McKay replaces Farrugia at Transport Malta after OPM-Bonett tussle

Labour Party CEO Leonid McKay is succeeding Kurt Farrugia as CEO of Transport Malta as Farrugia takes on the helm of Residency Malta, the government announced on Tuesday.

It follows a clash between the Office of the Prime Minister and the Sustainable Mobility Ministry over who should take over the helm of Transport Malta.

While the OPM’s man of choice was McKay, Sustainable Mobility Minister Chris Bonett wanted his chief of staff, Stephanie Bonello, in the role.

Instead, Bonello will lead the implementation of the government’s ambitious integrated mass transport plan Malta in Motion.

Leonard McKay's rise

McKay will start his new role on Friday while Farrugia will start working at Residency Malta from Wednesday.

McKay was Caritas director between 2014 and 2018 and later served as CEO at the Housing Authority before moving to the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis where he was executive chairperson.

He moved to the heart of the Labour Party as CEO in August 2024, weeks after the party suffered a setback in the European Parliament elections. He was also a director on the board of JobsPlus where he launched work on Malta’s Labour Migration Policy.

The ministry said McKay has “extensive experience leading public authorities and has worked for many years in the social sector”.

Government praises Farrugia's record

Bonett thanked Farrugia for his service and commitment and wished McKay and Bonello success in their new roles.

The minister said he looked forward to implementing strategic reforms in sustainable mobility, particularly through the Malta in Motion plan, while continuing to build on Malta's success in the aviation and maritime sectors.

Farrugia left the transport watchdog after disagreements with Transport Minister Chris Bonett.

Times of Malta had reported that Farrugia was tipped for the top post at Residency Malta, succeeding Jonathan Cardona who died early in June.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the Education Ministry said Farrugia “brings extensive leadership experience across government and the public sector”.

New mission

A former Labour journalist and editor, Farrugia served as government strategist and communications chief between 2013 and 2019.

He was later named Malta Enterprise CEO, before moving to Transport Malta in 2024.

The ministry added that during his two-year tenure at Transport Malta, Farrugia led a number of a strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening land transport, the maritime and aviation sectors in Malta.

While at Malta Enterprise, he led the agency to major investments, building the start-ups ecosystem as well as assisting local businesses through various initiatives, the ministry said.

Education Minister Byron Camilleri expressed his confidence that Farrugia’s experience in public administration, strategic planning and organisational leadership “will further strengthen Residency Malta’s mission of attracting talent and investment that contribute to Malta’s continued economic and social development”.

The ministry also expressed its appreciation for the contribution of the late Jonathan Cardona “whose dedication and vision played an important role in the growth and success of Residency Malta”.

Who is Stephanie Bonello?

Bonello, who will lead Malta in Motion, has over nine years’ experience in the public sector and has held various positions across different ministries, where “she contributed to major reforms in affordable housing,” the Sustainable Mobility ministry said.

Since January 2024, she has served as Head of Secretariat within the ministry responsible for mobility, working closely on the Malta in Motion plan.