooking while I love anything Asian, with Indonesian as the absolute number one. We're both suckers for typical Dutch things as well.

Whenever we plan to visit Holland, we're busiest listing all Dutch treats we're planning to eat. You can wake us up in the middle of the night for

food some good old 'kroketten' or 'bitterballen' any day of the week!”

The Rollin’ Kitchen is clearly all about healthy but mouth-watering choices... A huge departure from what is traditionally associated with healthy, non-stodgy food (limp lettuce and tomato?). How do they manage to successfully combine the two (nutritious and tasty)?

“Back in Holland, we're very used to eating salads. Not only as a side dish, which almost always features on a Dutch dinner table, but also as a full meal. We even have a name for it. We call it a 'maaltijdsalade', which literally translates to something like '(full) meal salad'.

So, basically, we grew up with proper tasty and filling salads. It's really something in our culture, in our genes,” explains Maja before continuing, “All our marinades, dressings, sweets, soups, and hummus are made from scratch. This way, we have a large influence on the taste of the salad. A good salad needs lots of flavour and textures, so limp lettuce, watery raw tomato, canned tuna, and some olive oil just won't do. Most definitely, dressing is key. We believe a salad cannot be a good salad without a proper dressing or vinaigrette. That's why we have four of them to choose from. Each one created to complement one of our 'Favourites', but all of them delicious enough to go with any of our salads, or a salad you create yourself. Last but not least, we source our produce carefully.

Everything is fresh and made from scratch. We

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food take pride in not serving the standard options of raw cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, or grated carrot. We roast our sweet potato and red pepper, steam the broccoli and green peas, grill the corn, etc. This definitely adds extra flavour.”

What’s a typical day like in the Rollin’ Kitchen?

Lianne says, “We start our day early. All veg needs to be washed, cut, and prepared. Other fresh ingredients need to be picked up from or delivered by our suppliers. Vinaigrettes and hummus need to be made, cake baked, iced tea and lemonade brewed. Towards 11:00 we open up our little black trailer, put everything in place and prep some final things. Until 14:00 we're busy serving lunch, after which we clear up, and clean everything. In the afternoon our veg delivery arrives, and we start preparing things for the next day. Early evening, we move the trailer to next days' location, go home, eat, sleep, and repeat.”

Being in the catering business means constant contact with customers, is there anything which really pisses them off? And conversely, what would make their day?

“Our customers are awesome! We love seeing happy smiles and having a little chat about the busyness of the week, or the fun activities of the past weekend with everyone we serve.

Best thing by far is seeing familiar faces and hearing those people say they are so, so happy it's that time of the week, and they have been eagerly waiting for us to be back close to their offices again. We are in different places once every week, because we believe it's no fun to eat from the same place every day of the week. Variety is the spice of life!” says Maja with a smile.

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What’s the plan for Rollin’ Kitchen right now?

“We're working on deliveries at the moment.

When we started out we were able to deliver bigger orders by ourselves every now and then, but now we're too busy at the trailer itself. We really need to be there together now to be able to get everyone their lunch within a reasonable amount of time. None of our dishes are prepacked, we serve everything to order, which ensures we serve the crispest, non-soggy, best tasting lunch you can get, but it also takes up a bit of time. By now, we wouldn't be able to do that with just one pair of hands. That's why we are looking at possibilities to have deliveries done by a third party. We're also preparing for and looking forward to the summer and festival season.

You'll definitely be seeing us at summer markets, small festivals, and sports events this summer,” Lianne says happily, “We really hope we can build towards opening an actual brick-and-mortar salad bar. That's one of our biggest dreams for Billie D. We can't wait to serve our food out of the comfort of an actual 'restaurant'. We're dreaming of having cosy seating areas with sofas and comfy armchairs and a little outside area for customers to enjoy their lunch in the sun. We'd be able to serve a larger selection of salads and accompaniments and we’d be way more comfortable doing so. After all, the trailer is cute, and we're super proud of it, but let's be honest, it's very small and quite crammed with the two of us in there.”

And as we round up our interview, Maja with the same enthusiasm which has seen Billie D – Rollin Kitchen go from strength to strength, says with a wink and a smile “We're totally ready to take over the island, slowly building on our little salad-empire!”

Fishionista (1 person)

INGREDIENTS: • • • • • • • •

50gr fresh green coral lettuce 50gr red quinoa 100gr fresh green peas 100gr smoked salmon from your local fish monger 20gr fresh spring onions fresh (Thai) basil 5gr white sesame seeds 5gr black sesame seeds

PONZU VINAIGRETTE: (500ml) • • • • • • • • • •

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50ml rice vinegar 100ml extra virgin olive oil 40ml pure sesame oil 50ml honey or agave syrup 100ml juice of freshly squeezed limes + zest zest and juice of 2 fresh oranges 50ml rice wine or mirin 75ml fish sauce 25ml light soy sauce 2gr kaffir lime leaves

In a dry skillet, sautée the white sesame seeds until golden brown. Turn off the heat, and allow to cool. Mix the toasted sesame seeds with the black sesame seeds.

In a pot, bring a small layer of water to a gentle boil, rinse your green peas, and place them in a steam tray. On a low fire, steam the peas for around 5 minutes.

Thoroughly rinse the red quinoa under running water in a strainer. Then, in a saucepan, bring 200ml of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, and gently simmer for around 10-15 minutes on a low fire until tender.

Chop your smoked salmon into small cubes.

After rinsing under running water, chop the fresh basil and spring onions finely.

For the dressing, start with grinding your kaffir lime leaves in a coffee grinder. Then, in a glass bottle -or other container-, mix together the rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, honey or agave syrup, lime juice and zest, orange juice and zest, rice wine or mirin, fish sauce, and ground lime leaves. Shake well.

To assemble your salad, start with the fresh green coral lettuce. Top with your red quinoa, steamed green peas, smoked salmon, fresh spring onions, fresh basil, and black & white sesame mix.

Splash over as much vinaigrette as you like.

Feta Forager (1 person)

INGREDIENTS: • • • • • •

50gr fresh red coral lettuce 50gr pearl barley 100gr feta cheese fresh parsley 15gr hazelnuts 15gr chopped cranberries

ROASTED SWEET POTATO: • • • •

200gr sweet potato 5ml extra virgin olive oil pinch of salt pinch of ground black pepper

FRENCH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE: • • • • • • • •

150ml red wine vinegar 55ml extra virgin olive oil 80ml honey or agave syrup 55ml Dijon mustard 100ml water 1 small clove squeezed garlic pinch of salt pinch of ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius.

Thoroughly wash and scrub down your sweet potato, and chop into bitesize pieces. On a baking tray, mix the potato, oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20 minutes.

On a different baking tray, spread out your hazelnuts and roast them for around 5-10 minutes until golden brown.

At the same time, thoroughly rinse the pearl barley under running water in a strainer. Then, in a saucepan, bring 200ml of water to a boil.

Add the barley, and gently simmer for around 20 minutes on a low fire until tender.

Using a fork or your fingers, crumble the feta cheese.

For the dressing, in a glass bottle -or other container-, mix together the red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey or agave syrup, Dijon mustard, water, garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Shake well.

To assemble your salad, start with the fresh red coral lettuce. Top with your pearl barley, roasted sweet potato, crumbled feta, fresh parsley, roasted hazelnuts, and chopped cranberries.

Splash over as much vinaigrette as you like. page 59

HUBLOT… WHERE TRADITIONAL WATCHMAKING TECHNIQUES MEET CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATION

H

Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

ublot is a luxury Swiss watchmaker, specialising in the fusion of traditional and cutting- edge watch design. Few brands have such a distinctive approach to watch building, with iconic pieces leading the way in the luxury watch market. The brand holds strong partnerships and collaborations with industry leaders ranging from the iconic super car Ferrari, to music, fashion and sport influencers. Hublot’s collaborative approach has driven the creation of truly groundbreaking timepieces. Celebrity ambassadors for the brand include three-time World Cup Winner Pelé, super athlete Usain Bolt, creative agency Sang Bleu, ‘The Special One’ José Mourinho, Italian Seria A Juventus, Premier League Giants Chelsea FC, iconic band Depeche Mode, supermodel Bar Rafaeli and American Football stars Dallas Cowboys, among many other.

Hublot’s story began with the Art of Fusion concept back in 1980 – the first watch brand to combine precious gold with natural rubber. However, ‘The Art of Fusion’ finds its expression far beyond the materials, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a mindset that guides all of Hublot’s actions and partnerships.

Covering a wide range of professions and manufacturing techniques involved in the art and science of watchmaking, Hublot employs

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different methods of this centuries-old craft to accommodate the latest in materials and fabrication techniques as well as the most traditional forms of handwork, all under one roof. It is this flexibility in manufacturing that allows Hublot to remain at the helm of innovation in watchmaking and produce unique and cutting-edge timepieces.

In Malta, leading authorised retailer of high-end luxury watches and jewellery, Edwards Lowell Co Ltd has over the past 90 years, built a fine reputation on the values of quality, style and attention to detail, making the company a natural choice as the exclusive Maltese distributor for the Hublot brand.

Edwards Lowell Co Ltd believe that buying a watch, no matter the brand, is a very personal experience. Therefore, no watch or brand can be put into a ‘one size fits all’ category. It is all about an individual’s personality, their style, and what message they want to convey with the timepiece they choose to wear every day. The attraction of the brand Hublot, is partly a result of their unique design and innovative craftmanship, and another part due to the message that they convey – that of luxury and style. The local market is always looking for a brand that can offer something different, and for some, Hublot is a perfect fit because it ticks all the right boxes.

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fashion Malcolm. R. Lowell – Managing Director of Edwards, Lowell Co Ltd, says,

“Hublot is a fascinating and unique brand that has refined and perfected its singular capability of re-inventing itself and its collections while remaining true to its DNA and the 'Art of Fusion'. Hublot is the perfect mix of contemporary innovation, style and tradition.

Few watch brands have as much energy and creativity, and this energy is embodied in each and every unique Hublot watch. This is what makes them so coveted and keeps them ahead of the curve.”

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T

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Big Bang Unico.

Case in 18K King Gold and ceramic bezel.

UNICO column-wheel chronograph. In-house Hublot movement. 72-hour power reserve.

Interchangeable strap by a unique attachment.

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hublot.com

business ADVENTURES OF A GLOBAL CITIZEN Words by Giselle Scicluna

Born in Barcelona thirty-six years ago, Angel M. Pizarro is the man behind the high-end property website thevillashop.com.

Having spent the best part of his career within the marketing industry, working at different, giant corporations around the globe, he has lived in a number of countries around the world.

A taste of various cultures and a different vision for the future, was the prompting he needed to finally take the plunge and launch into the luxury touristic market and the real estate industry and the Ibiza based thevillashop.com was born.

We talked to Angel to discover how he managed to translate his fascination with this particular sector into a lucrative business.

But first and foremost, how did the concept of thevillashop.com come about?

“Basically, I used to create so many new ideas for customers when I was working in the advertising world that it was quite easy for me to identify a real opportunity in the booming tourist market, while living on the island of Ibiza. Besides, I love architecture and people in general, so it was the perfect professional launchpad. When I created the concept, I thought about more in terms of an international brand, as I didn’t want to attach it to just one destination. I was adamant that my new venture was something that connected globally and with international meaning,” Angel explains.

Angel has practically built thevillashop.com from ground zero, no mean feat especially when

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operating within the confines of such a competitive sector. How did he manage to grow it into the success it is today?

Angel notes with satisfaction, “Well, in my opinion, to succeed you have to be really strong mentally and be determined in whatever you are doing. I can create three new business ideas a day, but I learnt to prioritise and focus on the job at hand in order to reach real goals. Another key point is your team. I couldn’t create the company I have today without the people who work for me. A leader is important, but the team is essential. Then I would say technology is also a very vital aspect of a successful business.”

“We developed a customised platform which permits us to connect with our customers in a completely different way. Also, we can advertise our properties on different websites, completely integrated and updated. The results: more bookings and 5-stars ratings,” he says before continuing, “The secret to our success is definitely the personal touch; a hand-picked property portfolio and the latest technology.”

business What has been the most gratifying event Angel has experienced since launching thevillashop.com?

He says, “We have reached different goals since we started.

It is most satisfying for me to see how our team is believing in our creation and they are moving with us in the same direction. It is also gratifying to see how customers are coming back every year, trusting the way we are delivering them our services. Last year, we managed to break our sales record, successfully overcoming the €1 million mark. Believe me, when you achieve these figures and you are coming from ground zero it’s an indescribable feeling.”

It seems that Angel, the global citizen, has set his sights on Malta, what has prompted this move?

“I have a love story with Malta.

My first trip overseas was to your beautiful island. When I arrived, I couldn’t speak a word in English, so basically it was a study trip. Throughout the years I spent travelling around the world, I always kept in contact with my Maltese friends, and always believed that it’s a fantastic place with wonderful people.

Businesswise, Malta is in a very interesting place right now, due to its incredible workforce, enterprise approach and the understanding of the digital world. It is located strategically

and very well connected with the United Kingdom. In fact, that was one of the reasons I considered Malta as a hub, because it has a similar way of doing business as the UK. I also felt attracted by the secure bank system and political stability,” Angel says putting his point across.

As soon as Angel lands in Malta, he will be launching a new business venture; will it be the same kind of enterprise as thevillashop.com or will he be venturing into another sector? “thevillashop.com is now an established business, so I

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am creating a new venture called PlayerMate.com, which will basically cover all travel requirements which poker and casino players will need while travelling for their tournaments as well as their leisure time; from accommodation, transportation, air tickets, concierge and all other services will be available at their fingertips. Players can then just focus on playing and winning!

We’ll be taking care of the rest,” Angle says. “I decided to establish the business in Malta because the island has undeniably become one of the most important digital hubs for the e-gambling industry which will allow us to connect with different poker and casino players. We are also looking forward to offering our services, technology and travel experience to the main companies based in Malta. The market is undoubtedly

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growing at a really fast pace and I think similar companies to us will add value to the whole process and will establish a new methodology and vision of how to treat the client. We want to create unique experiences for the player in their professional and personal life. We would like to become their partners!”

But upping sticks and moving to a new country goes beyond than just a business decision. On a more personal note, how does he see himself living in Malta?

With a nostalgic smile Angle says, “When I lived in Malta back in 2003, it was one of the best periods I have ever experienced in my life. People are extraordinarily

kind and gentle, and the island is so beautiful. I especially like Gozo and Comino. It reminds me of Formentera in Ibiza. Also, I am very well connected to different European cities which was crucial in my decision.”

As we wind up our interview, out of curiosity I ask Angel what would be the best advice he could give to anyone thinking of relocating?

“Always feel connected to the place where you are going to live or at least spend a good amount of time beforehand. You have to have passion for the place, people, climate and the business challenges it represents to be able to live there happily ever after…” he ends with a grin.

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girlpower

THE DARKEST HOUR… LIFE BEYOND THE TRAUMA OF VIOLENCE Words by Giselle Scicluna // Photography by Jacob Sammut

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girlpower There is a lot to be said for human resilience. Every single day stories of courage in the face of abject adversity make the headlines.

As hundreds of column inches dedicated to heart-wrenching experiences cram our newsfeeds, ordinary people who have had to face difficult and soul crushing situations go about their daily business without ever telling their story or making the news.

One such story of fighting back and turning a negative situation into a positive one, is of one Sara Barbieri, who in her bid to help empower women who are going through a similar experience has decided to share her story with us. Sara moved to Malta from Italy five years ago to follow what she sardonically claims was her ‘love dream’. In a replay of a tale as old as time, girl falls in love with boy. Girl leaves job, friends, family and country to follow boy and after a few months is sadly left stranded and alone in a foreign country. But survival is a hard instinct to beat and Sara decides to try to make a go of her new and alien life in Malta. A qualified and experienced hairstylist by trade she opens her salon, Hair Lounge SB in St Julian’s and slowly but surely builds a reputable and popular business.

violence is a totally different concept to physical violence,” Sara says in hindsight, “It starts out really slow and while your instincts scream at you that the way you are being treated is not right, you are initially in denial. Physical violence is tangible and leaves visible bruises, but when you’re being constantly undermined, and toyed with psychologically, the trauma is indescribable.”

This went on for a couple of years, which as anyone who has endured violence in some form or other can tell, is a very long time indeed.

The obvious question which comes to mind is, what made Sara endure such treatment for such a long time? “It’s fear, pure and simple. You have to understand that men who do this, do it in such a way that they erode your self-worth to zilch over a period of time, until you start to believe that you are worthless, helpless and unable to do anything even the most basic of things without their approval or support. Psychological violence digs away at your whole personality until you completely lose yourself and all that you stand for,” says Sara.

“Psychological violence is a totally different concept to physical violence.”

But trouble was looming on the horizon in the form of another love affair which soon materialised into a terrible and traumatising experience. By that time, Sara was employing another two girls at the salon; Deborah, another Italian girl who was both a friend and colleague from back home and Silene, who hails from Spain. Both girls knew from the start that something was terribly wrong with their friend’s new relationship; Sara was changing in ways that they could not identify. “Psychological

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Sara Barbieri

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Deborah

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girlpower “You need to find happiness within yourself and it’s only after you are able to love yourself that you can find someone who is on the same page as you and can move forward into a relationship.”

Sara has now managed to get out of such a toxic relationship and successfully turn her life around, but what made her ‘see the light’, so to speak, and manage to put a stop to such cruel and abusive treatment?

In a quiet voice Sara tells me, “There came the day when I couldn’t take the lies anymore. I couldn’t simply justify his behaviour any longer and his take on the truth. His understanding of reality was on a different dimension. Mind, trying to get out of the clutches of such a narcissist is not easy…It took me a long, long time, a lot of courage and plenty of soul-searching to finally stand on my own two feet again and believe that I did not deserve this kind of treatment. But thankfully I had my job to fall back upon and my girls at the salon, who have supported me throughout. So, in the early days, I would focus entirely on the salon without letting myself dwell on the ruins of my love life.”

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girlpower What does Sara think would be the best advice for others who are going through the same sad experience?

With a smile she says, “You have to believe in yourself and your capabilities always and never let anyone tell you otherwise. I also think that first and foremost, you shouldn’t think that you need another human being to complete you and make you happy. You need to find happiness within yourself and it’s only after you are able to love yourself that you can find someone who is on the same page as you and can move forward into a relationship.”

This awful chapter in Sara’s life is done and dusted and thankfully she has a strong support network made up of her sweet girls at the salon; Deborah, Silene, another Sara and Lilyana. Five gorgeous women who not only work alongside each other every single day but also empower, nurture and look out for each other well beyond their working hours. In other words, their relationship encapsulates all that’s great about the sisterhood and the trust and love it fosters between women.

But having five women working in a confined space, day in, day out might not always be a bed of roses. Do the dynamics always work?

In such an oestrogen laden atmosphere do they ever have ‘off’ days where they can’t bear to see eye to eye?

“Actually, we’re very similar with regard to values, beliefs and ideals, but our personalities and attitude are completely different. We complement each other, so we manage to get along quite well, and we understand each other perfectly,” Sara says with a laugh. The girls nod in agreement and their body language belies the fact that they are more than comfortable in each other’s company.

All five girls have inspiring stories to tell, colourful tales of courage and determination. All have left their homeland in a bid for a better future and here in Malta, they have, if nothing else, found each other. Good friends who through thick and thin, not only help each other through heartbreak and bad times but also celebrate each other’s achievements… For these five gorgeous girls, friendship rules!

And after living through such a horrible chapter, what are Sara’s unforgettable words to live by?

“Let the silence do what you want to shout!”

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Silene

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Sara

Lilyana page 80

girlpower

Meet Sara’s girls…

Life in their own words Silene

Deborah

Sara’s first employee at the salon and the youngest, she has only just returned from Miami to Malta a couple of months ago to “follow her heart”. Hailing from Spain, her mantra was always (and says will always remain) ‘Travel is the ultimate teacher’.

Having worked closely with Sara in Italy, after a breakup, Deborah decided to up sticks and start afresh, following her friend to Malta two years ago. She is a firm believer that ‘No one can make you truly happy but yourself.’

Sara

Lilyana

Also hailing from Spain, Sara, despite being very close to her family, made her way to Malta to widen her experience abroad and for now has decided to make the island her home. Laid back in her attitude to life she believes we should all strive for an easy life, ‘because life is already complicated enough as it is’.

An ex-pro basketball player in Bulgaria, her home country, she is the only beauty therapist at the salon, but who according to the others wants to try her hand at hairstyling. Lilyana is a hopeless romantic and truly believes that ultimately ‘Love will save the world’.

Thanks to Dott. Max H. Mister Adrian S. Bugeja’s family, Twanny and Philip in particular.

My lovely girls and Deborah’s family.

Tiziana Gallucci and Davide Biron.

Francesca Altomare and Suman Cona.

My family.

My friends in Malta, in particular Erica Napoli, Andrea Giuliani and his amazing parents, Marco Celentano, Carlo Alberto D.R., Saverio D., Monica L., Marco R. ,Gaetano T. My friends from Italy My second family Federica Bozza and her parents My clients Janice S., Andrea M., Silvia E., Konrad B. in particular.

All those people who never doubted me, even when I did so myself.

And last my 3 pillars, always next to me ready to support and help me get back up, no matter what.

My parents Nadia and Gianpietro, and my granny Albina from up there.

Thank you will be never enough! page 81

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