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ALKAGESTA, the Malta headquartered global ener- gy and commodity trading house, has promoted Darren Axisa to the role of Country Manager Malta, after previ- ously serving as Operations Manager within the Alkages- ta team. The appointment re- flects the company's expand- ing operational footprint on the island and its broader ambition to further strength- en Malta's role as a strategic Mediterranean platform for energy storage, logistics, and international trading flows. Axisa brings nearly two dec- ades of experience in Malta's maritime, inspection, and energy sectors. He began his career at Saybolt in 2007 as a surveyor in the testing, inspection, and certification industry, gaining hands on exposure across Malta's ma- jor terminals and offshore installations. He then spent over thirteen years at Bureau Veritas, from 2009 until May 2023, progressing through coordination and manage- ment roles that placed him at the intersection of traders, oil majors, terminals, agents, and service providers. Bureau Veritas is one of the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification companies, operating in more than 140 countries with over 80,000 employees and a market capitalization of approxi- mately €12 billion, providing technical assurance and risk management services across energy, maritime, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. In June 2023, he joined Alk- agesta, transitioning from the operational side of the industry into a fast growing trading group with strong ambitions in storage, logis- tics, and business develop- ment. Speaking on his appoint- ment, Axisa said: "As a Maltese professional, it is a privilege to contribute to the growth of a company that is headquartered here and actively investing in our island's future. I am proud to help build a stronger pres- ence of Alkagesta in global commodity trading arena and to support Malta's evo- lution into a true internation- al hub for logistics, energy flows, and maritime activity." Axisa's promotion marks another step in Alkagesta's strategy to deepen its op- erational presence in Malta, leveraging the island's geo- graphic position, infrastruc- ture, and growing relevance in the Mediterranean energy corridor. Alkagesta has operated in Malta since its founding in 2018, initially focused on delivering cargoes into the local market. Since then, the company has expanded its storage footprint to close to 300,000 cubic metres across Evos Malta and Enemalta — supporting a model that combines local supply, qual- ity correction, and logistics optimisation, while position- ing Malta as a Mediterranean trading hub through utility supply, bunkering and feed- stock deliveries, and arbi- trage flows extending across continental Europe, North Africa, and East of Suez. Alkagesta was also among the first movers in the Med- iterranean basin to support the transition to 0.1% sul- phur fuel oil following the introduction of the Mediter- ranean Emission Control Area in 2025. The company's internation- al ambitions have extended beyond marine fuels. Earlier this year, Alkagesta secured an agreement to supply jet fuel through NATO's Central European Pipeline System — a network of more than 5,000 kilometres of pipes linking airfields, refineries, depots, and ports across Europe — covering airports including Brussels and Frankfurt, with deliveries including a blend of conventional jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel. Malta has also been a hub for Alkagesta's broader in- dustry engagement. The company recently sponsored the PFA Conference in Malta, one of the standout events in the naphtha market calendar, and earlier this year partici- pated in the Climate Action Authority's national confer- ence on the green transition — reflecting its growing en- gagement across both con- ventional and sustainabili- ty-linked energy markets. Group Growth and Malta's Economic Contribution Alkagesta's overall trading volumes have grown from approximately 5.2 million metric tonnes in 2023 to over 8.7 million metric tonnes in 2025, with Group revenues increasing from around USD 3.1 billion to approximate- ly USD 4.7 billion over the same period. In 2025 alone, Alkagesta spent roughly €50 million in Malta through di- rect operational and busi- ness-related activity — a fig- ure that does not capture the full value generated through port calls, bunkering, tug ser- vices, pilotage, agency work, inspections, and other mar- itime support across the is- land's service ecosystem. Beyond operations, Alkag- esta has pursued sustaina- bility-linked initiatives from Malta, including the export of used cooking oil into interna- tional markets in support of renewable fuel supply chains, and supports local communi- ty initiatives including WISTA Malta and Malta's national basketball programme. Axisa's appointment signals a deepening of local lead- ership as Alkagesta looks to grow its Malta platform beyond traditional physical operations, with ambitions spanning ESG-linked pro- jects, capital market activity, and the development of new career pathways in trading, risk management, compli- ance, and maritime logistics. "Looking ahead, my focus is on strengthening Alkagesta's presence in Malta by building on the platform we have es- tablished over the past years. We will continue investing in people, infrastructure, and partnerships that enhance Malta's role in regional en- ergy logistics while creating new opportunities for local talent to grow within an in- ternational trading environ- ment. Malta has the potential to play an even greater role in the Mediterranean energy landscape, and I am commit- ted to ensuring Alkagesta re- mains a driving force in that journey," Axisa said. Darren Axisa takes helm as Country Manager Malta at Alkagesta Darren Axisa THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 MAY 2026