Global Ports Holding appoints new chief operating officer

Global Ports Holding (GPH), the world’s largest cruise port operator, and majority shareholder in Valletta Cruise Port (VCP), announced organizational changes aligned to the new GPH operating model.

Stephen Xuereb, has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of GPH effective from August 2016. Xuereb will be responsible for the overall performance of both cruise and commercial port operations for all of the 11 ports falling under the GPH portfolio. Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Valletta Cruise Port, Xuereb joined VCP in 2002 and until further notice he will also continue in his current role.

Xuereb is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Accountants and a Henley MBA (Reading University, UK) graduate. He has been involved in the cruise industry for the past 15 years in VCP acting first as CFO then as CEO. He has played an active role in developing the cruise business and ancillary support services including the development of the Valletta Waterfront.

“I’m pleased to welcome Stephen to the team and am looking forward to working closely with him going forward as we enhance our operating model,” said Emre Sayın, CEO of Global Ports Holding. “I have every confidence that his appointment will foster operational excellence at our ports. He will surely contribute to finding new synergies, improving communications and sharing best practices.”

Xuereb said that he was honoured to be entrusted with this new role: “GPH is indeed a dynamic company, growing strategically whilst keeping its core value of accountability, excellence, respect and valuing teamwork, in all its endeavours. It is indeed conducive to be working in such an environment and leading a team of talented people in the different ports.”

Global Ports Holding (GPH) is the world’s largest cruise port operator with an established presence in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Asia-Pacific regions, including extensive commercial port operations in Turkey and Montenegro. 

GPH, established in 2004, is a leading port operator with a diversified portfolio of cruise and commercial ports. GPH is operating a portfolio of 11 ports in 8 countries; namely, Barcelona Cruise Port, Venice Cruise Port, Malaga Cruise Port, Lisbon Cruise Port, Valletta Cruise Port, Dubrovnik Cruise Port, Singapore Cruise Port, Port of Adria-Bar, Ege Ports-Kuşadası, Bodrum Cruise Port and Port Akdeniz-Antalya.  

Operating two of the top five cruise ports in the Mediterranean, Barcelona and Venice, GPH hosts over 7 million cruise passengers annually. GPH continues its expansion in the global cruise port sector.