As ROCS Group celebrates its 50th anniversary, CEO Colin Aquilina looks back on the half-century journey of one of Malta’s most recognised and diversified groups – and shares what the future holds, both for the Group and the people at its heart.
For the past 50 years, when asked to name the market leader in several sectors, many local people will point to the ROCS Group.
Such is the reputation that precedes ROCS, a company conceived in 1972 by the Vella family. The Group’s organic yet strategic growth over the years has opened doors to new ventures in travel, real estate, media, insurance, financial services, leisure, recruitment and retail, with each ROCS division enjoying both individual and shared success as part of the Group.
Today, ROCS is a household name not just in Malta but also in Libya and the UAE. It remains Malta’s leading leisure travel company and has been the top passenger sales agent for Emirates Airlines since the first Emirates flight landed in Malta, as well as the leading tied insurance intermediary for Mapfre MSVLife since its first day.
“The ROCS story over the last 50 years is the epitome of the motto coined by ROCS founder and chairman Charles Alexander Vella, which we still follow today: ‘A job worth doing is worth doing well’,” says CEO of ROCS, Colin Aquilina.
“Although the Group has indeed grown, its core values have stayed the same. The ROCS name is synonymous with trust, quality, loyalty, transparency and commitment.”
Starting in hospitality in the then-fledgling tourism sector in the village of Mellieha, ROCS launched its investments division in 1992 and its travel division in 1997. As the company delved into advertising, national television station TVM offered one of the ROCS directors the opportunity to host a TV show and this is when the Board came up with the Tista’ Tkun Int! concept– becoming one of the nation’s most viewed programmes. This confirmed Rachel Vella as one of the island’s most popular TV personalities, while her entrepreneurial spirit helped ensure ROCS and all those who trusted ROCS with their media budgets to become the most recognisable brands on the island. Ending the show at its peak, the Group then opened a retail division, launched its first projects in Libya and addressed increasing national shortages in HR with a specialised recruitment division.
We want our people to grow and achieve their dreams; to offer a space where they can learn and infuse new ideas and passion into the business
“Alongside our many successes, ROCS has also overcome major challenges, including the Libyan crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Aquilina goes on to explain. “We had registered a record year in 2019 in terms of revenue and performance but, in March 2020, COVID-19 presented a massive challenge across the Group, especially for the travel division. One of our first decisions as directed by our Chairman was to keep staff in employment for as long as it took, while at the same time processing millions of euros in refunds to travel passengers. Yet our shareholders have always led the company strategically and conservatively, which has not only made ROCS Group debt-free but has enabled it to recover and rebound post-COVID at an accelerated pace – and today we are reaping the benefits.”
Indeed, ROCS closed 2022 with a revenue 20 per cent above its 2019 figure, and 29 per cent above that of 2021, with an EBITDA of 15 per cent and 67 per cent of the Maltese households being a client of the ROCS Group across one of the many divisions. With such ongoing success, even following the pandemic’s economic curveball, ROCS now celebrates its 50th anniversary by doing more of what it does best: GROW.
“We are ready for more growth, but key to that is always our people. It’s the people who make ROCS, who have always made all the difference. As a service company, people are our most important asset, both today and most especially as we grow into tomorrow,” Aquilina shares, highlighting that the ROCS team is 67 per cent female – with top positions held by women – and 52 per cent Maltese, although the Group’s multicultural team hails from all six continents and all walks of life.
“At ROCS, our company culture is that we work hard, but we play even harder,” he says. “We want our people to grow and achieve their dreams; to offer a space in which someone can learn and infuse new ideas and passion into the business. At ROCS, we believe you can Find Your Next You! More than your qualifications or your background, what we want is your drive to make things happen. Attitude is everything.”
While around 100 new positions have become available to work with the Group as it grows, ROCS also recently rewarded its current top performers – as well as its most promising and most improved individuals – at its 2023 Awards. With the four main pillars of loyalty, commitment, resilience and performance behind this year’s awards choices, the Group’s long service awards also included a top award for a team member who began their career with the company in 1972 and celebrated 50 years at ROCS.
And with the year ahead spelling yet more growth in the retail division, the launch of ROCSONLINE.COM, larger local office locations, expansion in Libya and Dubai, and complete digitisation across the Group, exciting times now await the busy ROCS team.
“2023 will also be the year everyone across the Group receives additional benefits,” reveals Aquilina in conclusion. “And there’s an element that everybody loves – travel!”
For more information about ROCS Group and its current career opportunities, visit www.rocsgrp.com/careers