Executive Chairman
Paul Bugeja is today CEO of Malta MedAir after having held the Executive Chairman position from the airline’s launch in January 2018 to October 2020. Previous to this assignment, since September 2014, held the post of the Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) mainly focusing on marketing, promoting and monitoring the Tourism Industry of our islands. The role at MTA, followed a 35 year career with the Malta based, international hotel group, the Corinthia Group of Companies. Since joining the Group in 1979, Mr Bugeja worked in various locations, both locally and overseas taking up several key senior posts in management. Besides overseeing the operating company’s Administration and Finance functions of the entire group’s hotel operations, he was involved as part of the support team in all of major local and international developments in over 14 different countries. He subsequently also formed part of the Group’s Hotel Monitoring Board.
Mr Paul Bugeja was the President of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) as of November 2013 until his appointment as Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority. He was also a member of the Malta Tourism Authority’s Board of Directors during his tenure as MHRA President.
He obtained his CPA warrant in 1989 after acquiring the UK-FCCA and the Malta FIA certification.
Stephen Xuereb
Director
Stephen Xuereb, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Accountants. He followed this by reading an MBA with Henley Business School (University of Reading). His main focus is Strategic Management, Leadership and Knowledge Management.
Mr Xuereb currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Global Ports Holding Plc, a London Listed company, the largest Independent Cruise Port Operator worldwide. He has occupied this position since August 2016 overseeing the strategic direction and overall performance of the 17 cruise ports in the portfolio, across 9 countries and 3 continents.
Mr Xuereb has been involved in the Cruise Industry since 2002, serving first as the Chief Finance Officer of Valletta Cruise Port plc between 2002 and 2014, overseeing the €37 million investment to transform the once derelict site into the historic attraction that it is today. In 2014, Mr Xuereb was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Valletta Cruise Port, a position he still occupies to-date. During his tenure as CEO, cruise passenger volumes increased year on year, hitting an all time high of over 760,000 passenger movements in 2017.
Mr Xuereb has over 25 years of senior management experience. Previous to his involvement in the cruise industry, he occupied posts in the audit and financial advisory sectors as well in the retail, property and hospitality industries. His international operational knowledge, coupled with his financial and strategic background, will bring a wealth of experience to Malta MedAir in its impetus for continued development and growth.
Cameron Farrugia
Director
Cameron Farrugia studied at Arden University (UK) where he graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business Tourism and later on obtained a Masters in Business Management from the University of Essex (UK). Mr Farrugia also holds a HND in Travel and Tourism Management which was also awarded by Arden University (UK) and holds several other IATA certifications.
During the years, Mr Farrugia worked in the aviation sector where he occupied different roles in various divisions, mainly in Ground Handling. He also worked across different Ministries and occupied various roles and currently works at the Ministry for Social Accommodation.
Cameron is also involved in the cultural and sports sectors where he occupies roles that focus on PR, Communications and Digital Media, areas of high interest to himself. Being young, dynamic and motivated Mr Farrugia is a vital addition to Malta MedAir.
Director
Josef Vella
Director
Hailing from Għargħur, Vella graduated in psychology from the University of Malta in 1997 and furthered his studies through post-graduate training in the social field and with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Having joined the Foundation of Social Welfare Services (FSWS) he was instrumental in the setting up of the 179 support line.
He ventured in trade unionism in 1998 when as an FSWS employee he enrolled in Union Ħaddiema Maqgħudin with whom he subsequently became a shop steward. Vella joined UHM on full-time basis in 2007 as secretary of the Public Entities Section and in October 2011 was elected secretary general.
Under his tenure the union underwent a major restructuring process and in 2015 was rebranded as UHM Voice of the Workers. Apart from a radical overhaul of its statute, the union’s organisational structure was modernised to reflect a more managerial approach. This translated to the replacement of the secretary general by a Chief Executive Officer, and the other posts with those of director, assistant directors, and managers.
Another ambitious project embarked under Vella’s watch was the embellishment of the union’s headquarters in Floriana to have a more accessible building catering for a modern office environment. The project was inaugurated on September 29, 2022 which also marks the date on which the union was established in 1966.
At policy level, Vella was instrumental in the introduction of the Active Labour Market Policy which translated to the introduction of free childcare service some years later, and the concept of tapering of welfare benefits as an incentive for people to come out of long-term unemployment.
Another landmark proposal was launched in 2015 when UĦM floated the idea of mandatory trade union membership of low-income workers as part of its efforts to combat precarious employment.
In 2022, Vella piloted a proposal to establish a special Cost of Living Mechanism, to safeguard the relativity in salaries, when the rate of inflation is exceptionally high. This was a breakthrough not only because it was endorsed by the major unions which presented a united front, but also as this idea taken on board by the government. He joined the Malta Medair board in 2022.
Margaret Camilleri
Director
Margaret Camilleri started her working career after she obtained a distinction in a secretarial course during her post-secondary years. She worked with a Shipping Company which handled all cargo entering the maltese ports. She served as senior tally officer and later on as a Yard Planner. She also obtained as diploma in Labour Studies from the University of Malta. Margaret also assisted in the office of the Ministry of Finance in the private secretariat as a private assistant to the than Minister of Finance. She was elected as general secretary of a Women’s political group and served for a number of years.
After long years of a successful career, Margaret is now a pensioner but is currently serving in the private secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister as a part-timer. She also was nominated on several Boards and presently she is a member of the General Contracts Committee Margaret enjoys doing voluntary work. Recently she was elected as General Secretary on the Board of Directors of Fondazzjoni Nazareth.
Board Secretary
Dr André Borg is a lawyer by profession and senior partner at Borg & Associates Advocates. He followed his studies at the University of Malta having attained a Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) in 2007 In 2010, André was awarded a scholarship at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milano) in Business Entrepreneurship. Since 2001, André Borg held various roles at Mapfre Middlesea and between 2008-2010, Dr Borg was seconded to Italy at Progress Assicurazioni S.p.A performing anti-fraud operations, moving on to head the company’s Legal Office. For a short while in 2009, Dr Borg was awarded the Robert Schuman scholarship for a work placement as a linguist at the European Parliament in Luxembourg.
Dr Borg returned to the EU Civil Service between 2012-2013 as a lawyer-linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Union. In 2013, Dr Borg was assigned as Governor on the Board of FinanceMalta. He also took up the role of Company Secretary at Air Malta in 2014. Eventually, in 2015, Dr Borg was appointed Member on the Planning Authority’s Executive Council, the Immigration Appeals Board and the Prisons Appeals Board. More recently, in 2018, Dr Borg added the role of Company Secretary at Malta MedAir. Dr Borg holds further directorships on a number of private businesses.