It all started with a Lm200 wedding gift, a dream, and an unwavering determination driven by the vision of a young entrepreneur named Angelo Xuereb. Fifty years on, AX Group is marking a major milestone, celebrating half a century of business, growth and a legacy that has left its mark not just on the company itself, but across some of Malta’s leading industries.
For Angelo, who founded the company from a makeshift office in his home in Naxxar, the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. “It’s an incredible feeling,” he notes. “Oftentimes, when you’re leading a business, your focus is always forward, on the next project, the next goal to achieve. But an anniversary like this really gives you a moment to pause and take stock of everything you’ve built.”
And there’s plenty to reflect on. From delivering civil engineering works on major national infrastructure projects and entering Malta’s private healthcare sector with innovative concepts, to creating a portfolio of landmark hospitality brands that continue to showcase world-class Maltese hospitality, AX Group’s impact is far-reaching.
“It brings me a great sense of pride,” Angelo adds, “to see how far we’ve come not just as a business, but in what we’ve contributed to the country.”
Angelo’s love for building was clear from the start. That instinct never left him and laid the foundation for the very first AX enterprise, a construction firm that would become one of Malta’s leading players in the industry. Over the years, the company introduced a number of national firsts, from a pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete factory in 1977 to the more recent introduction of post-tensioning technology, used for the first time in Malta on The Verdala project.
Quickly earning a reputation as a construction firm of note, it wasn’t long before AX Group ventured into its next chapter of growth. In 1982, the company opened the Sunny Coast Holiday Complex, marking its first step into tourism. And just a short five years later came the launch of the Suncrest Hotel in Qawra and on 7th June 1987, a public holiday and a date synonymous with Malta’s constitutional history, the Suncrest welcomed its first guests. At that time, it was the largest and only resort of its kind in Malta – a significant milestone in the country’s hospitality and tourism industry.
This spirit of diversification soon extended beyond construction and hospitality. AX Group took bold strides into the private healthcare sector, pioneering the concept of retirement living on the island with the opening of Hilltop Gardens, offering a new standard in independent senior living together with assisted care through Simblija Care Home.
“This part of my journey might seem separate from the business,” he points out, “but it profoundly shaped the way I lead and my approach to doing business. I’ve always believed you can’t build a successful company in isolation. You need to stay connected to people,” Angelo shares. “This was especially important in the development of Hilltop Gardens. The goal wasn’t just to offer state-of-the-art facilities and care services, but to create a space where people could truly connect, through shared activities, events, and everyday moments of engagement. That’s how you create meaningful projects that add real value to people’s lives.”
Of course, over the past 50 years, it’s not just the business that has grown. So has the next generation of the Xuereb family. Today, Claire Xuereb and Denise Xuereb are firmly at the helm of the business, continuing their father’s legacy while charting their own path forward. Claire is the Director of the Group’s Hospitality and Care divisions, while Denise is the Director of the Construction and Development divisions and CEO of AX Real Estate.
“My business achievements are obviously close to my heart,” Angelo says, “but nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing my daughters as strong, capable leaders, driving this company with vision and integrity.”
That leadership didn’t happen by accident. Angelo began preparing the next generation for this transition with care and intention from a young age, pairing each successor with experienced mentors, supporting their individual strengths, and placing strong emphasis on education and professional development. Claire pursued studies in hospitality and tourism management at the renowned Centre International de Glion in Switzerland, while Denise built her path in project management at the University of Malta then embarking on an MSc in Project and Programme Management at the Ecole Superierure de Commerce, Paris, both gaining valuable experience beyond the family business before stepping into leadership roles at AX Group.
In recent years, Claire and Denise have actively shaped some of the Group’s most ambitious projects ever, working alongside Group CEO and Deputy Chairman Michael Warrington and Angelo himself, who now serves as Chairman. Between them, they’ve overseen everything from development and construction to branding, execution and day-to-day operations, driving a new wave of innovation and growth across the Group.
One standout success has been Rosselli AX Privilege, a five-star boutique hotel that has raised the bar for luxury hospitality in Valletta. Housed in a meticulously restored palazzo on Merchants Street, the hotel is also home to Under Grain, one of Malta’s first restaurants to earn a Michelin star, an honour it has retained for six consecutive years. Meanwhile its sister outlet, Grain Street, has also earned critical acclaim with a Bib Gourmand, celebrating exceptional cuisine at great value.
Like many businesses, AX Group faced a period of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic. But rather than slowing down, the Group used that time to regroup, refocus and lay the groundwork for what would become some of its most transformative projects. This included the reimagining of the Suncrest Hotel into the AX ODYCY Hotel and Lido in Qawra. This extensively redeveloped waterfront destination now offers a modern coastal escape, featuring an expansive lido, contemporary facilities and a plethora of food and beverage outlets.
“There’s a certain satisfaction in seeing something you built decades ago renewed by your own children,” Angelo says. “The Suncrest was a major milestone for me back in the 1980s, and to have seen my daughters lead its transformation into AX ODYCY feels like a true full-circle moment.”
The AX ODYCY has been a hit with guests, reflected in glowing online reviews, and has also garnered industry recognition. The project has since earned major accolades, including four awards at Maltese level at the European Property Awards 2024, including Leisure Development, Commercial Redevelopment, Masterplan, and Hotel Architecture, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to forward-thinking design and exceptional guest experiences. Furthermore, AX ODYCY advanced to the regional level of these prestigious awards, competing amongst Europe’s finest, and going on to secure two additional accolades for Best Leisure Development and Best Masterplan.
In addition to the success of the hotel itself, Angelo and AX Group have pleased to see AX ODYCY spark a wider wave of regeneration in the Qawra area, a locality that, for many years, suffered from fragmented overdevelopment.
“Since the redevelopment of AX ODYCY and its lido was announced, we’ve already seen a number of new quality projects and investments taking shape around the area,” Angelo notes. “That was always part of our vision to help revitalise Qawra and restore its reputation as a holiday destination that Malta can truly be proud of.”
On the restoration front, AX Group has continued to make its mark through a string of high-profile projects. In recent years, the company has contributed to the conservation of some of the island’s most treasured landmarks including St. John’s Co-Cathedral and Jesuits’ Church in Valletta, the Maritime Museum and Senglea Bastions in the Three Cities, and ongoing works at Villa Luginsland, a Grade I historic property in Rabat, among many others.
Palazzo Lucia, an in-house project, has truly exemplified AX Group’s dual commitment to preserving the past while building for the future. This elegant 18th-century palazzo, located at the corner of Merchants Street and St Lucia Street in Valletta, has been thoughtfully restored and transformed into a modern business hub, breathing new life into the capital’s urban fabric while offering a more inspiring and functional space for today’s professionals.
And now, with 2025 already shaping up to be a landmark year, the Group is preparing to launch its next major milestone through the Verdala destination, another project which gained significant momentum during the pandemic years, when the management team used the quieter period to fast-track planning and strategy.
This redevelopment of the former Grand Hotel Verdala, an iconic hotel which originally opened in the 1971, holds a particularly personal significance to the AX Group founder. “It was always a hotel close to my heart,” Angelo says. “So when the opportunity came in the 1994 to acquire it, I didn’t hesitate.”
Today, that dream is being realised not only through Angelo’s determination, but also through the leadership of his daughters, Claire and Denise, who have fond family memories playing in the hotel’s gardens as young girls.
The result is The Verdala Wellness Hotel, a 5-star destination that aims to redefine luxury hospitality through transformational, wellness-driven experiences. The hotel is set to become the eighth in its portfolio and only the second in its exclusive AX Privilege collection. True to the AX ethos, this development is being headed by AX and is being designed with care and sensitivity to the surrounding community and environment, an investment not just in property, but in enhancing the cultural and social fabric of this historic neighbourhood. Adding more prestige to the project are The Verdala Terraces, a residential community set along the scenic ridge of Tal-Virtù in Rabat, offering refined living in this historic setting.
“It’s been an incredibly busy and productive few years for the Group, perhaps the busiest we’ve ever been,” Angelo says. “The work that Denise, Claire and I have accomplished has been outstanding and I’m heartened to see that they are already ensuring a smooth transition for the next generation of the Xuereb family to enter the fold, when the time is right.”
For Angelo, reflecting on this 50-year journey has brought with it a deeper sense of purpose. “I’ve always loved creating and bringing a diverse range of projects to life. There’s something fulfilling about seeing something that once existed only in your mind become a tangible project that impacts people’s lives in meaningful ways,” he says. “But as the years passed, I realised I was also building a legacy, one which I believe will stand the test of time and continue contributing to Malta’s economy, its communities, and its industries for decades to come.”
And it’s that sense of growth and impact that fills him with satisfaction. “I still remember those early days, working alone, managing every detail by myself. Slowly, I started building my first team, and now to see AX Group as a company of over 1,200 people, and still growing, is something truly special,” he reflects. “What gives me real peace of mind is knowing the company is in safe hands, with my daughters Claire and Denise, our CEO and Deputy Chairman Michael Warrington and CEO Designate Kenneth Abela all working together to take it even further.”
