Authenticity is Malta’s ‘finest asset’ – Claire Xuereb

Claire Xuereb has lived and breathed AX Group’s 50-year story for most of her life. Now Director of Hospitality and Care, she oversees eight hotels, 24 restaurants and the group’s expanding care division. With the recent launch of Verdala Wellness Hotel – Malta’s first integrated luxury wellness destination – and further projects in the pipeline for 2026, Claire is steering AX Group’s vision for hospitality and care in Malta towards its next chapter.

Born into the business just a year after her father, Angelo Xuereb, founded it in 1975, Claire Xuereb has witnessed every stage of AX Group’s evolution. The company’s 50th anniversary, celebrated in September 2025, carries deep significance. “I’ve grown up alongside AX Group,” she says. “This milestone is an important moment for the next 50 years – for which I share responsibility as Director with my sister. It’s up to us to continue the legacy and enable further growth over the next half century.”

Preparation for that responsibility has been a lifetime in the making. Claire’s career spans operational roles across the global tourism industry, building on her hospitality and tourism management degrees from the University of Wales and Centre International de Glion in Switzerland.

Her leadership journey intensified when she returned to head AX Group’s hospitality and care divisions, grounding her approach in intuition. “The vision for the brands I create comes from the gut,” she explains. “I rarely read books or use social media. I prefer ideas generated from within, based on observation and first-hand information.”

Complementing her instincts, Claire keeps her edge through constant development and reinvention. “Life has taught me that pushing boundaries allows you to explore new horizons,” she says. “So I keep challenging myself to look deeper and evaluate ideas based on their potential rather than precedent.”

That thirst for innovation has uncovered unexpected synergies between the worlds of hospitality and care – as well as a universal truth. “I’ve learnt that people want to be taken care of. It’s a need across all ages and sectors,” Claire asserts. “In hospitality, that may translate into something that offers tranquility, comfort or fun. In care, this remit may be more medical. But fundamentally, it’s all about caring for people.”

AX Group’s people have indeed defined its 50 years – and counting – of success, with the anniversary celebrations acknowledging the contributions of teams, clients and suppliers across its journey. In keeping with this spirit, Claire credits her team as the driving force behind the exceptional performance of the hospitality and care divisions in 2025.

However, the industry’s labour shortage remains AX Group’s greatest constraint. “Human resources have been the main stumbling block for the last five years – and the vacuum in the sector is growing,” she explains. “Capacity doesn’t match demand, which means it’s much harder to find staff than clients in hospitality and care.”

Administrative delays are adding further pressure. “The timeline for securing work permits and visas is becoming longer. In addition, the introduction of the Skills Pass – a Government process that verifies the skills of tourism and hospitality professionals – has added further steps, making the overall process more time-consuming and complex. Without careful management, this could begin to affect the long-term sustainability of some operations.”

The situation is contributing to a challenging cycle for the industry. “Existing teams are under increasing pressure as they work to cover staff shortages,” she notes. “As the Skills Pass requirements currently apply only to tourism and hospitality, some individuals may choose to explore opportunities in other sectors.”

Adapting to this reality requires strategic shifts, particularly in food and beverage operations. “Our Latino bar, Mamacita, centres on cocktails and dancing,” Claire explains. “It exemplifies why we should keep tilting towards beverages, which provide broader market access and require fewer people to operate. We won’t stop our food offering, but the dynamic between food and beverage needs to change.”

This approach will also inform future developments. “We are focusing on our current portfolio while adjusting our model to the market situation for upcoming investments. The next phase of AX ODYCY includes adding seven kitchens, so we will certainly keep this strategic balance in mind,” she adds. “This is one of a multitude of daily decisions I face to stay competitive and sustainable.”

The launch of Verdala Wellness Hotel in August 2025 was the product of thousands of such decisions – and a vision years in the making. “I first came up with the idea during the pandemic,” Claire recalls. “It didn’t exist in Malta yet, so it kept brewing and I kept refining it.” The project’s realisation proved particularly timely. “It’s clear we opened Verdala at the right time and in the right place,” she says. “The feedback has been extraordinary and overwhelming – and the potential is even greater.”

The Griffin Brasserie within Verdala, once a popular tearoom and later a renowned nightclub, anchors the hotel’s food and beverage offering. “When planning a product, I love to pay tribute to its past while writing the next chapter of its future,” Claire affirms, pointing to design elements that nod to The Griffin’s history.

Its contemporary incarnation also tackles a common stigma surrounding wellness dining. “We are challenging the misconception that wellness requires sacrifice,” she explains. “I don’t believe people should have to choose between joy and wellness. We want to offer our guests delicious, ingredient-driven food that is both pleasurable to eat and nourishing for the soul.”

As the hospitality sector evolves, Claire sees opportunity for those ready to adapt strategically. “We’re going through a time of change – the wind is strong, so drifting too far will put you at risk of sinking or running aground. Now is the moment to adjust our sails and follow demand to head to a new destination.”

She advocates for intentional planning at policy level. “Permits for new properties must be concept-driven, so that each one adds unique value to the island. Copy-paste at our peril.” In addition, environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are non-negotiable factors in the equation. “Sustainability is part of our DNA now. We take pride in acting sustainably in every decision we take.”

Alongside sustainability and strategic planning, digital transformation remains a priority in 2026, though Claire’s focus currently centres on the group’s near-term projects: the extensive refurbishment of AX The Palace, the consolidation of Verdala Wellness Hotel and the next phase of AX ODYCY Hotel – the successor to Sunny Coast, AX Group’s first hotel. “In phase two, we are developing AX ODYCY Residences,” she explains. “It serves the same market as the hotel but targets a younger, more family-oriented demographic.”

As AX Group enters its next chapter, Claire’s approach holds steady: push boundaries, challenge convention and create concepts that add genuine value, while extending AX Group’s 50-year-strong legacy in Malta. “As a nation, we must protect what we have to remain sustainable, innovative and globally competitive. Our authenticity is our finest asset,” she concludes.

This article is part of the serialisation of 50 interviews featured in MaltaCEOs 2026 – the sister brand to MaltaCEOs.mt and an annual high-end publication bringing together some of the country’s most influential business leaders.