The next generation of Gozo’s big businesses tell Alison Bezzina how they envisage their careers unfolding and why they are following in their fathers’ footsteps. They plan to take on the leadership challenge when the time is right, but believe that to succeed in the future they have to learn from the past.
Monica Borg is the daughter of Victor J. Borg, executive chairman of Victor J. Borg Enterprises. She is the sales and marketing director of Hotel Ta’ Ċenċ & Spa, Cornucopia Hotel and St Patrick’s Hotel.
I hope that when the time is ripe for us to relieve my father of the business, it will be done gradually and under his guidance
Ever since the summer of 1988, Monica Borg spent all her school holidays working in her father’s hotels. At first, she started at the front office and, eventually, moved to reservations, sales and finally to accounts.
During this time, she also carried on with her studying, finally making it to the Institute of Tourism Studies. In 1992, she started working full time at the Cornucopia. For a couple of years, when her children were young, she withdrew from the business, but these days, it is easier for her to be back at work.
Although Monica is quite involved in the daily running of their hotels, she always makes sure not to let it take over her personal life, or interfere with her family.
One thing Monica does not like is the assumption that her only option is to work within the family business. On the contrary, besides enjoying the responsibility that this entails, she considers herself lucky to have the opportunity to work with her father.
“My main task is not only to continue with his good work, but also to improve where necessary, and to meet the present-day challenges and expectations. When I started, I thought he used to expect quite a lot from me, always saying I should lead by example. But nowadays, I look forward to meeting him and discussing any matters arising every morning at my office.
“I believe that to succeed in the future, one must learn from the past, and although I do have my own ideas, I would not want to go for any drastic changes while adapting to whatever the future requires.
“I hope that when the time is ripe for us to relieve my father of the business, it will be done gradually and under his guidance,” she says.
“Because I love travelling, I have always preferred the hotels business to the other segments of our group of companies,” she admits.
“The most important thing in this business is to have happy staff, proud of their place of work. This, in turn, leads to happy guests.
“My strategy is that each and every one of our guests gets full value for money and that they get what I would expect to get myself whenever I go abroad. Luckily, since our three hotels are diverse in character and categories, and are situated in different parts of the island, we can cater for a variety of tastes and guests.”
When her father first started out in 1969, accessibility to Gozo was non-existent. The last ferry used to cross at 5 p.m. As Gozo was not on the agenda of any overseas tour operator, Victor Borg started his own tour-operating business in the UK, featuring just Gozo weekend breaks. Similar weekends, priced at break-even rates, were also introduced during the low season, mainly aimed at the Maltese.
Today, the ever-increasing costs, especially the energy bills and accessibility to Gozo, are the main challenges for the Gozitan tourism industry, even more so in the winter season, Monica feels.
“While expectations from clients are getting higher, these costs really do not contribute to remaining competitive,” she points out.
Christian Magro is the son of John Magro, chairman of Magro Brothers. He is the general manager of the group of companies.
The more I advance in my career, the more I find him to be a mentor rather than just a father
Ever since he was a teenager, Christian Magro spent his summer holidays at his family’s factory. Since every single day is different, he always loved it, especially between July and September when activity skyrockets, with everybody working frantically to cope with the fresh tomato intake and to stay loyal to the 24-hour field-to-can creed.
During Sixth Form, Christian was tempted to look for an alternative career and, for a while, he even considered architecture. But ultimately, his interest in business prevailed.
“I have no regrets about choosing this route and thank my family for not trying to influence me in any other direction and for being supportive throughout. Following my father’s footsteps was a choice I made on a progressive basis, and the more I advance in my career, the more I find him to be a mentor rather than just a father.”
Today, as general manager, Christian is responsible for setting operational targets and getting the team to achieve them, but he still likes to keep a hands-on approach and participate in the daily operations.
“I believe that every staff member should be encouraged to achieve and to work in an ever-changing environment, especially in our type of business, where quality is not negotiable and success is measured in real satisfaction.”
Operating from Gozo is not easy at all, according to Christian. The geographic and market size of the island bring with them double-insularity problems and dependence on mainland Malta.
There are also logistical nightmares that have to be overcome and these alone deter a lot of investment. However, it is truly in the Magros’ DNA to look at problems as opportunities.
To deal with the small market size, they expanded their product range from the traditional kunserva (tomato paste) to baked beans and then to the revival of traditional dairy products.
They also make sure fresh tomatoes and other ingredients are processed within 24 hours from harvest – a luxury other larger, foreign, competing companies do not have – and work efficiently by purchasing raw materials at the right time, keeping stocks to a minimum and choosing the most effective transport method.
Despite the logistical issues that Gozo brings with it, Christian believes the main problem is the rampant brain drain the island has experienced over the past few years and is, unfortunately, still going through.
“The island’s difficulties associated with accessibility, concrete direction and its ageing population are the main issues. Rapid decisions need to be taken to eliminate the uncertainty and to instil again the confidence there once was in business operations in Gozo,” he maintains.
“As expected, our family business is intertwined in our personal lives and separating them is hardly possible. But when the need comes to break off, I love getting lost and enjoying some quality time with my wife and daughter. My brother Nicholas and my sister Joanna are also very much involved in the family business, and when the time comes, with the help and backing of our father and uncle, we’ll also take up the leadership challenge.
“Though I tend to approach challenges from a different angle to my father, we never compete, making sure our working relationship is always solid and that experience is always gained.
“For the time being, I see the working team between my father’s generation and mine as a good mix for business success and a great opportunity to face the university of life.”