Coming from a scientific and engineering background and, over time, progressing toward the business side of the picture, I was given the opportunity to take on the position of Chief Operations Officer of Universal Industrial Expertise Limited in September 2018, becoming Chief Executive Officer in December 2019. Despite being at the helm of the company for a relatively short period, the company has internally been restructured and re-focused to provide consultancy for the manufacturing industry and then following up with the material or machinery required, rather than focusing solely on the products we supply. Thus we have a keen interest on the latest commercial technological advancements, practices and legislation, which are all pillars of the German economy.
RACHEL VELLA BALDACCHINO – Deputy Chairperson
Rachel Vella Baldacchino is Deputy Chair of the Germany Malta Business Council, having been involved since its earlier iteration and participating in the February 2025 trade mission. An international business lawyer qualified in Malta and the UK, she is a Managing Associate at WH Partners. Her practice focuses on cross-border corporate M&A, strategic financing, competition and consumer law, and foreign direct investment. Having studied German from a young age at the German Maltese Circle, she maintains a strong interest in the language and culture and advises German-speaking clients on international transactions.
DAVID FLERI SOLER
As Chief Commercial Officer at Express Trailers, he joined the company in 1987. Working with the leading logistics provider in Malta, David leads the company through various milestones, namely the development of local and international pharma logistics, Hubbing, local third-party warehousing, including customs, local distribution and the launch of several network lanes in the groupage European and worldwide services of the company. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and an active advocator for the spread of knowledge in the logistics sector. As one of the founders of the logistics section within the Chamber of Commerce in Malta, David is currently the Vice Chairman and supports various local historical organisations.
PIERRE BALZAN
Pierre Balzan, a maritime entrepreneur who founded the company in 1989 and has led its evolution into a Mediterranean centre of marine and engineering excellence. Under my leadership, the Group invested tens of millions to expand its services – including a floating dock facilities in Malta capable of lifting vessels up to 110 m, and a 3,000 sqm engine-testing workshop in Athens. Established operations across Malta, Greece, South of France and Cyprus, secured exclusive distributorships for MTU and Awlgrip for the past 35 years, and recently joined the Malta‑Germany Business Council to enhance bilateral commercial ties and foster collaborations between Mediterranean and German maritime and power generation sectors.
MARISA XUEREB
Marisa Xuereb is an economist by education. She has been working with German manufacturing companies for 30 years, in industries varying from lighting to water treatment to plastics. She was a Council member of the Malta Chamber for 10 years up to March 2025, and President of the Chamber between 2021 and 2023. Among other appointments, she sat on the Board of Malta Enterprise for 6 years and on the Board of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) for 3 years. She is currently involved in supply chain transformation with Playmobil, splitting time between Germany and Malta, and holds a number of directorships with local companies including APS Bank, Atlas Insurance and Epic Communications Ltd.
ADRIENNE BUEDINGER
Adrienne Buedinger is currently Relationship Manager at FCM Travel Solutions and Travelmall.mt. Adrienne moved to FCM after a career of 30 years at Lufthansa German Airlines, where she was responsible for corporate and agency passenger sales. Adrienne, together with a small team of dedicated colleagues, increased the airline’s local flights from bi-weekly to approximately 29 per week by 2018. This was crucial in meeting the growing demand for connectivity by a strong German presence on the island seeking to channel German investment from manufacturing to specialised niches. At FCM Travel Solutions, she transitioned seamlessly to a travel agency environment where she added some valuable corporate accounts to the company’s rich portfolio. Drilled in a customer-centric ethic, Adrienne believes in being there to offer peace of mind and reliability. She maintains a close link with Deutschen Zentrale für Tourismus and has been an active member of the German Maltese Business Council under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce for the last 14 years. Frequently guiding groups of agents, customers and the press overseas, Adrienne has combined private and work-related interests. Adrienne loves Opera, Classical Music, history and reading.
REX ALEXANDER
Dr. Rex Alexander is the founder of Clynico Group, a U.S.-based company with subsidiaries in pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, consulting, staffing, and digital strategy. Trained in clinical medicine, he brings a systems-oriented approach to business, focusing on scalable solutions that align global standards with local implementation. One of the group’s core operations is based in Malta, supporting work across regulated and emerging markets. With a focus on sustainable growth and measurable impact, Dr. Alexander leads ventures active across Europe, Asia, and the Americas—building companies that address real-world challenges and deliver consistent, results-driven outcomes across diverse industries.
