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Date: 15th of July 2024

Time: 18:00 CET

Venue: OKA's At The Villa

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Succession in family businesses can be complex, with deep emotional ties and significant impacts on both the family and the enterprise. Structured and guided planning is often overlooked, yet it’s vital for ensuring a smooth transition. Our speakers will share insights on:

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- Effective preparation for succession
- Maximising strengths across generations
- Real-life stories of family business transitions
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The panel event will feature; Albert Frendo - Non-Executive Director and Advisor on various Family Business Boards, Sarah Zammit Cutajar, CEO at P.Cutajar & Co., Robert Aquilina, the Chairman at Salvo Grima Group and Taryn Mizzi, a Director at Mizzi Organisation. Gain valuable insights, learn from real experiences, and network with other business leaders and next-generation family members.
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Albert Frendo is an accountant by profession. His career at a leading Bank in Malta spanned over 38 years with wide-ranging experience in financial reporting, cost management, risk management and most notably credit finance. Albert has wide experience in dealing with SMEs and Corporate customers, a number of them being family businesses, especially in the area of credit origination and monitoring, business turnarounds, funding of major infrastructural and specialised projects, working capital finance and overall credit portfolio management. He spent over ten years in the role of Chief Officer and a member of the Bank’s Executive Committee he was specifically responsible for the stewardship of the lending portfolio and collectively to steer the bank’s overall strategic direction and implementation. He was entrusted to launch the first Risk Sharing Instruments in Malta aimed at supporting SMEs and family businesses including JEREMIE, CIP, SMEG, SME Initiative (JAIME) and SME Invest. Albert holds a degree in Accountancy from the University of Malta and a Master in Business Administration, with a specialisation in Management
Consulting, from Grenoble Graduate School of Business in France.Currently, Albert provides consultancy and advisory services to several corporate customers.

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Sarah Zammit Cutajar took on the role of CEO at P.Cutajar & Co in 2021.She had spent two years as the company’s Chief Operations Officer and was previously employed as the Retail and Marketing Director.P. Cutajar is the local representative of some of the world’s leading brands across several sectors, such as Ferrero and Lavazza in the food and coffee industries.In more recent years, the company acquired the distribution rights for the Martini Bacardi Group, JP Chenet Wines, Highland Spring Mineral Water, Pasqua and Bersano Wines and Haagen-Dazs Ice Creams.The roots of P. Cutajar date back to 1861, when the founder, Paul Cutajar, started a trading company carrying his name based in Valletta.His business quickly flourished and in 1865 he formalised his activities and established P. Cutajar & Co.

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Robert Aquilina joined the family business, Salvo Grima Group, in 1973, a business established in 1860.In 1988, he was appointed as Managing Director, and eventually Chairman and CEO of the Group in 2003.During his tenure, Mr Aquilina was instrumental in expanding the business from solely ship suppliers to multiple activities, including freight forwarding, Freeport warehousing, travel retail outlets in Malta and Palma De Mallorca, and an FMCG distribution company in the Netherlands.Outside the Salvo Grima Group, Mr Aquilina has served at public level, including Chairman of the Malta Shipyards (leading to its privatisation) as well as a Director at Enemalta Corporation, Malta Resources Authority, and privately at Nordic Offshore Services A/S Denmark (NOS), Valletta Cruise Port, and MelitaUnipol Insurance.In April 2016, he relinquished his position as CEO of the Salvo Grima Group and became non-executive Chairman of the Group.Today, Robert C Aquilina is a qualified Director, approved by the Malta Financial Services Authority to serve as a non-executive independent Chairman or Director on regulated or non-regulated entities.Additionally, Mr Aquilina has been a member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce since 1983, a council member for 10 years, and Senior Vice President for 5 years at IMPA (the International Marine Purchasing Association).

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Taryn Mizzi embarked on her career with the Mizzi Organisation in 2008, as a marketing assistant. Over the past 16 years, she has played a pivotal role in advancing the marketing strategies within the Automotive division,working with a power house of brands, including Porsche, Nissan, and Suzuki, to name a few. Her expertise and commitment have also earned her a position as a Non-Executive Director for General Soft Drinks Ltd., where she continues to exhibit her leadership and strategic vision.

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