‘Time, passion and hard work – nothing is achieved without them’ – Andrei Grech

Established in 2005, AG Group began as a small electrical installations company – AG Installations Ltd. Under CEO Andrei Grech’s leadership, it has since grown into a diversified engineering firm with expertise in a range of services, including maintenance, trading and fumigation solutions, with a commitment to high quality and service excellence. As AG Group evolves into a holding company, the CEO shares his vision for innovation, green energy and the company’s ambitious plans for 2025.

From an early age, AG Group CEO Andrei Grech has embodied leadership and resilience. He began his career as an electrician at 19 years old, creating a one-man set-up he operated from his parents’ home, having secured a small loan to purchase tools. That startup company would eventually lay the foundations for AG Group.

“The journey to shaping AG Group as it is today has been taken step by step,” says Andrei. “Every year has been a landmark because every year our business has grown, with new opportunities, energy, time, and success. Sometimes there were big steps, sometimes small; but they have always been continuous. It’s a landmark process.”

At the heart of this process has been Andrei himself, driven by a work ethos that revolves around three key pillars. “Time, passion and hard work – nothing is achieved without them,” he asserts. “Added to these, you must also prioritise efficiency, quality and respect. To me, keeping your word is more important than a contract.”

He is also keenly aware of the value of making mistakes in business, particularly in terms of growth. “Growth begins when you don’t know how to manage something. Inevitably, you make mistakes as you implement it – and it is through learning from those mistakes that you rise to the next level. The more you understand what went wrong, the more you will improve and grow from the experience.” For Andrei, opportunities are a chance to make mistakes – and therefore, to grow. “I always take the opportunity,” he continues. “If it is reachable, I must reach it. If there are mistakes, I find solutions immediately, which ultimately leads to success.”

Balancing life and work is not a concept Andrei subscribes to. “For me, there is no work-life balance; my business is my life,” he says. “My circle of friends are colleagues, and my work is my passion, even when I travel. I enjoy the challenges, the achievements and even the problem-solving moments.” With such an intensive approach to business, taking time to rest and exercise to support his well-being is paramount, he insists. “I prioritise working out daily and sleep, which is so important. I take several naps during the day, lasting anywhere from five minutes to an hour.”

Andrei’s holistic leadership style combines strategic thinking, energy and humility, which he credits for fostering long-term relationships with employees and clients alike. “In my role, I must stay alert to both the positive and the negative, with a 360-degree, 24/7 approach. As a leader, you need to understand how to effectively communicate your vision and strategy to everyone involved in a project. With every new experience, you communicate, delegate, overcome, and achieve with your team.”

Leading AG Group’s team of over one hundred professionals requires a passion for interacting with people – something Andrei relishes. “I love socialising with people,” he smiles. “I have learnt from the big brands to always meet the customer at a human level. I see myself as a communicator and energiser, providing the push and the motivation for the group to achieve. There are still people working in the team today who have been with the company since it was set up almost 20 years ago.”

Andrei channelled his passion for people into founding AG Installations Ltd in 2005. Buoyed by his hard work and determination, in just five years, the company grew from a one-man operation to employing five electricians. Further expansion followed, with the company providing state-of-the-art services and support to the commercial, industrial and domestic markets, adding mechanical and electrical (M&E), maintenance, turnkey projects, and trading solutions to its ever-growing service offering.

In late 2019, Andrei’s adaptability and foresight as a business leader also led to unexpected diversification for the group, inspired by world events. “I was watching the news and realised that COVID-19 might prove a challenge, although at that time no one could predict what it would later become and the impact it would have on global industry,” he recalls. “Still, I immediately began venturing into fumigation services, investing in equipment and building our expertise to be ready to adapt to market needs as required. It was a hugely stressful time, but fumigation ensured the group’s survival through those turbulent years.”

Established as a holding company as of 2023, AG Group’s hundred-strong workforce now operates from its Qormi headquarters, which opened in 2012 and includes inventory stores, administrative offices and the group’s own fleet of branded vehicles.

Throughout 2024, Andrei focused on restructuring AG Group’s processes in the wake of its latest transformation into a holding company. “Quality, efficiency and profitability are key. We’ve worked to improve and refine every detail, department by department, as always learning from our mistakes and implementing new ideas,” he shares.

While labour shortages remain a challenge for all industries in Malta, Andrei counters this by leaning into the working relationships he has forged over the years at AG Group. “Everyone in business faces the same challenges, particularly when it comes to the labour market. But building sustainable, solid relationships with stakeholders has always been our strength. I value loyalty and teamwork, and I stick to those who align with our goals as a group.”

Despite ongoing global turbulence, Andrei views Malta as resilient, with abundant potential. “Malta is an amazing island, rich with many talented, hardworking people across the private and public sectors. Where other countries may see only challenges, there’s always a solution here,” he observes.

Andrei also remains optimistic about Malta’s business environment over the coming years. “I believe there will continue to be many positive changes locally, with a great vision for the future in which everyone enjoys an improved quality of life that will continue to drive industry forward,” he predicts.

In 2025, both further consolidation and change await AG Group as it takes its next pioneering steps into engineering and green energy – an evolution years in the making. “Our plans include medium- and high-voltage energy contracts, for which we have already been studying and preparing over the last four to six years,” Andrei reveals. “We are building a large portfolio of brands and expertise so that we can cater to all types of green and renewable energy, and be ready to supply both services and skills when industry demands. The future is innovation in green energy – and we will cater for this future.”

Indeed, for AG Group, the future means continuous innovation into new areas, while leveraging past lessons for long-term growth. “We are prepared for the future that’s coming – not just in 2025, but for the next 15 to 20 years,” Andrei concludes. “We are busy, with an amazing year ahead of us as we plant more seeds for the future and nurture those we planted years ago into successful fruition. We are planning to have a very good 2025.”

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.