Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546198
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2026 Growing with Malta: How United Group evolved alongside the country and is now building beyond it WHEN United Group was founded in 1926, Malta looked very different. The island's roads carried only a fraction of today's traf- fic. Tourism was still in its in- fancy. International business was limited, and few could have imagined the Malta that would emerge over the follow- ing century: a country shaped by economic diversification, growing international connec- tions and new industries that continue to redefine its place in Europe. For United Group, reaching 100 years is not simply the sto- ry of one business. It is also a reflection of how Malta itself has changed. Growing alongside a chang- ing economy Over the decades, the Group's evolution has closely followed that of the country. As Malta welcomed increasing num- bers of visitors, tourism cre- ated new opportunities that extended well beyond trans- port. The business responded by expanding into destination management before develop- ing one of its longest-standing partnerships through Hertz, helping meet the growing de- mand for self-drive mobility from both visitors and local customers. These developments were not planned decades in ad- vance. They emerged be- cause the needs of the market changed, and the business evolved alongside them. The same pattern can be seen across other sectors. As Malta's economy became more sophisticated, expecta- tions around mobility, custom- er experience and technology also changed. Together with its partners Tum Invest and Pater Holding, United Group continues to develop Motors Inc. within an automotive sec- tor being reshaped by electri- fication, digital innovation and changing consumer behav- iour. Today's conversations are no longer simply about selling vehicles, but about how mobil- ity itself continues to evolve. Property tells a similar story. The transformation of Malta's urban landscape has created opportunities for develop- ments that combine residen- tial, commercial and public spaces in new ways. United Group's continued investment in Pendergardens reflects that wider shift, demonstrating how long-term developments can contribute to the chang- ing character of the country while creating lasting value over time. Looking beyond our shores Yet Malta's story is no longer confined to Malta alone. Over recent decades, local businesses have increasingly looked beyond the island for growth, partnerships and in- vestment. United Group's ex- pansion into Vienna reflects this broader evolution. Having built experience through dec- ades of investment at home, the Group has gradually ex- tended its property portfo- lio into Vienna, applying the same measured approach in a new market while continuing to strengthen its presence in Malta. For Edmund Gatt Baldacchi- no, CEO, and Simon Gatt Bal- dacchino, COO and Executive Directors of United Group, this international outlook is a natu- ral extension of the business's development. "The opportunities availa- ble to businesses today are very different from those of previous generations. While Malta remains at the heart of everything we do, we also recognise the importance of looking beyond our shores where opportunities align with our experience and long- term direction." What the next decades will demand The next chapter for Malta's economy will undoubtedly be different again. Technology will continue to reshape industries. Sustaina- bility will influence investment decisions. Businesses will in- creasingly operate across bor- ders, while remaining firmly connected to their local com- munities and markets. United Group expects those changes to continue influenc- ing its own direction. Mobility, automotive and property will remain central to its activi- ties, but the way those sec- tors evolve over the coming decades will be very different from the industries the busi- ness first entered. Perhaps that is the real sig- nificance of reaching a cente- nary. It is not simply about cele- brating longevity. It is about recognising that businesses, like the countries in which they operate, must contin- ue to evolve. United Group's story has unfolded alongside Malta's transformation for the past hundred years. As both look towards the future, that process of adaptation is likely to remain the constant that defines the century ahead. THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION