A former director at the Malta Council for Science and Technology has been appointed as the Malta Industrial Parks CEO with an annual remuneration package of €80,000, including perks, the Economy Minister has confirmed.

Karl Azzopardi landed the job almost a year after his predecessor, Joshua Zammit, announced his intention to leave the post at the end of 2015. To date, Mr Zammit’s remuneration package has not been revealed, even after requests under the Freedom of Information Act were filed by this newspaper.

The new CEO, Karl Azzopardi.

In the case of Mr Azzopardi, his annual salary is €70,000. He is also eligible for a performance bonus of up to €7,000, as well as a monthly allowance of €250, covering insurances, mobile phone and fuel expenses.

Economy Minister Chris Cardona divulged these details in a reply to a parliamentary question filed by Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi, who finally got a reply on the fifth time of asking.

The issue had been raised for the first time in another question filed in March 2015, when Mr Zammit was still at the helm of this State entity tasked to manage the various industrial zones spread around the island. However, the Economy Minister repeatedly dodged the question saying the information was either being gathered or that a reply would be given in another sitting.

He is also eligible for a performance bonus of up to €7,000

In his fifth reply given last week, Dr Cardona justified the decision not to issue a public call, saying the ministry had adopted the same procedure used by previous governments. He added that the existing MIP chief was handpicked on the basis of his professional and academic experience.

Asked for further details on Mr Azzopardi’s background, an Economy Ministry spokeswoman said that the Malta Industrial Parks CEO was an MBA graduate who specialised in project management. Moreover, he had a 25-year career in property portfolio and capital expenditure (Capex) management, she added.

Between 2013 and last year, Mr Azzopardi was the director overseeing the new National Interactive Science Project, which is due to open in Bighi, Kalkara. Following this two-year stint, he joined Valletta Cruise Port as head of operations and management, before landing the job at MIP. Prior to 2013 he worked for a range of private firms in the real estate sector as well as on the Valletta Waterfront project.

Meanwhile, the Data Protection Office is looking into the Economy Ministry’s refusal to acquiesce to a Freedom of Information request filed by this newspaper, which had enquired about Mr Zammit’s remuneration package.