GTG Advocates

Corporate, Financial Services, Competition Law

Partner

Dr Cherise Abela Grech is the Partner responsible for the Corporate, Financial Services and Competition Law practices within the firm.

Having joined the firm in 2011, she has assisted a vast range of corporate clients throughout the lifetime of their company, starting with incorporation or redomiciliation in Malta and providing support on numerous matters including share transfer agreements, shareholders’ agreements, effecting corporate changes, dissolutions and ensuring companies remain compliant with their ongoing corporate obligations and filings with the relevant authorities.

She has advised on multiple notable Corporate transactions and matters, including advising on Competition and Foreign Directive Investment matters, such as by representing clients in anti-trust clearances, guiding large-scale firms undergo a merger or acquisition process, or the acquisition/disposal of critical infrastructure.

Dr Abela Grech has assisted numerous clients to successfully obtain a licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), most notably assisting investment services licensees, financial institutions, insurance companies and intermediaries and credit institutions. She also regularly advises large-scale corporations on the setting up and regulatory implications of share option schemes.

She also works closely with the firm’s FinTech team on matters related to virtual currencies and distributed ledger technologies, including in respect of security token offerings, virtual currency-related activities requiring investment services licensing and investment funds investing in virtual currencies.

Dr Abela Grech has also gained extensive experience on compliance and AML matters, employment law matters as well as assisting clients apply for Maltese residence, citizenship and Malta’s beneficial tax residence schemes. Her knowledge in these areas has helped her guide clients more holistically to ensure a smoother process for clients establishing themselves in Malta.

Dr Abela Grech graduated Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta in 2013. She subsequently read for a Masters in Financial Services from the same university. She was admitted to the Maltese bar in 2014.

Maltese, English, Italian and French

Malta Chamber of Advocates

Dr Abela Grech read law at the University of Malta. In furtherance of her studies, she read for a Masters in Financial Services and submitted her Masters thesis entitled ‘Exchange Traded Funds: an area for growth for the Maltese Funds Industry?’.