Fenech & Fenech Advocates appoints Antonio Ghio as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer

Antonio Ghio has been appointed Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Fenech & Fenech Advocates and Fenlex.

In an official announcement, the firm said that this is a newly created role which gives the organisation a single, partner-level mandate for innovation across the way it designs, delivers and supports its legal and corporate services.

Dr Ghio is an IT Law expert who headed Fenech & Fenech’s TMT practice for the past 25 years and, through his new role, he will lead the organisation’s innovation strategy and digital transformation, spanning legal and internal service design and delivery, operational and administrative processes and the organisation’s AI strategy and governance.

Commenting on his new role, Dr Ghio explained that “Maltese professional services firms that want to lead in this unprecedented period will need to do more than just buy technology. The ability to differentiate themselves will require them to rethink how legal and other services are designed and delivered and understand the technology well enough to shape it for the specific needs of their firms and their clients.”

“The real work is giving our lawyers, professionals and teams the skills, the structures and the confidence to keep improving how they serve clients. My job is to make sure that translates into lasting advantage for our clients, our people and the firm,” Dr Ghio added.

Managing Partner of Fenech & Fenech Advocates Nicolai Vella said that “Antonio combines years of legal practice expertise, a deep knowledge of the firm’s technology stack and its management functions and a unique blend of legal and technical capability. He has been behind the firm’s technology positioning for many years. Giving him a firm-wide mandate for innovation is the right decision for the firm at this critical point in a fast-changing world.”

Karl Diacono, CEO of Fenlex, said that Dr Ghio’s “experience will help us turn technology into better, more consistent service while preserving what clients value most: judgement, accountability and the personal relationship.”