With a history spanning close to 50 years, AX Group is today considered one of the more established and most successful family-run businesses in Malta.
Founded as a construction firm in 1977 by entrepreneur Angelo Xuereb, the AX Group story is one that has continued to grow and evolve into diverse sectors over the decades. That one-man enterprise, which began with not much more than a dream and a spirit of determination, has now grown into a 1000-strong corporation specialising in civil engineering, property development, hospitality, healthcare, restoration, and real estate. The embarking of each new chapter has been coloured by a commitment to deliver quality and innovation through highly ambitious projects considerately designed to leave a positive and impactful legacy for generations to come.
From 5-star hotels and landmark buildings across Malta, there are many tangible manifestations of the group’s success. Yet, it’s greatest asset is arguably one that’s less obvious to the eye, and that’s the care and attention Mr Xuereb continues to pour into ensuring successful family succession within this business that he has so lovingly built from scratch.
Coming from a large household himself, Mr Xuereb has forever been vocal about the importance that family and family values have played in his life. His own parents and siblings equipped him with a powerful sense of love, belonging, and stability. Early experiences working alongside his father in the family fields instilled a young Mr Xuereb with a strong work ethic, which strengthened his resolution to face obstacles with determination, creativity, and positivity.
These formative childhood memories have continued to act as something of a compass throughout Mr Xuereb’s illustrious career. Recognising the importance these values played in his life, he was also keen to instil them within his own children. From a young age, each of the Xuereb children was raised to follow their passions with intention and a professional mindset. As a proud father, Mr Xuereb was also eager to share the inner workings of his many businesses and ventures with his growing children, ensuring they each gained essential first-hand experience in what it takes to see a project through from the ground up.
For oldest daughter Claire Zammit Xuereb, her early memories of watching her father launch his first hotel businesses inspired her to pursue an international education within hospitality and hoteliering. While for Denis Micallef Xuereb, being immersed from a young age in the world of construction spurred her into studying project management and property development.
Mr Xuereb also had the foresight to recognise that successful family succession rests on more than merely an aptitude and an interest in the business. Any family-run enterprise invariably comes with its own set of complexities that need to be handled and anticipated with great sensitivity. Keen to leave the group in even stronger shape than ever before as he reached retirement age, he sought to appoint Mr Michael Warrington as an external CEO who could bring a greater level of objectivity and impartiality to the running of the corporation.
Having already a long and established working relationship together, the pair set about putting a family charter into place to determine the group’s structure and ensure its future. The key pillars behind the Xuereb family charter were built on ensuring freedom of choice for family members to participate in the business based on their skills and interests, the safeguarding of the Xuereb’s core family values within the company, and a workplace culture built on genuine meritocracy.
The implementation of the family charter has resulted in a more resilient and robust company with the second generation of the Xuereb family now firmly instated within key positions of the business to steer the company towards new and exciting avenues of growth.
As Director of Hospitality, Ms Zammit Xuereb has been pivotal in the development of the 5-star Rosselli AX Privilege hotel in Valletta, the Michelin-star Under Grain restaurant, and the upcoming Verdala hotel and spa in Rabat. She has recently taken on an additional role as Director of AX Care, where she is busy developing and expanding the vision for the group’s healthcare brands going forward.
Ms Micallef Xuereb, as Director of Construction and Development, has played a crucial role in securing several prestigious projects for the firm, including the extension and refurbishment of the new museum within St John’s Co-Cathedral and the rehabilitation of the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu. This in addition to overseeing the development of various large-scale in-house projects, which include the Verdala project in Rabat and the ongoing redevelopment of the group’s hotel properties in Qawra.
As for Mr Xuereb, despite being well into his “retirement” years, he continues to oversee all aspects of the business as chairman of the group. Now a proud grandfather of five, he is also taking an active role in preparing the third generation of the Xuereb family to follow their own passions in earnest and potentially take up roles and responsibilities that will shape the future of AX Group in the years to come.