New MIA chief executive officer Alan Borg. Photo: Jason Borg

Alan Borg is Malta International Airport’s first Maltese chief executive since the company was privatised in 2002.

Mr Borg was appointed by the board of directors on Tuesday night in a meeting which also approved the financial statements for 2014. He served as interim CEO for the past few weeks after his predecessor, Markus Klaushofer, was replaced without an explanation.

Mr Borg served as chief commercial officer for the past three years, having risen through the company ranks.

He was responsible for the Skyparks business centre development on the airport grounds.

In his first comments after the appointment, Mr Borg said he looked forward to building on earlier successes and wanted to make MIA the best airport in Europe.

“To achieve this we must keep investing as we have done consistently since 2002,” he said.

Mr Borg takes the helm at a time when the company has been enjoying a period of solid growth.

The financial statements showed that revenue increased by nine per cent last year, to €64.3 million, from €58.8 million in 2013. Profit before tax increased by 15 per cent to €26.1 million.

For the first time revenue from the aviation-related stream contributed less than 70 per cent of total revenue, in line with the company’s strategy to reduce dependency on this stream.

Passenger traffic rose by six per cent to reach 4.3 million, while aircraft movements surpassed the 32,000 mark.

MIA said four new airlines would start flying to Malta this year – Finnair with scheduled flights from Helsinki, Jet2.com with flights from the UK, Swiss from Zurich and Aegean from Athens. Other airlines that already operate are expected to increase the frequency of flights.

The board of directors proposed a gross dividend of 12c3 (net 8c) per share be paid to all shareholders at the annual general meeting to be held on May 20. This dividend together with the interim dividend paid will bring the total for the financial year that ended last December to a gross final dividend of 16c9 (net 11c).