About Angelo
XUEREB
Angelo is the eldest son of eleven children, he grew up in a family of limited means; he spent his time planning and constructing rooms out of rubble, working tirelessly on his father’s farm, and dreaming of a time when he would be a successful businessman.
He began his professional career as a helper in his father’s construction and property business. While his hard-working father Bertu was keen for his son not to follow in the family line, Angelo quickly realised he had found his calling in the construction industry. He set out to forge his own path, and after marrying his wife Josephine, he invested a modest sum of Lm200 received in wedding gifts into his own construction enterprise.
Life is a journey. Set your objectives, be creative, be efficient and step up to the challenge. Nothing comes easy. Be strong. Never give up. Actions speak louder than words. Being successful requires hard work, whilst failure requires no effort whatsoever. Through sheer determination you shall achieve your goals.
AX Construction
OVER THE YEARS
Launched in 1977, AX Construction quickly became one of Malta’s leading building and civil engineering firms with operations expanding into a hard rock quarry and the first state-of-the-art pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete factory on the island.
Over the years, AX Construction has gone on to complete a wide range of prestigious projects including luxury hotels, a private hospital, a retirement village, specialist restoration works on landmark sites, and many civil engineering structures which have strengthened Malta’s infrastructure.
AX Hotels
DIVERSIFICATION
In the ensuing decades, Angelo took steps to diversify his company, starting with a successful expansion into the hospitality sector. In 1983, he opened the four-star Sunny Coast holiday complex in Qawra, followed in 1988 by the four-star Suncrest Hotel, which was the largest hotel in Malta at the time.
Under the AX Hotels brand, Angelo has continued to launch many other award-winning hotel properties, including the five-star AX The Palace, the four-star AX The Victoria, as well as Palazzo Capua—a 200-year-old palazzo which Angelo meticulously restored to its former glory.
In 2017, AX Hotels opened the Saint John Boutique Hotel in Valletta followed by the launch of the five-star Rosselli AX Privilege in Merchants Street. Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century palazzo, this luxury boutique hotel is also home to the three-time awarded Michelin-starred Under Grain, one of the first fine dining restaurants in Malta to achieve this coveted, internationally recognised rating. Angelo continues to seek out opportunities in the capital to regenerate Valletta to its former glory.
Projects
PRESTIGIOUS
Angelo has long harboured a vision to restore value to Malta’s capital city of Valletta. In this spirit, he has completed a number of noteworthy projects, including the superstructure of the new Parliament House in City Gate, the Old University campus, and the relaunched Is-Suq Tal-Belt (City Market).
Civic Life
ACTIVE
In addition to being a highly successful entrepreneur, Angelo has also enjoyed a very active civic life. In 1994, he won by a landslide and was elected independent mayor for Naxxar Local Council for two terms. During his time as Mayor, Angelo achieved the award for Best Managed Local Council.
Angelo has served as Vice President of several clubs and societies and was a council member of the Malta Federation of Industry, Chamber of Commerce and Building Industry Consultative Council. In 1982, he was bestowed an honorary knighthood by the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem. Together with his wife Josephine, Angelo launched the AX Foundation in 2006, which continues to leave a positive impact on Maltese communities through raising funds and awareness in support of people with invisible disabilites.
In 2012, Angelo published his autobiography ANGELO, which chronicles his life story and the various challenges and obstacles he overcame during his career. Angelo wrote the book to inspire budding entrepreneurs to pursue their greatest ambitions with determination, creativity, and integrity.
Awards and Recognition
THROUGHOUT
Throughout his career, Angelo has won many prestigious awards, including Employer of the Year and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Malta. He was also nominated at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards held in Monaco. He was also recently awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2021’ by the Malta Stock Exchange (MSE).
AX Group
TODAY
Today, AX Group is a multi-million asset corporation comprising a diverse range of companies operating in construction, development, real estate, hospitality, healthcare and renewable energy.
Angelo and his wife have a son, Richard, and two daughters, Claire and Denise. Both are actively involved in the family business and continue to drive the company forward. In 2020, 45 years after he began his journey from a humble home office, AX Group relocated to the AX Business Centre in Mosta, a state-of-the-art office complex. Masterminded by Angelo himself, this flagship HQ building was designed to be a true reflection of the high level of quality AX Group is renowned for.