A Maltese man has been honoured in the UK for his services to the country's technology sector.
In a ceremony led by Princess Anne, Gerard Grech was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) at Windsor Castle on April 23.
"I am hugely honoured to receive this appointment. I was pleasantly surprised by how well Princess Anne was briefed on my work," Grech said in comments to Times of Malta.
”I was incredibly pleased with the intimate presentation of the award, especially considering that my family were able to be present. I am very grateful to have shared that experience with them.”
Grech was raised in Kerċem and had ‘an idyllic childhood’ in Gozo until he left for the UK when he was 13.
His father is the late Dr Joseph Grech, who was the former chief medical officer for Gozo and Comino.
From a young age, Grech said he had a keen interest in the arts and technology. After working in the music business for a number of years, Grech decided to get an MBA, where he began to discover the new and powerful relationship developing between mobile phones and media.
Gerard Grech Photo: Tech Nation“This happened around the year 2000. There was a wave of innovation ushering through at that time and I wanted to grab hold of it,” said Grech.
Since then, Grech has worked with companies like Nokia Growth Partners, Skyscanner and Orange. He also sits on the UK's Digital Economy Council and the World Economic Forum's Digital Board.
Grech was a founder and former chief executive of Tech Nation, a UK Government-backed initiative that helped develop Europe’s digital ecosystem. Tech Nation facilitates the growth of founder-led tech companies through coaching and accelerator programs and creates a platform for entrepreneurs to connect and share knowledge.
Grech left the CEO position in 2023 after five years in the role. He remains an advisor at Tech Nation but has also taken on the role of the Managing Director of Founders at the University of Cambridge.
Founders is a new strategic initiative focused on accelerating the formation and scaling of new technology companies.
This is not the first award Grech has received. In addition to his CBE, he was also recognised for his contribution to the FinTech Industry at the FinTech Awards London 2023.