‘I’m in it for the long haul’ – Kurt Farrugia

At a time when Malta’s rapid economic growth has intensified its transportation challenges, Transport Malta’s newly appointed CEO, Kurt Farrugia, is steering the organisation toward a technology-driven transformation. His plans include AI-powered traffic management and exploring innovative mass transit solutions, reflecting a broader effort to address the nation’s transportation infrastructure.

Following his tenure as CEO at Malta Enterprise, Kurt Farrugia’s move to Transport Malta comes at a critical juncture for the organisation. “Transport, particularly land transport, is one of the major challenges that Malta faces at the moment,” the CEO explains, and for most, it will come as no surprise. 

“When the position was presented to me, I didn’t jump right into it. I needed a few days to think about it. I was at a stage where I wanted to challenge myself. I know that the sector has been through many changes in the past. It needs stability, and I thought I could use my experience to take on this major challenge,” he states, candidly.

Indeed, the decision to take on the role wasn’t made lightly. After several leadership changes at Transport Malta in recent years, stability has become a paramount concern. “I think with my experience, I can bring that stability in the sense that I’m not someone new to most of the stakeholders,” he notes, referring to his previous roles at the Office of the Prime Minister (2013-2019) and Malta Enterprise.

While land transport challenges often dominate public discourse, Transport Malta’s responsibilities extend far beyond road management. Under Kurt’s leadership, the organisation aims to continue to strengthen Malta’s position as a global maritime hub. “We are one of the leading maritime nations when it comes to ship registry. We have the sixth-largest fleet, and we’re top of the league globally when it comes to ship registrations,” he proudly states.

The aviation sector is experiencing similar growth, with the Malta aircraft registry approaching 700 registered aircraft. This expansion brings both opportunities and challenges, the CEO maintains. “This requires us to increase capacity because, with such large registers in both the maritime and aviation sectors, we need to upgrade our game in terms of having the people to run, inspect and keep tabs on the regulatory aspects,” he explains.

Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of Kurt’s vision, however, is the comprehensive integration of technology across all transport sectors. By 2025, he hopes to implement an intelligent transport management system that stands to revolutionise how Malta manages its roads. “We cannot keep managing our transport systems with activity alone – we need to get something akin to Spotify’s algorithm into traffic and transport management,” he smiles.

This system will leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data from various sources, including cars, taxis and buses, to optimise traffic flow and improve road user experience. “For the past years, we have not adopted technology advances as quickly as the country requires,” Kurt acknowledges, emphasising the urgency of this digital transformation.

Moreover, the CEO’s approach to solving Malta’s transportation challenges extends beyond conventional solutions, and he is actively exploring innovative alternatives that have proven successful in other European cities. Sharing several ideas that “might sound crazy but are already being used in other places,” he highlights the potential of rope mobility systems – essentially urban cable cars – as seen in cities like Toulouse.

Indeed, the discussion of mass transit solutions isn’t limited to traditional options. “We need to stop thinking just about cars and buses, and start thinking about mass transport systems,” Kurt argues. While a metro system remains under consideration, he emphasises the need for decisive action: “I believe that at one stage, we should stop discussing, stop studying, and just take a decision to make mass transport a reality, because with the current growth on our roads, it’s becoming unsustainable.”

Transport Malta’s strategy under Kurt’s leadership also places significant emphasis on environmental sustainability. The organisation has already invested €50 million in grants over the past three years to promote electric vehicle adoption. “From 2025, the grant will be €8,000, and with scrappage, it will get to €9,000,” he explains, noting that electric vehicles are becoming increasingly accessible to the average consumer.

Still, the organisation’s sustainability initiatives extend beyond electric vehicles. Transport Malta is also collaborating with the Climate Change Authority on various projects, including enhanced monitoring of vehicle emissions and the installation of solar panels in public parking areas, Kurt notes. These efforts align with broader national environmental goals while addressing practical transportation needs, he maintains.

Owing to his experience, Kurt’s leadership style emphasises the importance of stakeholder engagement and communication. “One of the things we often lack is that we become so engulfed in our work that we forget to communicate and sit down with stakeholders to discuss difficulties,” he reflects. To address this, he dedicates significant time to meeting with industry representatives, from airlines to shipping companies and lobby groups.

And in his short time within the role, this approach has already yielded results. “Once you listen to the right people and discuss, there are solutions to many of the major stumbling blocks we’ve found throughout the years,” he notes.

As Transport Malta moves forward under the new CEO’s leadership, the focus remains on three key areas: technology integration, sustainability and organisational stability. The implementation of predictive traffic models and advanced management systems represents a significant investment, but one that Kurt sees as essential for Malta’s future.

“Making better use of technology won’t solve all our issues, but it will help us understand better and take better decisions,” he explains. This technology-first approach, combined with sustainable transport initiatives and stable leadership, forms the foundation of Transport Malta’s strategy for addressing the nation’s growing transportation needs moving forward.

When asked about his long-term commitment to the role, Kurt’s response is clear and decisive. “I’m in it for the long haul,” he states, addressing a concern often raised by stakeholders who have seen multiple leadership changes in recent years.   

This article is part of the serialisation of 50 interviews featured in Malta CEOs 2025 – the sister brand to MaltaCEOs.mt and an annual high-end publication bringing together some of the country’s most influential business leaders