Giuseppe Muscat appointed Executive Director at AST Group

Giuseppe Muscat has been named Executive Director at AST Group, the shipping company announced on Wednesday.

Mr Muscat, who is also Chairman at the group, has resigned from its audit committee.

Aside from his role at AST Group, he is a Certified Public Accountant and Registered Auditor, and is also CEO at Malta-based professional services firm NM Group and non-profit organisation Fondazzjoni Pippo.

He holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from University of Malta, and is particularly skilled in financial advisory and management.

Additionally, the group announced that Austin Demajo has been appointed Non-Executive Director, replacing Mr Muscat in the role, as well as in the company's audit committee.

Mr Demajo worked at professional services firm Grant Thornton Malta for a number of years as Head of Tax Services and then Tax Partner, up until his retirement at the end of 2021. He specialised in local and international taxation and the financial services sector, and also provided services to foreign owned companies setting up businesses in Malta, along with tax advice to international clients involved in cross-border business ventures.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and the Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA). He holds a Practicing Certificate in Auditing and regularly attends tax conferences. Mr Demajo is also a customary speaker at local conferences related to VAT and tax matters, including those organised by the Malta Institute of Management and the MIA.

Headquartered in Malta, AST Group is active in animal feed trading and shipping operations, and is structured across various companies and brands. The animal feed trading business operates across the Mediterranean and European regions under the Damask Investment brand, while its shipping and chartering businesses operate through DS Shipping Limited and DS Chartering Limited, respectively. Through its subsidiaries, the group also owns, manages, and charters a multipurpose vessel named AST/MALTA, primarily used for the delivery of animal feed across the Mediterranean.