18 November, 2025
Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia author of “The New Political Capitalism: How businesses and societies can drive in a deeply politicised world” will be discussing his ideas with Dr Michael Frendo during the book launch on at the Chamber on Thursday, 30th June 2022 at 6 pm.
Joe argues that capitalism has been the most resilient system of political economy because of its ability to adapt to the times. He posits that the latest incarnation can be described as political capitalism – a state where businesses can no longer claim to be apolitical but will need to develop the skills and capabilities to handle the many political issues they will encounter if they wish to drive success.
Joe puts forward a framework for how businesses can develop these skills and embed them in their business models and corporate governance.
The book was selected among the Financial Times business books of the month, book of the week by Money Week magazine, and described as ‘one of the most powerful we have ever featured’ by the RSA.
Discussants
Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia
With extensive experience both in the business and political worlds, Malta born Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia is a leadership adviser focused on business leadership in contemporary culture, and an author, public speaker and commentator in the international press on the inter-relationship between business and politics.
He is a founder of RADIX – a not-for-profit public policy think tank, and the RADIX Centre for Business, Politics & Society. His business executive experience spanned R&D, marketing, global brand management, strategic planning, industry economics, public policy and general management. He founded then divested his own management consulting firm with offices in Cambridge (UK), New York and Tokyo. He is currently on the Advisory Board of the Singapore Forum for long-term investors and business leaders and an External Advisory Board Member at CEO World.
Currently London based, he has lived and worked in the UK, US, Germany, France, Spain and The Netherlands.
Dr Michael Frendo
Michael Frendo is currently non-executive Chairman of BNF Bank plc and Vice-President of the Venice Commission (Council of Europe European Commission for Democracy through Law). He also Chairs the voluntary organisation St John Malta (Ambulance and Rescue).
Dr Frendo served in Government as Minister of Youth and the Arts, Minister of Transport, Communications and Technology, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2013, the last three years serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Malta.
Michael has received honours from a number of countries, including the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella la Cattolica from Spain. In December 2013, he was appointed Companion of the Order of Merit (K.O.M.) of the Republic of Malta. He is also a Knight of the Venerable Order of St John.
