Joshua Zammit is, in fact, an in-
dustrial psychologist, who has ex-
tensive experience in a variety of
business spheres including phar-
maceutical, IT, strategy, consul-
tancy and aviation. Prior to taking
on this position he held C-level
positions in various other com-
panies. And James Barbara is the
man behind the whole concept of
the group; whose ‘soul’ has been
woven into the very founding
stone of the factory and indeed,
into the holding group itself.
“It is exciting to see how someone
who has been through hell and
heaven to get where he is today is,
nonetheless, still able to sit down
around the table and listen at-
tentively to a relative outsider like
myself who might unintentionally
be criticising all his years of hard
work,” says Joshua. “I have huge re-
spect for James who today is one of
my best friends not just my boss.”
It is interesting to note that both
are only children in their re-
spective families and also are
both strong willed achievers. The
chemistry seems to be working;
the outsider and the founder, be-
ing able to find common ground
to reach higher goals.
Psychologists refer to this as the
only-child syndrome, and in the
1970’s, Toni Falbo, a psycholo-
gy professor at the University of
Texas, concluded that only-chil-
dren were highly motivated and
HOSPITALITY MALTA
personally adjusted and that a
teenage only-child typically de-
velops an early sense of respon-
sibility and independence. This
leads to a self-confidence which
garners success.
Could this be the real driving
force – the inherent psychology -
behind the success of the Group
after all? Or is it the mutual need
each one has for what the other
brings to the management table
that spells itself out into their suc-
cess? Or, yet again, is it the corpo-
rate mission statement that drives
them forward constantly, ”to be
the best in everything that we do”?
We allow Joshua to have the last
say: “Since we are always commit-
ted to provide quality at a given
but supreme ope rational efficien-
cy, it is important for all of us, the
2,000+ staff included, to know
that it’s all about what this place
can do, where we started, what
we can do individually, where we
are all going together. So perhaps
the team element that has been
instilled is the fundamental core
ingredient here. From it stem our
beliefs in producing the best qual-
ity, having the best people, having
loyal customers. We are grateful
to every single person who buys
our products and services. And we
don’t take for granted the fact that
if someone bought our products
today, they will automatically buy
them again tomorrow - we have to
keep gaining their trust every day”.
SEPTEMBER | 2017
19