New two-day professional development initiative brings international and Maltese expertise together to advance financial reporting and public understanding of Malta’s financial ecosystem
Financial journalists, business reporters, editors and communications professionals are being invited to take part in the inaugural Malta Financial Journalism Excellence Programme, a new professional development initiative designed to enhance the quality, depth and impact of financial reporting in Malta.
Taking place on 27 and 28 August 2026 at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, the programme has been developed by Petra Ellul Mercer, founder of CapableMind, and Noreen Burroughes Cesareo MBE, FRSA, Principal of international strategy and communications consultancy Market Accents.
The programme will be hosted at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, with the involvement of the Department of Insurance and Risk Management, and is supported by PR and media communications firm Corporate ID Group.
Sponsors include the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), Bank of Valletta, APS Bank and VisitMalta, with WealthBriefing also supporting the initiative.
As financial products, markets, regulation and economic decisions become increasingly complex, communicating financial information clearly and responsibly is increasingly a public-interest issue. From company results and budgets to pensions, investment, financial crime and consumer protection, journalists play an important role in helping people understand the issues that affect their businesses, finances and everyday lives.
The programme brings together international financial journalism experience with Maltese financial services, regulatory, financial intelligence and academic expertise.
Leading the editorial programme will be Tom Burroughes, Group Editor of WealthBriefing and a former Reuters correspondent, who brings extensive international newsroom experience and specialist expertise in financial journalism.
Noreen Burroughes Cesareo MBE, whose background spans journalism, strategic communications, international payments and financial services, will lead the programme’s work on digital journalism, audience engagement and the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. Before establishing Market Accents, she held international roles with global financial organisations. Maltese-born, she is also a Director of the Malta Business Network and was awarded an MBE in 2025 for services to women in international trade and entrepreneurship.
Petra Ellul Mercer, a behavioural economist, financial educator and financial capability specialist, will bring her expertise in behavioural decision-making, financial literacy and public engagement, with a particular focus on how financial information can be communicated clearly and effectively.
Guest contributors will include Professor Simon Grima of the University of Malta and representatives from the MFSA and FIAU, bringing Maltese academic, regulatory and financial intelligence perspectives to the discussions.
Unlike a traditional seminar, the programme has been designed around a “Newsroom – Not Classroom” approach. Across the two mornings, participants will learn through executive masterclasses, editorial discussions, real-world examples, collaborative team exercises and practical newsroom challenges.
Topics will include:
• reading financial statements and finding the story behind the numbers;
• reporting budgets, economic developments and markets;
• financial regulation, financial crime and public trust;
• investigative financial journalism and source verification;
• personal finance and consumer journalism;
• digital journalism, social media and audience engagement;
• the responsible use of AI in journalism; and
• editorial judgement and responsible financial reporting.
“Financial journalism plays a critical role in helping citizens, businesses and stakeholders understand developments within Malta’s economy and financial services sector. This programme is designed to provide journalists and media professionals with the expertise and confidence needed to report on these issues with greater accuracy, insight and impact,” said Petra Ellul Mercer.
“Journalists don’t need to be accountants or economists, but they do need the confidence to question the numbers, understand the regulatory and economic context and identify the story that matters. By bringing international editorial experience together with expertise from Malta’s financial services ecosystem, we want to give participants practical knowledge and skills they can take straight back into their work,” said Noreen Burroughes Cesareo.
The programme is open to journalists, editors, business and current affairs reporters, communications and PR professionals, content creators and those working in financial services communications and public affairs. Participants completing the two-day programme will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Those wishing to participate are encouraged to register early at bit.ly/fjep.
Through the support of its sponsors and contributors, the Malta Financial Journalism Excellence Programme aims to raise the standard of financial reporting, improve financial literacy and contribute to more informed public debate in Malta.
