Updated 9.27am with confirmation of the appointment.

Leading consultant cardiologist Robert G. Xuereb has been appointed chief executive officer of the Foundation for Medical Services (FMS), the Health Ministry said. 

Xuereb assumes the role previously occupied by Carmen Ciantar.

The job was temporarily handed to former AFM deputy commander and Identità boss Mark Mallia earlier this month but, days later, he moved to become Transport Malta CEO.

The FMS is a government body that designs and runs the country’s healthcare infrastructure. It offers various services related to project management, engineering, design and architecture and IT support and carries out recruitment processes for various entities within the health ministry.

Xuereb, who is the chairperson of the Department of Cardiology of Mater Dei Hospital, was key in the setting up of the first-ever interventional cardiology services based in Malta in the early 1990s.

He was instrumental in the introduction of numerous innovations in the care of cardiac patients, established several clinical cardiology sub-specialties and set up several specialised cardiology clinics.

He also brought together local and renowned international surgeons for several cardiology conferences.

Xuereb was president of the Maltese Cardiac Society for 10 years from 2013 and he was a nominating committee member on the governing board of the European Society of Cardiology 2020-2022.

He received the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour from President George Vella in December.

The lucrative role of CEO was previously held by Ciantar, a close political aide to former health minister Chris Fearne.

She was among the highest-paid advisers with an annual financial package of €163,000.

Questioned by Times of Malta last week, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela would not say why he decided not to keep Ciantar as FMS head, saying only the decision was his prerogative.