Meet the Team: Aaron Cilia

In this meet the team article, we hear from Aaron, our Compliance Officer and MLRO in Malta.

With nearly two decades in the financial sector, Aaron is responsible for ensuring adherence to regulations set by the Malta Financial Services Authorities and oversees anti-money laundering initiatives.

What does your day-to-day role at Affinity involve?

I am the Compliance Officer and MLRO for the Malta office. I focus on keeping the company in line with the regulations set out by the Malta Financial Services Authorities and protecting the company in relation to money laundering attempts, as stated by the FIAU. I ensure that we are onboarding good and reputable clients and monitor their activities regularly to make sure we are not exposed to any unnecessary risks. This is essential to safeguard our license and business reputation.

What led you to this career?

I have been working in the financial industry for the past 17 years. I worked in different sectors such as pensions, banking, trust and corporate. I believe that I have always been challenged in my various roles. It is important for me to be kept motivated and challenged. I am lucky enough that this industry will always be challenging with its complexities, and there will always be new subjects to learn and develop.

What skills are you currently working on?

I would like to increase my knowledge of the crypto world. It is becoming clearer that cryptocurrency usage is not a short-term fad and is likely to be a technology trend that will continue to benefit businesses in the future.

What’s your go-to tea or coffee order?

I am a coffee person. My go-to coffee is Americano. Coffee helps me to focus and function properly.

What is the best thing about being part of the Affinity team?

What strikes me most about Affinity is the positivity you find in the offices. We spend long hours at work, and the ambience in which we work affects our lives daily. I have to say that my colleagues are amazing.

What has been your favourite social or Wellness Committee event so far?

The Malta office organises a lot of small events. However, I have been to one major event: the Sigma party organised by the Isle of Man office and Malta. It was good fun and well organised.

What have you seen recently that has made you smile?

Many things make me smile, but the love of my children makes me smile every day.

What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?

I consider myself to be a creative and energetic person. As a football enthusiast, I support Juventus and try to play football myself when able to. I have recently started following contemporary art and have been inspired to paint. I discovered that painting helps me to relax and unwind. Family is also very important to me, and I strive to spend quality time with my children as often as possible. I also value friendship and try to catch up with my closest friends and socialise over a good glass of wine when possible.

If I could add one thing to the Affinity office, I would add some more office space. We intend to grow, and automatically, we will need to think of a larger office space when this happens.

If you want to know more about our corporate services in Malta, visit our company page here.

Plus, you can follow our LinkedIn for regular updates on our team here.