Biographical note

Simon Grima, Ph.D (Melit.), MSc (Lond), MSc (BCU), B.Com (Hons) (Melit.), FFA, FAIA (Acad), is the Head of the Insurance dept, in charge of the Bachelor of Commerce in Insurance, the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Master’s degree in Insurance and Risk Management and a Senior lecturer at the University of Malta. He served as the President of the Malta Association of Risk Management (MARM) between 2013 and 2015, and is the Current President of the Malta Association of Compliance Officers (MACO) since 2016. Moreover, he is among the first Certified Risk Management Professional (FERMA), is the chairman of the Scientific Education Committee of PRIMO and a member of the curriculum development team of PRIMIA in 2014. His research focus and consultancy is on Governance, Regulations and Internal Controls (i.e. Risk Management, Internal Audit and Compliance) and has over 30 years of experience varied between Financial Services and with public entities in academia, Internal Controls, Investments and IT. He acts as an Independent Director for Financial Services Firms, sits on Risk, Compliance, Procurement, Investment and Audit Committees and carries out duties as a Compliance Officer, Internal Auditor and Risk Manager.  Simon has acted as co-chair and is a member of the scientific program committee on some international conferences and is a chief editor, editor and review editor of some Journals and Book Series. He has been awarded outstanding reviewer for Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance in the 2017 Emerald Literati Awards. 
Eleftherios I. Thalassinos, Ph.D., (UIC, Chicago), M.B.A., (De-Paul U Chicago), B.A., (U of Athens) a Jean Monnet Chair Professor experienced in European Economic Integration and International Finance. He is the Editor-in-Chief of ERSJ, a 21-years-old international publication, of IJEBA, a 5-years-old international publication, of ICABE, a 15-year-old international conference and editorial board member in various journals. His professional experience includes, quantitative analysis, technical and financial analysis, banking, business consulting, project evaluations, international business financing and shipping.   He has an extensive record of lecturing in several Universities around the world, participating in international conferences as a key note speaker, coaching Ph.D. students, cooperating in projects and scientific initiatives through a worldwide networking channel, the International Strategic Management Association, where he holds the position of the Chair of the Board of Directors.  He has received two DHC Degrees from the University of Craiova and the Danube’s University of Galati as a recognition to his efforts to promote research and cooperation in former Eastern European countries. He has also received a Honorius Medal of high recognition from the Rostov State University of Economics. Among others he is organizing specific workshops promoting scientific research and writing tips to young researchers and academics.  He has a long track of publications in many journals, collective volumes and chapter books. Among them a publication as a chapter book in the World Scientific Handbook in Financial Economic Series Vol. 5, dedicated to the memory of Late Milton Miller, Nobel prize winner in Economics in 1990.  Parallel to his academic career he has performed as Banking Director for 12 years, Ministerial Advisor for 6 years, Public Servant for 4 years and independent consultant for a long time.