A veteran of the VAT Department Mr Vella has vast experience in indirect taxation being involved at the VAT Department since the introduction of Vat in Malta in 1995. He has occupied important positions within the VAT Department including that of Director Legal and International Affairs and for the last years before retirement from the public service as Director General. Mr Vella has represented the VAT Department in both local and international fora and regularly attended VAT Committee and Working Party on Tax Questions Council Meetings where important VAT legal issues and proposals to amend the VAT Directive are respectively discussed. He has also participated in Fiscalis Programme seminars and workshops, having also the distinction of chairing two such Fiscalis Programme seminars held in Malta in 2008 and 2011 respectively. Following his retirement from the public service Mr Vella joined Zampa Debattista, a boutique accounting and audit firm specialising in VAT matters, where together with Matthew Zampa, one of the partners and a leading expert in the field of VAT in Malta, they form a highly competent, experienced and proficient VAT team. Together with Matthew Zampa, Mr Vella is frequently engaged by tax advisory firms to carry out VAT training courses customised for their particular needs. In addition, Mr Vella also lectures on VAT matters and is regularly invited to lecture on selected VAT topics by various taxation educational bodies in Malta.