Death of Anthony Miceli-Farrugia, 88

One of the pioneers of Malta's industrial development, Anthony (Ninì) Miceli-Farrugia died yesterday aged 88.

He is best known as the former managing director and chairman of Simonds Farsons Cisk and as the brainchild behind Malta's soft drink, Kinnie, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Mr Miceli Farrugia was managing director of both Simonds Farsons Cisk (SFC) and the family-owned L. Farrugia & Sons Limited between 1956 and 1979.

Born in Hamrun to a Sicilian father, Marc Antonio Miceli, of Messina, from a family who for three generations had married Maltese, and Erminia Farrugia, from Senglea, Mr Miceli-Farrugia was educated in Messina and London. After furthering his studies in commerce and accountancy at the Antonio Maria Jaci Technical and Commercial Institute, he joined the family firm in Malta in 1934.

He worked for some years as a trainee, and then proceeded to the H & G Simonds Brewery in Reading, UK, for a six-month training course in 1936, followed by two years studying commercial English and other commerce-related subjects at Pitman College, London.

Just before World War II he rejoined Simonds Farsons, working in various departments, being promoted to advertising manager in 1950.

On the death of his uncle, Lewis V. Farrugia, father of the current managing director of Simonds Farsons Cisk, Mr Miceli-Farrugia was appointed managing director in 1956.

He succeeded the Marquis Scicluna as chairman of SFC on the marquis's death in 1970 and served in this capacity up to 1995. He was also appointed managing director of the family firm, L. Farrugia & Sons Ltd and was appointed honorary president of Simonds Farsons Cisk and president of the Farsons Foundation in 1995, a position he held up to his death.

Under the stewardship of Mr Miceli-Farrugia, the core beer-making business continued to expand. Soft drinks complemented the line, including Schweppes' first overseas franchise, apart from Pepsi. He also supervised the growth of other industrial activities, including Farsons' wines and spirits division, later Wands, and the industrial gases manufacturer, Multigas.

Mr Miceli-Farrugia was chairman of Carreras Malta Ltd (1963-1970), director on the board of the National Bank of Malta (1964-1974), director and chairman of BIM Ltd (1966-1979), managing director of Farsons Investments Ltd (1966-1981), director on the board of the Kursaal Co Ltd (1968-1981) and chairman of Malta Airlines Co Ltd (1972-1979).

He founded the Malta Employers' Association, in which he was active between 1958 and 1989. He was its president twice and was appointed life president in 1984.

Between 1958 and 1966 he was a council member of the Malta Federation of Industry and between 1963 and 1986 he was actively involved on the council of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, heading the council for six years.

He promoted the establishment of the Malta Trade Fairs Corporation, serving on the board between 1963 and 1971, and serving as its president in 1963 and 1964.

He was also a founder of the Lions Club and the Rotary Club, serving as president for Rotary's first three years between 1968 and 1970.

In 1979 the Hon Mabel Strickland appointed him a trustee of the Strickland Foundation, the majority shareholder of Allied Newspapers Ltd, publishers of The Times and The Sunday Times. During her lifetime he served as deputy chairman of the foundation board and, on her death acted as chairman, until this role was handed to Anthony Montanaro.

Since 1986 he was chairman of the Council of the Conservatorio Vincenzo Bugeja.

Mr Miceli-Farrugia was a Knight of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta. He was honoured by the President of Malta as Member of the Order of Merit, by the President of Italy as Grande Ufficiale al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, and by Queen Elizabeth II as Officer in the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.

Mr Miceli-Farrugia married Lilian née Bartoli in 1946 and had six children, Mimici, Mark, Helene, Marina, Alberto and Francesca, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.