Heritage Malta gets its first CEO

Antoinette Caruana has been appointed as the first chief executive of Heritage Malta, the new agency managing Malta's national museums, heritage sites and collections.

Ms Caruana joins Heritage Malta after a 13-year career in industry, having specialised in human resource management and development and industrial relations.

She has been involved in the strategic planning and implementation of a number of change management initiatives, both in her senior role with a leading group of companies, as well as through her involvement with a number of other organisations.

Ms Caruana has been actively involved with the Foundation for Human Resource Development and the Malta Professional and Vocational Qualifications Awards Council, among others.

Responsibility for the day-to-day management of Malta's national museums, heritage sites and collections, coupled with the opportunity to work with committed people, was a rare challenge, Ms Caruana said.

"I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to take on this role and am looking ahead to making Heritage Malta a public agency that we will be proud of."

Heritage Malta chairman Alex Grech said that there had been an overwhelming response when the position was advertised in November.

"We had some very strong candidates from a range of senior management backgrounds. The response shows the extent to which national heritage is being regarded as a rewarding, professional career option."

Mr Grech said this also demonstrated how the creation of Heritage Malta has captured public awareness and raised expectations of tangible change in a long-neglected sector.

"Heritage is vital to Malta's economy, and the time has come for some serious investment in the product and its professional management."

Ms Caruana takes up her appointment in early March.