Faced with the challenge of organising a prestigious ceremony to reward its top performers of 2020 while respecting COVID-19 restrictions, Alliance management chose to hold the high-profile event behind closed doors, in a controlled environment where social distancing rules could be maintained for everyone’s safety.

“Last year we were very fortunate to give out these awards to loud cheers from our entire team at the new Alliance brand launch in July, when the first wave of the pandemic had subsided,”  Alliance CEO Michael Bonello said.

“This year, our plans to hold these awards earlier in the year had to be postponed due to the partial lockdown and now we went with a completely different setup that gives the winners the prestigious platform they deserve, whilst enabling everyone else to celebrate with them through photos and the after movie that is being published on our social media channels,” he continued.

Alliance Marina partners (from left) Brian Magri, Manager of the Year 2020 Fabien Debono, Alliance CEO Michael Bonello and Dylan Micallef.

To comply with all COVID-19 regulations, branch teams were invited to the awards event at the Hilton Malta Conference Centre in staggered arrival times.

“This ensured there was no crowding and hostesses could manage to take temperature readings and details of all guests, without keeping people waiting,” Pierre Mizzi, Alliance CMO and event coordinator, explained.

Popular TV personality Keith Demicoli compered the show and interviewed the winners right after they received their honours from CEO Michael Bonello and COO Gordon Attard. Alliance Chief People Officer and head of Alliance Real Estate Academy Frank Borg was also present to congratulate all the winners.

Established since 2006 and home to 25 top performing property advisers, the Alliance branch in Tigne Sliema scooped up the top awards for branch performance in sales volume, service fees and service fees per capita. Receiving the three trophies on behalf of his team, partner and branch manager Gordon Valentino, thanked his colleagues and their families for their support as well as all their clients for their confidence.

Alliance Strand branch manager Jeremy Borg Grech with Alliance CEO Michael Bonello.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Jeremy Borg Grech, manager of Alliance Strand branch in Gżira, which placed first runner-up in service fees generated; and Fabien Debono, partner and manager of Alliance Marina branch in Pietà, which placed first runner-up in service fees generated per capita. Fabien Debono also received the trophy for Manager of the Year 2020.

This prestigious award category is a new introduction this year, to celebrate more cooperation between managers across the Alliance branch network, and it is the managers themselves who vote for their colleagues. Similarly, branch administrators also vote for the most collaborative of their peers, with Alexia Zerafa taking the trophy for Top Alliance branch Administrator of 2020.

Property advisers of all experience levels are highly valued within Alliance, and no less than 18 other individual trophies and 31  personal certificates went to the top achievers of last year. Etienne Vassallo (Alliance Tigné) received the highest sales award and the highest service fees trophies, while Brenda Magri (Alliance Marina) achieved the highest number of transactions and highest number of listings, second place for sales and service fees generated, and second place for selling the highest number of her own listings, as well as a diamond certificate of performance. Eleno Farrugia (Alliance Strand) walked away with trophies for the second highest number of listings and third highest number of own listings sold. John Grima (Alliance Tigné) took the trophy for the highest number of Alliance Selected listings sold, while rookie awards for the highest number of transactions and highest service fees went to Daniel Portelli from Alliance Santa Venera branch.

Senior property adviser Miriam Camilleri with Alliance San Ġwann Branch Manager Ana-Marija Zafirovska.

Closing off the event, Michael Bonello expressed his satisfaction that the list of top achievers of 2020 included several names that featured for the very first time in the company’s 15-year history.

“I am very pleased that although 2020 was a landmark year in so many different ways, for everyone within Alliance it was surely a springboard year to our better future,” he said.

“With an excellent team of some 150 members and our improved infrastructure in operations, training and marketing, we have now started to make Alliance the recognised champion of client satisfaction in real estate, while pulling the rest of our industry with us in this direction. Now nearing the first anniversary of our new brand launch in July, I strongly urge everyone else to follow the example of these outstanding agents, so that we can continue exceeding our targets and embracing more growth in the near future,” he concluded.

More information about Alliance at alliance.mt or on social media.

Senior property adviser John Grima (Alliance Tigné) with presenter Keith Demicoli.

Senior property adviser Etienne Vassallo (Alliance Tigne).

Senior property adviser Brenda Magri (Alliance Marina).

Alliance Branch Administrator of the Year 2020 Alexia Zerafa with head of administration Ritianne Spiteri.

Winner of two Rookie Property Adviser awards Daniel Portelli with Alliance Santa Venera branch manager Francois Spagnol.

Senior property adviser Anna Ebejer (Alliance San Ġwann) with Chief People Officer and trainer Frank Borg.

Senior property adviser Eleno Farrugia with Chief People Officer and trainer Frank Borg.

Senior property adviser Kenneth Grillo (Alliance Tigné) with presenter Keith Demicoli.