Appointment of directors at Focal Maritime Services and Delta Container Services

In line with the companies philosophy of corporate governance and following the nomination of two general managers, earlier this year, the shareholders have now consolidated the directorship level through the nomination of three professionals to the board of directors of Focal Maritime Services and Delta Container Services.

Ms Judith Cilia, Mr Jonathan Xerri and Dr. Matthew Xerri have been appointed as directors to the board of directors of the two companies, as well as of the holding company Antinvest as from 1^st June 2021.

Ms Judith Cilia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a B.A (Hons) Accountancy degree  from the University of Malta.  She is a certified public accountant and registered auditor and a member of the Malta Institute of Accountants.

She started her career by working with one of the big audit firms in Malta for three years as an audit senior in charge of audit assignments, covering various economic sectors.  She then worked as a senior accountant in a local shipping company and in 2002 took the role of financial controller at Focal Maritime Services Company Limited.  

In 2004, she set up her own practice performing accounting, consultancy, taxation and auditing services to a number of clients. In 2005, Judith was appointed as the company secretary of the Focal Maritime group and in 2017, when the executive management board was set up, Judith was chosen to form part of this team.

Mr Jonathan Xerri holds a B.A (Hons) in Social Policy and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Malta.  He started his career directly with Focal Maritime Services Company Limited as a documentation clerk and gradually worked his way up by working in various departments of the company including operations, administration and project management. He is now heavily involved within the management team and is the documentation office manager where he manages a team of three people who cater for the various services of the company. Since 2017, Jonathan sits also on the executive management board.

Dr Matthew Xerri holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from the University of Malta and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) (Maritime Law)  from the International Maritime Law Institute of IMO.  Matthew has been practicing law since 2010 and has specialized in Maritime and Aviation Law with Ganado Advocates, with particular focus on ship and aviation finance, including the implementation of alternative financing methods. He has published a number of articles including “A decade of the Aircraft Registration Act” and has also contributed to the Malta chapter in the Shipping Finance book prepared by Stephenson Harwood. Matthew regularly lectures at the Summer ELSA Law School and in 2020 was awarded the Rising Star Award for Malta by the Euromoney Media Legal Group.

The three new directors have now joined Godwin Xerri, the founder and Managing Director on the board of directors, so that together with the management teams of the two companies, they ensure that the companies do not only deliver a quality service to the clients but also expand into other activities to give the client a comprehensive and fully integrated service.