FHRD Board of Administrators

President

Mr. Naudi Matthew, a people’s man, professional but with a sense of humour, the media industry has been at the centre of most of Matthew’s working life. Since joining Allied Group of Companies as a rookie reporter in 1986, he worked his way up to hold senior editor roles with The Sunday Times of Malta, until he was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer in 2006 with the task of building the HR function from the ground up.

Matthew is responsible for implementing the HR strategy for both Allied Newspapers Ltd. and Progress Press Co Ltd. His expertise lies in successfully directing the organizational planning and development through strategic initiatives and programmes while managing change in a dynamic and technologically-driven media environment, ensuring that talent, staff development and good employee relations are a constant within the organisation.

Matthew believes that HR deserves more than just a “Seat at the Table”. He also believes that the HR profession deserves more national recognition. As current President of the FHRD, Matthew was instrumental in creating the FHRD Quality Mark, a national certification programme that rewards organisations for their HR achievements.

He would like to carry on working within the FHRD to further elevate the HR profession on the island.

“Dream big. Start small. But most of all…. START.”– Simon Sinek

Vice-President

Ms Victoria Meli is a qualified HR Professional, holding a Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A. Exec.) from the University of Malta and is also a MyBrain Certified Practitioner, with a keen interest in Social and Organisational Psychology.

Victoria started her professional career managing Operations for the family business, being licensees for an international car rental brand. She then moved on to Quality and Procurement for an oilfield service provider where she contributed to the attainment of the ISO:9001 quality certification.

Her career in Human Resources took off with Corinthia Hotels back in 2012 which enabled her to gain insight into the specifics of Industrial Relations and a sound understanding of collective bargaining and agreements.

Currently occupying the role of “VP Global HR Operations & Compensation” for Finaro (formerly Credorax Bank), a global online payments acquirer, her main responsibilities span from managing employee relations, restructuring, talent acquisition, succession and retention planning, remuneration and benefits administration across different European jurisdictions.

She strongly believes that Human Resources Management should be a strategic partner to support businesses in reaching their goals whilst enabling employees to fulfil their personal aspirations.

Ms. Meli is also a part-time lecturer.

Secretary General

Mr Peter Gatt comes with more than 20 years’ experience in human resource management and organisational development, specialising in strategic HR management and policy development. Throughout his career Peter occupied various HR consultancy and senior management positions in both the public and private sector.

During the past 10 years Peter has occupied the position of Talent Development Manager at APS Bank plc responsibly for employer branding, succession and talent planning, performance management and HR policy development. He has been part of the Bank’s transformation having supported the growth of the organisation to one of the leading core domestic banks in Malta. As Talent Development Manager he has been instrumental in HR planning and policy development focused on employee retention, talent development and wellbeing with the aim of maintaining high levels of employee engagement.

Peter is a passionate HR professional having graduated with honours in management from the University Malta and holds a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management from the Leeds University Business School in the UK.

Board Member

Ms Claudine Attard is a Director leading PwC Malta’s management consultancy practice. She has over 20 years of management consultancy experience, supporting both public and private sector organisations. Since joining PwC in 2005, she has advised clients in different areas such as strategy, operating model design, change management, organisation design, talent management and performance improvement, amongst others. Between 2016 and 2018 she worked within PwC in London as an organisation design and change management subject matter expert. She started her career in 1998 as a consultant with Management Efficiency Unit – Government’s in-house management consultancy organisation within the Office of the Prime Minister. Claudine holds a Master of Science in Organisational Change and Development from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) in Management from the University of Malta. She is also the Chair of the Education Committee of the Malta Chamber.

Board Member

Mr Mark Bugeja is the Head of Human Resources at Nectar with over 10 years of experience in HR arena. Mark is an enthusiastic and highly motivated person, with demonstrated leadership skills and proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment. Described by others as calm and focused, with a natural ability to make people feel ‘at ease’ in a stressful situation.

Mark worked on various human resources related projects including organisation restructuring, workforce planning, training needs analysis, employment benefit schemes and employee relations. He co-founded the Nectar Social Committee in 2010 with the aim to increase engagement among the employees. During the past years, Mark steered Nectar towards achieving numerous HR accolades awarded by FHRD, BLM and OHSA.

Mark holds an MBA from the Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge and a Diploma in Leadership & Management from the ILM Institute. Being an avid learner, he keeps himself abreast with HR concepts and applies applicable ideas at his workplace. He is also a Certified PRISM Practitioner and in possession of an Award in Advanced Employment Law.

Board Member

Ms Stephanie Cacopardo is a seasoned HR professional with over 15 years of experience across various HR functions. She has spent the last seven years as an HR Manager at Melita Limited, one of Malta’s largest private sector employers with over 450 employees, after holding HR roles at Deloitte Digital and Hetronic Incorporated.

In addition, Stephanie imparts her knowledge and expertise in Human Resources Management to aspiring HR professionals through training sessions offered by FHRD.

Stephanie’s expertise lies in her ability to apply both strategic and operational skills, serving as a business partner across departments while effectively communicating and implementing employee policies and procedures. Her key strengths include assessing team dynamics, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing solutions that foster development and growth within the company. Stephanie’s commitment to employee well-being is evident in her daily operations, ensuring all employees feel valued and supported.

Stephanie is a dedicated learner, holding a series of HR qualifications obtained throughout her career. In 2020, she completed an MSc in Human Resources & Training from the University of Leicester. She focused on the effectiveness of HR practices in retaining employees to overcome skills shortages. Currently, Stephanie is enrolled in several courses with the Academy to Innovate HR.

Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys cooking, outdoor adventures, and travelling.

Board Member