Relationships matter at BDO Malta, CEO Mark Attard tells us why

BDO Malta offers specialist expertise in most aspects of company management, corporate services, taxation, accounting, auditing, and administration. MaltaToday spoke to the Chief Executive Officer, Mark Attard about the company’s mission and vision

Mark Attard: BDO Malta is continuously seeking to enhance its service offering according to the present and future market needs
Mark Attard: BDO Malta is continuously seeking to enhance its service offering according to the present and future market needs

Client needs, communication, people, commitment and value: why BDO?

There are many ways to answer the question, “Why BDO?” We could mention the fact that we operate in 163 territories, with 67,700 people working out of 1,401 offices worldwide. We also could talk about our comprehensive service offerings, our experience across virtually every major industry, or the wide range of clients we serve, from regional businesses to global leaders. 

Ultimately though, the best reason to choose BDO comes down to the relationships we continuously strive to build with our clients and our commitment to quality, exceeding expectations on every engagement, big or small, for every client, local or multinational. At the end of the day, ours is a business of people working with, for, and in the service of others. When you think about it that way, client service becomes more than just client service; it becomes a firm-wide dedication to helping the people we serve succeed – whatever they need, wherever they are, however we can.

Can you give us an overall picture of the services you provide? What is your main specialization?

Established in 1978, BDO Malta continues to grow successfully, allowing us the ability to fully service our foreign and local clients with all their financial services’ needs. Throughout the years, we have brought together a strong team of professionals that can offer all our clients an in-depth local-market knowledge combined with a global industry expertise and technical skills that enable us to fulfil our clients’ complex financial needs.

We offer specialist expertise in most aspects of company management, corporate services, taxation, accounting, auditing, and administration. Our clients are serviced by a multi-disciplinary team, organised into seven support units: audit and assurance, corporate services, legal, risk & compliance, business outsourcing and accounting, tax consultancy and compliance, and business development.

We specialise in servicing clients in corporate advice covering a wide range of areas of practice, including tax planning and corporate law, financial services (including the setting up and licensing of gaming companies and financial or credit institutions), trusts and foundations, maritime as well as VAT leasing structuring of pleasure yachts, amongst others.

Are you planning to enhance your services? If yes, how will you do it?

Our business environment is continuously evolving and in order to remain an important player in this market we should embrace this change, adopt a change in culture, and create new opportunities which change ultimately brings with it. BDO Malta is continuously seeking to enhance its service offering according to the present and future market needs. 

Over the past eighteen months, we have invested in new areas such as Risk and Compliance and Legal Consultancy since it became evident that with increasing regulations which impose additional requirements to demonstrate effective internal controls relating to financial and risk reporting, a new opportunity could arise from both private and public companies.

BDO’s Risk Advisory professionals already work with our clients to define, execute, and monitor their risk management strategies, and ensure they meet compliance requirements.

Additionally, we are experienced in anti-money laundering and anti-corruption compliance, and plan to enhance our assistance in helping organisations effectively meet complex regulatory mandates. As our clients’ needs grow, we scale services accordingly. And by tapping into BDO’s expansive global network, our professionals deliver services to clients across Malta, and around the world.

Quoting your company’s slogan “Because relationships matter”. Do you think that the exceptional client service you offer is the secret of your success?

At BDO, we have defined a strategy and professional culture based purely on commitment. Accordingly, our clients and their companies find permanent support that provides the optimal solutions for their exact needs. Our qualified professionals are also committed to provide the highest level of service quality, thus constantly advocating and promoting the company’s slogan and the success derived from their willing commitment. 

Evidently, BDO Malta invests a large portion of its time in understanding clients’ needs and current situations as well as building sound relations in order to deliver an exceptional service that exceeds their expectations. 

The strength of the relationships we have developed with our clients are hugely apparent when new clients join us following recommendations by our longstanding clients. There is no better “advert” than a satisfied client.

What is the most important thing that you reckon MaltaToday’s readers should know about BDO?

One of the most important and interesting aspects the readers should know about BDO Malta is its professional approach, which combines flexibility and personalised treatment of local and international firms with the technical knowledge and global strength of a respectable and reputable International Network. We continuously challenge the traditional model of the market offering and provide an alternative that distinguishes us from our competition. 

BDO is global, local and most of all fully committed to our clientele. 

Any interesting plans for the future that you want to talk about?

Years back we would say outsourcing was the future in our market. We believe that outsourcing will continue to play an important role in the operation of all evolving businesses, however, in a very different form. The world has become digital and so are we at BDO. Together with our Global Office and IT specialists we are working towards digitalising all our services in order to offer our present and future clients an enhanced and more efficient digital experience which will allow us to add more value to their business. 

BDO seeks to augment its outsourcing capabilities beyond its presently superior offering in order to assist our clients to transform their companies into a high-performance organisation that streamlines processes, maintains compliance and cuts costs, while letting our clients focus on their core competencies and the growth of their business.

In terms of strategy, looking into the future we will continue to strengthen our service keeping in mind five key components: client needs, communication, commitment, people and value.

For more information about BDO and the services they offer, visit them at BDO Malta, Tower Gate Place in Tal-Qroqq Street, Msida, on tel. +356 2131 3060, by email: [email protected] or on their website www.bdo.com.mt